United States or Niger ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"What's all this about the Etchingham agency?" Val Stafford, smoking a well-earned pipe some hours later in the evening sunlight on the vicarage lawn, looked up at his brother over the Chronicle with a faint frown. "Who?" "Ah! who?" said Rowsley, squatting cross-legged on the turf. "Jack began on it this afternoon, and I had to switch him off, for I didn't care to own that it was news to me."
And he's my master, and I can't take on another job if he objects. That's why I kept it dark at home: what's the good of raising hopes that may be disappointed?" "Pity you can't chuck Bernard and take on Etchingham and the five hundred." "I should never do that," said Val in the rare tone of decision which in him was final. "After all these years I could never leave Bernard in the lurch.
According to English ways, I ought to have written a note, naming the hour at which I should reach Etchingham, which is four miles from Collingwood; but when I left Liverpool I went directly on, and a letter would have arrived at the same time that I did.
"There's nothing in it at present." "The duke has offered me the management of his Etchingham property," said Val unwillingly. "Oh no, not to give up Bernard: Etchingham, you see, marches with Wanhope and the two could be run together. He was awfully nice about it: would take what time I could give him: quite saw that Wanhope would have to come first." "How much?"
It was too heavy to be endured. Not even to marry Isabel was he going to impose on his own unbroken egoism the restricting code of a country village. "You are a dreamer, Val! Why don't you throw over Bernard and take the Etchingham agency?
I stopped in London one night only, changed my lodging-house, that I might pay a pound a week only for letting my trunk live in a room, instead of two pounds, and started off again. I reached Etchingham at ten minutes past four, took a cab, and set off for Sir John's. It is a large brick house, no way handsome, but surrounded by fine grounds, with beautiful trees and a very large pond.
"Are you coming up or not? You look fagged, Val," said Bendish affectionately. "Anything wrong?" "No: I was only wondering whether I'd get you to take a message for me, but I'd better go myself." Bendish nodded. "Just as you like. Have you settled yet about the Etchingham agency?" "No, I'm waiting for Bernard." "Hope you'll see your way to accepting.
Bills, a communication from his agent at Etchingham, a note from his man of affairs in Cairo, and hullo! a letter from his brother, Harwich! That did not promise him much pleasure. Already he had received several family letters scarcely rejoicing in his marriage. They had not bothered him as much as he had formerly feared they would.
The Doctor's brilliant eyes were fixed upon Armine with an expression half humorous, half affectionate. "Any smart hotel would seem the wrong place for you," he said. "I can see you on the snows of the Alps, or your own moors at Etchingham, even at where is it?" "Sennoures." "But at the Savoy, the Ritz, the Carlton no. Their gilded banality isn't the cadre for you at all."
Oh no, Bernard didn't put any pressure on me: simply offered me the choice between Etchingham and Wanhope." "They would pay you twice what you get from Bernard. Oh, Val, I wish you would take it and throw us over!" "That's very unkind of you." "Is this definite?" "Quite: Bernard had thought it well over and made up his mind. I shouldn't speak to him about it if I were you." "I shan't.
Word Of The Day