The Man Who Bought London by Edgar Wallace

Author:Edgar Wallace
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ManyBooks.net

* * *

Hermann looked at the girl with a new interest. His lips curled in a sarcastic smile as he remembered that, but for the luck of the game, this girl might have lain where the drunken daughter of her landlady was found.

He went through dinner talking on such events of the time as usually form the subject of prandial conversation. The real business of the meeting came later in the Palm Court when the two sat over their coffees and their cigarettes.

"Hubbard," said the guest, "I want you to marry my sister."

He watched his man as he spoke, and saw a gleam of satisfaction come to the man's eyes.

"That's rather unexpected," said Hubbard, stroking his moustache.

"I want you to marry her," Hermann went on, taking no notice of the interruption, "because I see no other way of getting her money."

Hubbard looked across from under his brows and answered with no great show of geniality.

"Exactly what do you mean?"

"I shall explain what I mean," said Hermann. "But before we go any further I would ask that we have no exhibitions of high horse-riding, no family honour, or duties of gentlemen, or any of that highbrow nonsense, if you please."

He said this quietly, but he was in sober earnest, and Hubbard checked a platitude which rose to his lips.

"Go on!" he said.

"I offer you a share of my sister's fortune--I offer you exceptional opportunities for meeting her, and I trust your singularly handsome person to do the rest."

Hubbard caressed his moustache thoughtfully. "Of course," he said, "if the lady is willing?"

"She isn't," said Hermann frankly. "She thinks that you are an insipid ass." Mr. Hubbard's face went very red. "But she is young, and you haven't really had an opportunity of impressing your personality upon her."

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.