a I B RAFLY 
 
 OF THL 
 UNIVERSITY 
 or ILLINOIS 
 
 V.I
 
 Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2010 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/boundtowintaleof01smar
 
 
 BOUND TO WIN 
 
 A TALE OF THE TURF. 
 
 By HAWLEY smart, 
 
 AUTHOR OF " BREEZIE LANGTON ; " "A RACE FOR A WIFE 
 "COURTSHIP IN 1720, i860;" ETC. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES, 
 VOL, I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 CHAPMAN & HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. 
 
 1877. 
 
 {All rights rese}'ved.)
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 cr 
 
 CONTENTS OF VOL. I. 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. An Interesting Situation ... i 
 
 II. The Bend Sinister ... ... 23 
 
 III. The Laytons of Laxby ... ... 43 
 
 IV. Theodora Richeton ... ... 62 
 
 V. Summing up the Position ... 82 
 
 VI. The Reunion ... ... 104 
 
 VII. A Dinner in Grosvenor Gardens 117 
 
 "* VIII. A Garden Party at Richmond 134 
 
 ^^ IX. What Folks said ... ... 162 
 
 ^ X. The Liddington Lot ... 184 
 
 _J XL An Objection ... ... ... 210 
 
 XII. Mrs. Richeton's Congratulations 233 
 
 ir> XIIL The Pact ... ... ... 258 

 
 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 AX INTERESTING SITUATION. 
 
 It is the closing day of the closing year, 
 and the lights of Liddington twinkle 
 merrily out into the murk of the winters 
 evening. The village is all alive to-night, 
 although it is considerably past what are 
 deemed canonical hours ; for, as a rule, 
 Liddington is in bed betimes, only holding 
 high revel and listening to the chimes at 
 midnio^ht on certain festivals. But Lid- 
 dington Is conservative of old usages, and 
 adheres to divers customs that have died 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 2 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 out In most parts of the country — the 
 waits, the mummers, etc., all make their 
 appearance at Christmas time. Carols are 
 sung under the windows of the well-to-do 
 by the children of their poorer neighbours, 
 and there is distribution of coals and 
 Christmas beef at both the Grange and 
 the rectory. Liddington, of course, always 
 welcomed the incoming year with all the 
 honours. The ringers are all ready in the 
 belfry, waiting for the first stroke of twelve 
 to send forth a merry peal of salutation to 
 the new year. In the bar of the King's 
 Head buxom Mrs. Hamper, the landlady, 
 is busy compounding a mighty bowl of 
 punch, in which the magnates of the 
 village may wish each other health and 
 prosperity for the ensuing twelvemionth. 
 More humble Liddington is imitating its 
 betters in pints of ale in hostelries of far 
 less pretensions, for the Kings Head is 
 the only house of entertainment in Lid- 
 dington that aspires to the dignity of an
 
 AN INTERESTING SITUATION. 3 
 
 inn, although there are sundry beershops 
 much affected by that portion of the 
 labouring population, whose exertions are 
 usually of a somewhat fitful nature, more 
 especially during the shooting season, 
 when hares and pheasants command good 
 prices. 
 
 '' Might I suggest caution with the 
 sugar, Mrs. Hamper," remarked a plump 
 little man with beady black eyes, and 
 whose nether limbs were encased in Bed- 
 ford cords and butcher boots. " Too 
 much saccharine is fatal to the figure as 
 the punch — it conduceth to gout and 
 obesity. Spare the sugar, Mrs. Hamper, 
 an you have regard for your health and 
 proportions." 
 
 "Come, doctor, if I'm a bit plumper 
 than when John there took me for better 
 or worse, eighteen years ago, it's no more 
 than a married woman ought to be, and, 
 for the mixing of punch, I'll turn my back 
 on never a man in all Bloomshire."
 
 4 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 " Nobody more willing to testify to your 
 skill in such compounding than myself," 
 replied the doctor urbanely. 
 
 *' And nobody able to give more trust- 
 worthy evidence, Slocombe," chuckled a 
 wizened rat-faced man, who appeared to 
 be doing badly upon whatever he might 
 have conceived it his mission to be doing 
 in this world. He was the attorney of the 
 district, and had to lament that the neigh- 
 bourhood was not more litigious. 
 
 " No, the doctor s tried the missus's brew 
 for a goodish few years now," interposed 
 a burly, heavy-jo wled man, who was 
 smoking a long clay pipe by the side of 
 the fire. " They allays differs a bit about 
 the lemons." 
 
 '' Never mind, John," cried Mrs. Ham- 
 per, laughing, as she shredded some lemon 
 peel into the fragrant bowl. ''I've noticed, 
 whatever fault the doctor may find while 
 the brewing goes on, I never hear him say 
 nought when it comes to the drinking."
 
 AN INTERESTING SITUATION. 5 
 
 " Good — he, he ! very good ! " chuckled 
 ]\Ir. Larcher, the attorney. " We have 
 got young Mr. Luxmoore back again at 
 the Grange, I see, Mrs. Hamper; the first 
 time he's been down since his uncle's death, 
 I think?" 
 
 '' Yes ; he's never been at Liddineton 
 since the old squire went off and left him 
 the property," replied the landlady. " He's 
 a fine young fellow, though, and was rare 
 free-handed, both of his money and his 
 neck, as a lad." 
 
 '' That he was, especially of the lat- 
 ter," ejaculated Dr. Slocombe ; '' and how 
 the poor old squire did love to see him 
 nde ! " 
 
 There was no keener sportsman through 
 the whole country-side than the doctor ; 
 and whether it was a turn with the hounds, 
 a little cross country affair, a coursing 
 match, or the decision of the blue ribbon 
 for the year. Dr. Slocombe always man- 
 aged to be there.
 
 6 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 '' He's bound by will to keep up the 
 stud, ain't he ? " inquired John Hamper. 
 
 " Yes, and a good job too," replied the 
 doctor enthusiastically. "It would have 
 been a cruel pity to have seen such a lot 
 of brood mares scattered by auction as 
 the old squire got together. Poor old 
 man ! he was a fine sportsman, though he 
 never achieved the aim of his life." 
 
 " And that was ? " inquired Mr. 
 
 Larcher, who had but lately settled in 
 these parts. 
 
 " The winning of the Derby. I do 
 believe it ouoht to have come off one 
 
 o 
 
 year. You remember Plutus, John, and 
 what a eood colt he was ? Well, there 
 was never any accounting for the way the 
 bookmakers laid against him after he won 
 the Two Thousand. Just when he ought 
 to have become a stronger favourite than 
 ever, when the horse was doing as well 
 as a horse could, he went steadily back 
 in the bettinof."
 
 AN INTERESTING SITUATION. 7 
 
 ''He never had any luck while he 
 trained with that Godfrey," said Mr. 
 Hamper, sententiously ; " leastways, if you 
 recollect, Mr. Slocombe, the squire's horses 
 never did win when they were expected 
 to." 
 
 " No," said the little doctor, musingly ; 
 " I remember Plutus started for the 
 Guineas that year at a longish price. 
 Godfrey declared, too, he was fit to run 
 for his life when he started at Epsom." 
 
 " Mr. Godfrey is that celebrated trainer, 
 I think, of whom I once heard it re- 
 marked," observed the attorney, " that he 
 luotild have money. Other trainers, my 
 informant remarked parentheticall)', want 
 money, but Godfrey will have it. He 
 does not train for the present, Mr. Lux- 
 moore, does he ? " 
 
 **0h no. The old squire had his sus- 
 picions of Godfrey, I fancy ; any way, they 
 parted a year or two after Plutus, and then 
 came Darlington, the present man."
 
 8 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 '' And what do you think of him, 
 doctor ? " inquired John Hamper. " I 
 never seed him myself, but he don't seem 
 to make much out of what Calvert sends 
 him " 
 
 " Yes ; but then Calvert — that's the stud 
 manager here, you know, Mr. Larcher — 
 told me the other day that they had been 
 very unlucky of late in their young ones. 
 He didn't think they had ever sent Dar- 
 lington a real good one yet. It is so at 
 times, you know — a first-rate stable de- 
 pendant on its own breeding stud, seems 
 to lose form altogether for two or three 
 seasons, and never to have anything fit 
 to win a big race in the collection ; then 
 the luck turns, and they have a handful 
 of trumps again." 
 
 " But you were saying that Harold 
 Luxmoore is bound by will to keep up 
 the stud," remarked Mr. Larcher, as he 
 lit a somewhat attenuated and mildewed 
 cheroot; " how's that ? "
 
 AN INTERESTING SITUATION. 9 
 
 " Well, you see, to win the Derby had 
 been the dream of poor Oliver Luxmoore's 
 life. He tried for forty years unsuccess- 
 fully, as many another turfite has besides, 
 but he died, if beaten, unconvinced. He 
 said to me in his last illness, ' I shall never 
 live to see it now, but it's there in the 
 paddocks all the same, doctor — those brood 
 mares of mine must throw double sixes 
 at last amongst them. I won't give in, 
 though I am going. Harold will just have 
 to stick at it till it comes off.' I thought 
 it was a case of the ruling passion strong 
 to the last, but, by Jove ! sir, when his 
 will came to be looked at, it w^as found 
 that Harold's inheritance of the property 
 was conditional upon his devoting a cer- 
 tain amount per annum to the breeding 
 and running of race-horses until he should 
 win the Derby, after which, I believe, he 
 may do as he likes." 
 
 " But supposing he never does ? " 
 ''Well, I don't quite know what would
 
 lO BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 happen after his death, but in the event 
 of his faihng to comply with the conditions 
 of the will during his life, he forfeits all, 
 bar a thousand a year, and the property 
 goes to a certain Berkley Holt, who, as 
 poor Oliver Luxmoore used to say, would 
 take care to win it somehow, when he 
 found it so much to his advantage. A 
 bad lot, Mr. Larcher, from the little I 
 know of him." 
 
 " Hem ! what we call just a little un- 
 scrupulous," said the attorney. 
 
 ''What I should call a damned black- 
 guard," growled John Hamper. 
 
 '' A mean, cowardly scoundrel," retorted 
 Mrs. Hamper, as she gave a final stir to 
 the punch. 
 
 " Ah, he committed himself somehow in 
 these parts," said the attorney insidiously. 
 
 "We haven't quite forgot poor Lizzie 
 Dixon, and how he treated her," said John 
 Hamper, knocking the ashes out of his 
 pipe with such unnecessary violence that
 
 AN INTERESTING SITUATION. II 
 
 the long clay was shivered to pieces In 
 the process. 
 
 The doctor pursed up his lips In reso- 
 lute silence, and just then the merry bells 
 rang out In cheerful welcome of the new 
 year, and Nancy Hamper, ladling out the 
 punch, called out, " Hush, John, let the 
 sorrowful story He dead. Come, gentle- 
 men, lets drink a happy new year and 
 luck to the young squire and the Llddlng- 
 ton Grange horses." 
 
 The toast was drunk with enthusiasm 
 by certainly three of the quartette. Loyal 
 upholders of the Luxmoores were the 
 doctor and the Hampers. For over a 
 quarter of a century had the sporting 
 medico drenched and bolused the Grange 
 household and been on friendly terms 
 with Its owners, while John Hamper, like 
 his father before him, held the inn and 
 the farm attached to it under the same. 
 As for Nancy, she had been still-maid at 
 the Grange till her bright eyes and rosy
 
 12 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 cheeks captivated John Hamper ; and 
 though the old folks thought at the time 
 John might have done better, they were 
 disabused of that idea before they died, 
 and John himself adhered firmly to his 
 original conviction, that his buxom, bus- 
 tling helpmate was the best wife in England, 
 or thereabouts. 
 
 The attorney, as a new comer, could 
 perhaps be hardly expected to feel as the 
 others did about the Luxmoores. He 
 was, moreover, of the cold-blooded order 
 of humanity, and, as John Hamper had 
 once gravely observed, '' his liquor seemed 
 to do him no good, he never warmed up." 
 Professional caution it might be, or a 
 o^eneral mistrust of lettinof his fellows see 
 too clearly into the windows of his soul. 
 Liddington, indeed, was a little puzzled 
 about Mr. Larcher ; it didn't take to him, 
 although it had nothing to urge against 
 him ; clever in his profession, no doubt, 
 as he had shown when opportunity offered,
 
 AX INTERESTING SITUATION. 1 3 
 
 and affecting a geniality which somehow 
 had scarcely a genuine ring In it, than 
 which nothing is more likely to excite 
 misgivings. 
 
 Up at the Grange, too, Harold Lux- 
 moore and his shooting companions have 
 heralded In the new year royally. A 
 capital day amongst the home covers has 
 been followed by a lively pool, an excellent 
 dinner, and a tremendous onslaught on 
 poor Uncle Oliver's undeniable claret. 
 Coffee and the customary chasse accom- 
 plished, the gay party betook themselves 
 to the smoking-room, In pursuit of whist 
 and tobacco ; but the host wears a some- 
 what preoccupied air, and seems to keep 
 his eye more on the clock than the 
 card-table, the result of which is a roughing 
 of his partner's " best," and sundry other 
 misdemeanours of like nature, which must 
 have made Sarah Battle shudder In her 
 grave. 
 
 "Confound it, Harold, you're out of all
 
 3 4 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 form to-night," cried Cyril Herrick. " If 
 you'd only returned me trumps I should 
 have brought in my diamonds, and we 
 couldn't have lost the trick ; as it is, it s 
 all up." 
 
 " Beg pardon for my carelessness, old 
 fellow, but I was thinking of something 
 else," pleaded the accused. 
 
 " Fellow shouldn't think of anything 
 else when he's playing whist," drawled 
 the Honble. Jim Laceby, a younger son 
 of the Earl of Mountgayters, " and then 
 he'd best think all he knows. Two by 
 honours and the trick — game ; that's a 
 treble, single, and the rub. Eleven 
 sovereigns, Herrick, and seven before 
 makes eighteen." 
 
 ''All right; I've done. It's no use 
 playing with a partner who is woolgather- 
 ing. What the deuce makes you so keen 
 about bed, Harold ? You're not generally 
 so cruel anxious to get to your pillow." 
 
 "He shot straight enough to-day, too,
 
 .\X IXTERESTIXG SITUATION. I 5 
 
 and showed no symptoms of tiring," chimed 
 in the fourth of the party, a stout, florid 
 gentleman, whose portentous appetite and 
 general ponderosity excited the utmost 
 amazement in the Honble. Jim. 
 
 " Quite right ; he couldn't have taken 
 to thinking of extraneous matters then, 
 ?^Ir. Blackden. He was wonderfully awake 
 Avhen that last cock rose, wasn't he ? 
 Just a shade too quick for the pair of us," 
 replied Laceby blandly. 
 
 " What's the row, Harold ? " inquired 
 Cyril Herrick, a sworn intimate of his host. 
 
 '' Pooh ! nothing much," retorted Lux- 
 moore with a laugh ; " but you know all 
 about my poor uncle's absurd will ? " 
 
 " Of course we all know you're bound 
 to win the Derby, and hope to Heavens 
 we shall be all well on when the time 
 comes," cried Cyril, laughing. 
 
 *'Well, I've a sort of superstition that 
 the great chance of my life is coming 
 to-night."
 
 1 6 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 " D — n it, he's off his head," remarked 
 the Honble. Jim. "We don't run Derbys 
 in mid-winter. What can New Year's 
 night have to do with Epsom Downs ? " 
 and Mr. Laceby, ejecting a cloud of tobacco 
 smoke, raised his eyeglass, and paused for 
 a reply. 
 
 " Calvert came up to see me just before 
 dinner, and told me Veturia was getting 
 very close upon her trouble. Now she's, 
 I think, the best mare we've got. Volscian, 
 by Marauder out of Veturia, was perhaps 
 as good a horse as we ever bred at Lid- 
 dington." 
 
 '* Nonsense ; you forget Plutus," inter- 
 rupted the stout gentleman indignantly. 
 
 " Not at all, Blackden ; but you know 
 old Millionaire — his dam is dead, so there's 
 no chance for us there." 
 
 " True, very true ; I forgot that, and 
 Volscian was a good horse. Well, we 
 hope Veturia will drop the winner of the 
 Derby to-night. Still, I don't see why
 
 AN INTERESTING SITUATION. I J 
 
 you should look so serious because one of 
 your brood mares is near her time." 
 
 "Wh}^ confound it, Blackden, you pre- 
 tend to know something about racing, and 
 can't see that," cried Luxmoore, springing 
 to his feet. '' Why, this, man, is the thirty- 
 first of December, and don't you understand 
 that if it should be dropped before mid- 
 night it will be a very late foal of last year, 
 instead of a very early one of this — be, 
 in point of fact, just a year behind all its 
 fellows in point of age, and useless for 
 racing purposes. Naturally, I am anxious. 
 Calvert is to send up word directly it 
 arrives, and I'm on tenter-hooks for fear 
 of hearing before midnight." 
 
 '' Only a quarter of an hour now," said 
 Herrick, glancing at the clock. 
 
 Jim Laceby puffed silently at his cigar 
 for a few seconds. No cooler man existed 
 than the Honble. Jim — nor harder. He 
 could walk all day after grouse, play whist 
 all night, and come down looking serene 
 
 VOL. I. c
 
 1 8 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 as if he had been put to bed with the 
 children. He would ride a four-year-old 
 at an oxer in the middle of a quick thing, 
 or stand a cracker on the favourite with 
 equal placidity. Nobody ever heard the 
 Honble. Jim exult much or grieve much 
 over anything : he took the world pretty 
 well as it came, and made the most of it. 
 He sometimes languidly murmured in the 
 shibboleth he affected, that "he had got 
 it hot," " come to grief," " had a rosy time," 
 or something of that sort, but his equality 
 of temperament never seemed disturbed, 
 and yet, according to his lights, Jim Laceby 
 was no fool. What he did he did well. 
 He neither betted, rode, nor played fool- 
 ishly, and was no novice in the abstruse 
 science of backing and laying. 
 
 '' Tell you what," he exclaimed, after a 
 short pause, " of course you'll want to back 
 this little brute ; now's your time for a long 
 shot, Luxmoore. Here's a thousand to 
 ten about it for Epsom. You can have 
 it five times if you like."
 
 AX INTERESTING SITUATION. 1 9 
 
 " No, my dear fellow, not till I hear that 
 Veturia has not misconducted herself, and 
 presented her offspring to the world too 
 early." 
 
 '' Pooh ! I'll give you that in," replied 
 Laceby. '' Put it this way, if you choose ; 
 here's five thousand to fifty the winner of 
 the Derby is not foaled at Liddington 
 Grange on January the first of the coming 
 year." 
 
 " You can put that down," replied 
 Luxmoore, curtly. 
 
 " And if you choose you may book the 
 same to me," said Herrick. 
 
 " All right ; but let us be quite clear," 
 replied Laceby. " It's long odds, as long as 
 I can afford to lay, though I'm bound to 
 tell you, I think they ought to be still 
 longer. Remember, I am not responsible 
 if Calvert is wrong in his opinion. If 
 Veturia puts off foaling to the second of 
 the month, of course you're hit." 
 
 " By Jove ! I never thought of that,"
 
 20 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 laughed Luxmoore ; " but I don't think 
 Calvert likely to be that much out. You 
 ofave me over twelve ; let the bet stand in 
 your own terms, eh, Herrick ? " 
 
 " Certainly ; I am satisfied," replied the 
 latter. 
 
 " There's a lovely beginning of a ten 
 thousand pound book," soliloquized the 
 Honble. Jim. '■^ An unborn and unnamed 
 one already laid against. Do you know, 
 you two are most remarkable men. I've 
 known many a horse backed, and freely 
 too, as we all have, when he has been to 
 every intent and purpose dead for that 
 race, but I never knew one backed before 
 he was alive before." 
 
 "Never mind," laughed Luxmoore — 
 " the time may come when you'll wish he'd 
 never breathed." 
 
 Jim Laceby shrugged his shoulders. It 
 was useless to argue with men who be- 
 lieved in unborn colts and treble events. 
 *' By the way," he continued, pencilling in
 
 AN INTERESTING SITUATION. 21 
 
 his betting book, " have you any idea what 
 you mean to call him ? Not that it affects 
 our wager, but I do believe in a good 
 name. It is odd, but a good horse 
 usually .carries a good name. When 
 you christen a horse anything like Yellow 
 Jack he's bound to never quite win." 
 
 " Ten minutes to one ! " exclaimed Mr. 
 Blackden, rising. " I'm off to bed. I fancy 
 you're all right now, Luxmoore." 
 
 As he lit his candle the door opened, and 
 a servant entered. 
 
 ''Note from Mr. Calvert, sir," he said; 
 "one of the lads brought it, and waits to 
 know if there is any answer." 
 
 " None," replied Harold, as he threw his 
 eye over the note. "All right. The 
 Liddington Grange Derby winner entered 
 the world half an hour ago. What do 
 I mean to call him, Laceby ? I'll tell 
 you. Fill up your glasses and drink his 
 health." 
 
 " I don't mind," said the Honble. Jim,
 
 22 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 "though, with ten thousand against him, 
 you can't expect me to wish him well 
 through his teething, at all events." 
 
 ** You shall be told time enough to get 
 out, if it is necessary," cried Harold Lux- 
 moore, laughing as he raised a beaker of 
 soda and brandy in his hand. " Here's 
 my toast — Gentlemen, luck and sound legs 
 to Coriolanus, by Velocipede out of Veturia, 
 by Verulam." 
 
 The toast was drunk with much enthu- 
 siasm by all. The Honble. Jim wished 
 his host luck really with all his heart, and 
 without the slightest apprehension. None 
 knew better than he how seldom the long 
 odds were landed, or how rarely the back- 
 ing of the zero at roulette gave satisfaction. 
 "It's a far cry to Lochow," saith the 
 Campbell, but it is further still to the 
 winning post at Epsom, is a maxim well 
 known to those who make yearling Derby 
 books.
 
 23 ) 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE BEND SINISTER. 
 
 LiDDiNGTON Grange was a pretty picture 
 for a landscape painter that New Year's 
 morning. I am speaking, of course, of 
 a time when the chill January sun was 
 about as much up as it was likely to be, 
 and not of that birth of the twelvemonth 
 which the graceless revellers of yesterday 
 eve had so gaily welcomed both at Grange 
 and King's Head. The old ivy-clad 
 Elizabethan gables stood out clear and 
 sharp, the laurels still spangled with last 
 night's mist, which had just a crackle of 
 frost in it. The grand old trees in the 
 park, stripped to their extreme nakedness,
 
 24 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 had nothing but their bold boles, knotted 
 branches, and deserted rooks' nests to dis- 
 play, It Is true, but they looked Imposing 
 for all that, and conveyed an Idea of what 
 they must be In all the majesty of their 
 summer beauty. The garden, and a posi- 
 tive hamlet of glass laid behind the house, 
 shut In, again. In their turn, by a small 
 wood of some twenty acres or so. To 
 the left, at something like a third of a 
 mile distance, were a somewhat elaborate 
 set of farm buildings, having In their rear 
 a lot of small enclosures, varying from 
 four to eight acres each, but principally 
 of the former size, surrounded In all cases 
 by stone walls about seven or eight feet 
 high, and having severally a well-thatched, 
 open shed In their respective corners. 
 These are the celebrated Liddington 
 Grange paddocks, from whence many a 
 colt, whose name was afterwards famous 
 in Turf history, has emerged. In one of 
 the smaller of these enclosures, a slight
 
 THE BEND SINISTER. 25 
 
 muscular man, habited in neat single- 
 breasted coat of Oxford mixture, lieht 
 cream-coloured scarf, secured by the 
 smallest of gold pins, and dark grey- 
 trousers that are marvellously cut to fit 
 over the boot, is contemplating a mare 
 busily engaged in licking a newly-born 
 foal. He twists the ash plant he carries 
 In his hand mechanically as he looks at 
 the foal, then, putting it under his arm, 
 takes a note-book once more from his 
 pocket, and mutters, " Yes, that's the worst 
 of it. You ain't a bad-looking foal by any 
 manner of means, but, d — mme, your 
 grandmother can't show her marriage cer- 
 tificate. I wonder whether you are a 
 clean bred 'un or no ? There's your 
 mother — she's by Tramp ; but who the 
 deuce was her mother ? — that's the rub. 
 She must have been as near clean bred 
 as can be, any way, but it's a terrible pity 
 we don't know her history. The poor old 
 squire, he bought this mare just before he
 
 26 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 died, because she was such a good-shaped 
 one ; but he never found out how she was 
 bred, quite. It is awkward, because, my 
 Httle fellow, if you grow up promising, we 
 shan't know how to describe you in the 
 Calendar!' 
 
 A particularly clean-shaved man this, 
 with a shrewd, keen, steely blue eye, and 
 lookine like one who lived a reo^ular and 
 abstemious life, rejoicing in early hours 
 and country air — as, in verity, Mr. Calvert 
 did. He had managed the home farm and 
 Liddington Breeding Stud for the last 
 quarter of a century, and in knowledge of 
 horseflesh and all its ailments, in knowledge 
 of sheep, cattle, or the nice conduct of a 
 grazing farm, Mr. Calvert was hard to beat. 
 Whether it were the treatment of dis- 
 temper, a strained sinew, or a hay crop in 
 a wet time, it were difficult to find a man 
 more equal to the occasion than the 
 Liddington stud-master. He entered 
 heart and soul into this breeding of
 
 THE BEND SINISTER. 27 
 
 thoroughbred stock ; rarely bet, and then 
 in the most modest manner, but took the 
 greatest interest in following the career of 
 his protegdes. He lived in a state of 
 chronic irritation with the trainer, whoever 
 he might be — Godfrey, Darlington, it was 
 all one. He was furious when his pets 
 came to grief, as is the lot of so many race 
 horses when called upon to stand the 
 ordeal of the training ground. " Their 
 legs, wind, and tempers are all fairly right 
 when they leave me," he was wont to 
 murmur, '' or else I shouldn't send them ; 
 but I'm always getting them back with an 
 intimation they've fallen through on one 
 of those points. Temper, by Jove ! I 
 hardly know what a bad-tempered one is ; 
 they are all quiet if properly handled, but 
 Darlington sends them back so wild and 
 scary — I can't make it out." 
 
 Mr. Calvert, in fact, never could be 
 brought to understand how the hard, stern, 
 discipline of training tries either men or
 
 28 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 horses. His favourites left him handled 
 with loving care from their birth, and he 
 could not believe that mere corn and hard 
 work could make them turn fractious. 
 That it is so we all know. Take that 
 most tricky piece of horseflesh — the pony — 
 with moderate feeding and fair work, he 
 is a useful, honest animal ; double his corn 
 and slacken his labours, and the pony- 
 chaise becomes available for the match 
 trade only at no distant date. Mr. 
 Calvert, indeed, had never quite got over 
 that Plutus disappointment to which Dr. 
 Slocombe had alluded. It was as much 
 the hope of his life to send the Derby 
 winner from Liddington Grange as it had 
 been the old squires. Mr. Calvert had 
 his own opinions concerning Plutus's 
 running at Epsom, but was far too discreet 
 to promulgate them ; still, when Oliver 
 Luxmoore made up his mind to dispense 
 with Mr. Godfrey's services, Mr. Calvert 
 exerted none of such influence as he
 
 THE BEXD SINISTER. 29 
 
 undoubtedly possessed over the old squire 
 in favour of his retention. If there was 
 one thino^ troubled the stud-Q^room — I 
 should say manager, in alluding to a man 
 of Mr. Calvert's weio^ht in the world — it was 
 his inability to understand his coadjutor 
 Darlington. Calvert was a first-rate judge 
 of a horse ; now, whether the appraising 
 of horseflesh indoctrinates a man in the 
 lore of Lavater or no, is a curious 
 psychological problem ; but practically 
 there is no doubt, that those cunnino- in 
 horseflesh are tolerablv sfood hands at 
 summing up humanity also. Air. Darling- 
 ton, however, was, so far, an unread book 
 as concerned Calvert. Of course they met 
 but seldom ; when they did the trainer was 
 chatty, affable, and agreeable, but the stud- 
 groom was forced to confess, that after he 
 had handed his yearlings over to their 
 schoolmaster, and enjoyed an excellent 
 dinner, and a chat over bygone Turf doings, 
 he had never yet carried away one particle
 
 30 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 of Opinion, so to be called, concerning his 
 own charges. Mr. Darlington never con- 
 descended to commit himself further than 
 to allow there was '' a useful one or two 
 among them," and Calvert was fain to 
 admit that he had unfortunately as yet not 
 supplied the trainer with anything much to 
 speak of in the way of material. 
 
 " We've begun well this year," muttered 
 Calvert, "and it'll be odd if I don't take 
 them up a niceish string of young ones to 
 Blithedown at the back end. It's main 
 odd Mr. Harold hasn't been down before 
 now to look at the Veturia foal. He was 
 terrible anxious about her dropping it too 
 soon yesterday, I know, and so was I. 
 She's the best mare we have, I reckon, and 
 the Velocipede cross ought to be a success. 
 Ha ! here they come, I see," and the stud- 
 groom strolled forward to meet his young 
 master, who, accompanied by his guests, 
 was now seen approaching. 
 
 " Good morning, Calvert. Here we are,
 
 THE BEND SINISTER. 3 1 
 
 all agog to view last night's phenomenon, 
 the prospective winner of the Derby. He 
 was backed to win ten thousand before he 
 breathed, I give you my word." 
 
 " Too early, sir, too early. Time enough 
 to back him later on, when we get some 
 idea of what he's likely to turn out," replied 
 Calvert, as he led the way to the paddock, 
 in the shed of which V^eturia and her aris- 
 tocratic offspring were at present domiciled. 
 
 " There he is," exclaimed Luxmoore, as 
 the door of the shed was thrown back, and 
 the old mare, with her ears laid back, 
 confronted them with some appearance of 
 hostility. " Don't go too close, as the old 
 lady is apt to be a little awkward on these 
 interestinof occasions. She believes a deal in 
 her progeny, whatever any one else may do. 
 What do you think of Coriolanus, Jim ? " 
 
 " Think, my dear fellow," replied Laceby, 
 " it's no use thinking about babies. You 
 may look at 'em for a month, and you can't 
 guess whether they'll turn out good or
 
 32 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 good looking. It's only women bother 
 their heads and inflame their imaginations 
 about 'em. The little beggar's alive, and 
 I've laid ten thousand against him — looks 
 likely to keep alive, and, therefore, I 
 should like to see him in about a twelve- 
 month. I'll tell you what I think of him 
 then, Harold." 
 
 "It was you laid the money, Mr. 
 Laceby, then," remarked Calvert, with a 
 slight touch of his hat. 
 
 " Of course I did," replied the Honble. 
 Jim, placidly. '' Dev'lish good laying, too, 
 as I told 'em. Ten thousand against the 
 winner of the Derby being born at 
 Liddington Grange on New Year's Day." 
 
 Mr. Calvert indulged in a low laugh, as 
 he said, quietly, " You've laid against a 
 lot, sir." 
 
 " Don't mean to say she's had a litter ? " 
 replied Laceby, jerking his head in the 
 direction of the hiorh bred Veturia. 
 
 " Not exactly," replied the stud-groom.
 
 THE BEND SINISTER. ^^ 
 
 " We had another foal dropped last night, 
 though, or rather, this morning, sir," he 
 continued, turning to his master. " That 
 old Tramp mare has got a fine colt foal." 
 
 " By Jove ! you've got rather the best of 
 me," remarked the Honble. Jim. " I never 
 thought of your falling in for a second 
 string." 
 
 " Oh, but this doesn't count, of course," 
 replied Harold Luxmoore, quietly. 
 
 '' I should think it does," interposed 
 Herrick, " though I don't want to insist 
 upon It." 
 
 " Count ! " replied Laceby, " naturally it 
 counts — if young Coriolanus there had 
 been stillborn, or deformed, that would 
 have been one to me. If you've the luck 
 to have two or ten foals born in the 
 specified time, that's so many points to 
 you. Let's go and see t'other little chap ; 
 perhaps he's not quite so healthy-looking 
 as this one, Calvert — eh ? " 
 
 ''He looks likely to do well at present, 
 
 . VOL. I. D
 
 34 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 Mr. Laceby," replied the stud-groom, 
 laughing ; " but, as you say, beyond that 
 the babies are well formed and healthy, 
 we can't tell anything at present." 
 
 " That's a good-shaped mare ! " said the 
 Honble. Jim, with quite an accession of 
 interest for him, as, after a stroll of two 
 or three hundred yards, they entered a 
 somewhat inferior paddock in which the 
 unfortunate mother with the bar sinister 
 resided. '' Good lean varmint head — 
 rather ragged hips, and hocks wonderfull}^ 
 well let down — not showy, but of a sort 
 that always go. What is she ? " 
 
 "Well, that's just what we don't quite 
 know. Uncle Oliver picked her up about 
 two years ago, and she's not quite thorough- 
 bred, we fancy. She's by Tramp, but we 
 don't know what her dam was," replied 
 Harold. 
 
 '' Like her better than Veturia," replied 
 Jim Laceby, sententiously. " Pity she's 
 not clean bred. I suppose you never 
 had anything of hers before ? "
 
 THE BEND SINISTER. 35 
 
 " No ; she was unlucky with the only 
 foal she's had since she's been here — it 
 died. But you don't mean to say you 
 like her better than Veturia ? " 
 
 Mr. Calvert pricked up his ears to hear 
 what Jim Laceby would say. Mr. Calvert 
 was in the habit of listening to criticism on 
 his pets from the guests at the Grange 
 that secretly caused him considerable 
 amusement. If you stayed at Liddington 
 it was de rigeur to ask to go round the 
 paddocks ; and " what some of 'em do 
 admire," Mr. Calvert was wont to remark, 
 " was extraordinary. The ladies, bless 
 'em, seem to have a love for leo^s and 
 tails, and the young gentlemen to think 
 a tandem leader is a Derby horse." 
 
 But Mr. Calvert was quite aware that 
 Jim Laceby knew a horse when he saw 
 it, and it rather puzzled him that the 
 Honble. should prefer the half-bred rnare — 
 for half-bred only they must be termed, 
 however slight the stain, of which the
 
 36 EOUND TO WIN. 
 
 pedigree is not to be traced — to Veturia, 
 the pride of the Liddington Paddocks, and 
 as handsome a specimen of a brood mare 
 as was to be seen in all England. 
 
 " Well, I do," replied Laceby, puffing 
 meditatively at his cigar. " I like the 
 wear and tear look of her ; and if you could 
 but get at it, depend upon it there's mighty 
 little stain in her pedigree. T other's what 
 I call too good-looking. It's a rum thing, 
 but the best horses, like the best and 
 cleverest women or men, are never too 
 good-looking. No, Herrick, I don't want 
 to argue, and I can't explain ; I only give 
 you the result of my experience." 
 
 That Jim Laceby was a man of many 
 experiences nobody could deny. He was 
 one of those who had lived every day of 
 his life, and what his age might be at the 
 present moment was not to be arrived at 
 without reference to the peerage. He 
 might be anything from thirty to five 
 and forty, and in reality held something
 
 THE BEND SINISTER. 2)7 
 
 like a just mean between those two 
 epochs. 
 
 *' I can't quite agree with 3^ou, Mr. 
 Laceby," said Calvert, quietly. " I like to 
 breed from as good-looking mares and 
 sires as we can lay our hands on ; but I 
 do think you're right, sir, about this Tramp 
 mare. She's not what we call a gaudy one ; 
 still, no one who knows a horse but must 
 admit she's good points. Tramp, too, was 
 a rare stout one. She's staying blood in 
 her veins." 
 
 " Well, I don't think much of her myself, 
 and if it hadn't been for Uncle Oliver's 
 eccentric stipulation, I shouldn't enter her 
 progeny for Epsom. As it is, of course, 
 I stick them all in, if they're doing well 
 when the time of entry comes round." 
 
 " What are you going to call him ? " 
 inquired Herrick. '' I don't affect to be a 
 judge, but he looks to me a nice foal." 
 
 " By Jove ! yes. Of course the little 
 beggar will want a name. Suggest one. 
 He's by Spendthrift out of a Tramp mare.'*
 
 38 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 " Can't call him anything better," ob- 
 served Laceby, laconically. 
 
 " Than what ? " inquired Luxmoore. 
 
 "What you did call him," retorted Jim, 
 "only I'd lengthen it a little. Say Beggar- 
 man, and I'd pronounce him well named." 
 
 '' Capital ! " said Herrick. " Beggarman, 
 by Spendthrift out of a Tramp mare, that 
 will read most appropriate in the Calendary 
 eh, Calvert ? " 
 
 " Neat, sir, neat," replied the stud-groom, 
 
 "Well, my fly must be about round," 
 said Laceby, looking at his watch ; " and if 
 Fm to catch the train, it's getting about 
 time. I must stroll back to the house. 
 Don't let me take you, Luxmoore." 
 
 " Nonsense ; we'll walk back, and see 
 the last of you. ' I suppose it is useless to 
 press you to stay longer ? " 
 
 " Can't, old fellow. You've given me 
 three rattling days' shooting, and the 
 claret's a liquor full of sunny memories. 
 It's a great blessing, and a thing to be
 
 THE BEND SINISTER. 39 
 
 recollected with perfect piety, the succeed- 
 ing a man who leaves his cellar and stables 
 so unexceptionably filled as your poor uncle 
 has, Harold. It reconciles me to my lot 
 as a younger son, when I reflect that it 
 will fall to Spankhurst, my' elder brother, 
 to drink the governor's wines, and to ride 
 what he calls his hunters. Good-bye, 
 Calvert." 
 
 " Good-bye, sir. Hope we shall see 
 you down again in the autumn to have 
 another look at our New Year's Day 
 colts." 
 
 Jim Laceby nodded, and, accompanied 
 by Herrick and his host, walked quietly 
 back to the house. A fly, with his port- 
 manteau on the top, stood at the door, and 
 his servant was waiting with his overcoat 
 by its side. 
 
 " Time up, William ? " inquired the 
 Honble. 
 
 "We're drawing it rather fine, sir," 
 replied the valet, who, thanks to his
 
 40 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 Imperturbable master, had missed as many 
 trains as any man In England. 
 
 "Well, good-bye, Herrick, good-bye, 
 Harold. Suppose I'm to say everything 
 that's pretty for you at Laxton ? Any- 
 thing special for Mrs. RIcheton ? — she's 
 safe to be there, you know," said Laceby, 
 as he stepped Into the fly. ''After the 
 way you flirted with her last season, I 
 shall have to Improvise a tender message 
 If you won't entrust me with one." 
 
 '' No, you needn't do that," replied 
 Luxmoore, curtly. '' I don't fancy she'll 
 inquire much about me.'^ 
 
 Jim Laceby glanced keenly for a moment 
 at his host, then nodded gaily, bade the 
 driver " look sharp," and was Immediately 
 rolling down the avenue at the best pace 
 his posters could accomplish. 
 
 " Hum ! " he mused, as he threw himself 
 back In the fly, "suppose Luxmoore and 
 /a belle RIcheton have had an explosion 
 of some sort. I hope, for his sake. It has
 
 THE BEND SINISTER. 4 1 
 
 been a tolerably peaceful rupture, because 
 I've an idea Theodora RIcheton would be 
 a somewhat dangerous woman to quarrel 
 with. I don't know why I should think 
 so, but I do. If she deemed herself 
 aggrieved I could imagine her never 
 resting till she had obtained what she 
 considered a quittance in full. Harold 
 Luxmoore certainly appeared very epris 
 of her all last season. It sometimes 
 struck me she had made up her mind to 
 be mistress of Liddington Grange, and if 
 she did, and he gave her tolerable grounds 
 to believe that she would be, he's not done 
 with Theo. Richeton yet, if I know any 
 thing about her. If he looks like being 
 in earnest about any one else for some 
 little time, I should advise Harold to be 
 on his guard. Mrs. Richeton's a woman 
 of some determination, in spite of her soft, 
 purring manner, or she never could have 
 kept such a brute as Richeton in decent, 
 order. Her married life couldn't have had
 
 42 BOUND TO ^^T^^ 
 
 much of the rose-leaf about it; but that 
 fellow would have made any w^oman's 
 existence unbearable if she'd ever been 
 afraid of him. A drunken bully always 
 does, unless the woman's nerve beats him, 
 either in high life or low ; and to the last 
 Tom Richeton never dared fairly face 
 his wife when it came to a row royal. To 
 make things more complicated than ever, 
 too, I've a suspicion she's really fond of 
 Harold. By Jove ! " he murmured, piously, 
 " what a blessing one's salad days are over, 
 and one's done with love-makino:. A bad 
 Derby book's not half so bad to get out 
 of as a serious flirtation."
 
 ( 43 ) 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE LAYTOXS OF LAXBY. 
 
 Jim Laceby is leading a life sid generis. 
 Scores of men like himself throw up hunt- 
 ine for a bit after Christmas, In order, at 
 the same time, to give their friends' 
 pheasants a last benefit, and their horses 
 a slight rest. They wander from one 
 big country house to another, and enact, 
 in short, the role of the minstrel of cen- 
 turies gone by. They carry the last tale, 
 the last romaunt with them ; and althous^h, 
 as we read — 
 
 " The way was long, the wind was cold, 
 The minstrel was infirrn and old "' — 
 
 that old orentleman had a tolerable lot ot 
 scandal to tell when he did his tale unfold.
 
 44 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 His modern successors find the way by 
 no means long, thanks to railroads ; nor 
 cold, thanks to ulsters and foot- warmers ; 
 but they have no whit deteriorated in the 
 bearing of the chronicles scandalous, and 
 we all know with what avidity the Honble. 
 Mrs. B's and Lord C's goings on at 
 Grassmore are discussed at Avondale, 
 even in this rigidly decorous generation. 
 Jim Laceby arrived at Laxton like the 
 troubadour it was presumed, laden with 
 the romaunts of the country- side. 
 
 Laxton was a right pleasant country 
 house of moderate calibre, and when one 
 has said that about it, I don't know that 
 there is really much more to be said con- 
 cerning it. It Is disgracefully modern, 
 and amazingly comfortable. It Is remark- 
 able for nothing ; it has not even the 
 faintest tradition of a ghost. How should 
 it ? Twenty years ago or so Laxton was 
 merely a well-timbered grass country when 
 Richard Layton, a thriving city merchant,
 
 THE LAYTONS OF LAXBY. 45 
 
 bought the estate and built a good house 
 on it. He might have ordered a ghost, 
 one would think, from the Herald's Col- 
 lege, as he did his arms, for to have 
 status and honourable position a country 
 house should always have a phantasma 
 attached to the premises : it is a certificate 
 of age, like colour to a meerschaum pipe 
 — a badge of aristocratic and country con 
 nection always improperly overlooked by 
 the notiveaux riches. A family ghost is 
 quite as imperative as family arms, and 
 equally easy of creation. 
 
 But if it was not remarkable for legend, 
 park, or picture-gallery, there were sybarites 
 who whispered that old Layton's chef 
 never made a mistake, and that the wine 
 at Laxton was beyond criticism. Then it 
 had the cosiest smoking-room, the prettiest 
 drawing-room, and the pleasantest billiard- 
 room it was possible to imagine. Old 
 Richard Layton was the most genial of 
 hosts, not falling into that terrible sin of
 
 46 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 those that have acquired their wealth by 
 successful trading, to wit, the recapitulation 
 of what every article on the premises cost 
 them. If Dick Layton, the only son, 
 could be merely catalogued as of the 
 '' inoffensives," and Mamma as deficient in 
 colour of character, who could deny that 
 the girls were charming ? — and it might 
 puzzle a man to choose between Annie, 
 of the dark brown hair and hazel eyes, 
 and the younger sister, Gracie, with a 
 somewhat fairer complexion, with a shade 
 more red in her hair, and a sotipcon of 
 green in her iris. The Honble. Jim would 
 rough it without a murmur when occasion 
 required ; indeed, he bore the reputation 
 among his fellows of being what in the 
 shibboleth of the day is termed " deuced 
 hard," but like most men of that class, he 
 could appreciate rose-leaves and the valley 
 of the lotus-eaters. He regarded Laxton 
 as a haven that a man should put into 
 once a year, if it was only to keep up his
 
 THE LAYTOXS OF LAXBY. 47 
 
 charter of doing so. " Not a house to be 
 shut out of," quoth Jim, " when you've 
 quite done with your whelpdom." 
 
 Laxton, Hke Liddington, laid in Bloom- 
 shire, although upon the other side of the 
 country, and it had so chanced that Harold 
 Luxmoore had never as yet met the 
 Laytons. The country gentlemen upon 
 his side had not taken up the Laxton 
 people, although in their own division they 
 were generally visited. A few years 
 usually floats these new-comers into society 
 nowadays, when they have bonhomie, a 
 French cook, a long purse, and pretty 
 good shooting to support them, more 
 especially if they preserve foxes. And old 
 Layton failed in none of these things. No 
 one who had ever pillowed his head at 
 Laxton but was fain to admit that the 
 thing was done right well and liberally. 
 Richard Layton found little difficulty in 
 filling his house, and with people of good 
 birth and position to boot. The pride of
 
 48 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 caste Is somewhat on the wane, railways 
 and the telegraph are mighty levellers, and 
 the new man has a start In these days with 
 reference to society that was quite beyond 
 his compass some fifty years ago — more 
 especially should he have sporting Instincts, 
 and Richard Lay ton had these. He dearly 
 loved a gallop with the hounds, or a day's 
 shooting, although but a moderate per- 
 former at either diversion, and lost his ten 
 pound on the Derby with a regularity both 
 pleasing and praiseworthy. 
 
 Jim cast a quick glance round the room 
 as he entered it just before dinner, and 
 greeted his hostess and her daughters, 
 whom he had not as yet seen. He was a 
 great favourite with the family, about him 
 they were unanimous, and the Laytons very 
 often were not about those congregated be- 
 neath their roof tree. Mamma, with slightly 
 aristocratic predilections, was a little wont 
 to turn up her nose at some of her hus- 
 band's old business friends, while the girls
 
 THE LAYTOXS OF LAXBY. 49 
 
 were often indio-nant at some of their 
 brothers Introductions, but Jim Laceby 
 they were one and all ever glad to see. 
 
 " Months since we've seen you, ]\Ir. 
 Laceby," said Annie, as Jim leisurely 
 deposited himself by her side on the sofa, 
 " and we know you too well to suppose v\'e 
 shall be able to keep you long, much as 
 you know we should wish It." 
 
 Annie Layton never much heeded what 
 she said to the Honble. Jim. Young ladles 
 never did, somehow ; it was not his age, 
 but the veriest flirt that ever tried her 
 hand generally experienced a conviction 
 that It was no use coquetting with Jim 
 Laceby. Women knew, as women intui- 
 tively do know such things, that he would 
 never make love to them, and you may not 
 believe it, but women are always rather 
 fond of a man they feel they can be con- 
 fidential with and not be misunderstood. 
 
 " No," replied Jim, '' I'm sorry I have 
 only a few -days to give you, but I've four 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 50 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 brutes eating their heads off at Grantham 
 that will certainly go wrong If I don't set 
 'em going again. Idleness Is the root of 
 all evil, you know, Miss Lay ton, especially 
 cracked heels and puffy legs." 
 
 "Well, we must make the most of you 
 while we have you," returned Annie Layton. 
 " You came from LIddlngton, didn't you ? " 
 
 Jim nodded. 
 
 " Ah, we have never seen Mr. Luxmoore 
 our side. He keeps a large racing stud, 
 does he not ? " 
 
 " Yes ; he has a tolerably large breeding 
 establishment at the Grange, and a string 
 In training at Bllthedown. You've got 
 Mrs. RIcheton here, I see." 
 
 "And youVe to take her in to dinner. 
 I hope you appreciate her — I don't." 
 
 '' Why not ? Poor woman ! she must 
 have had an awful hard time during her 
 wedded life, if I was any judge of RIcheton. 
 Who's that fellow with the dark moustache 
 talking to her ? "
 
 THE LAYTONS OF LAXBY. 51 
 
 "A Ur. Holt, some friend of Dick's, 
 and, to do him justice, much less objection- 
 able than Dick's friends usually are." 
 
 ^'Holt! ah, I know Berkley Holt. IVe 
 heard of him, though I never met him." 
 
 Annie Layton looked up inquisitively, 
 but just then dinner was announced, and 
 the Honble. Jim was directed to take 
 charore of Mrs. Richeton. 
 
 Berkley Holt was known by reputation, 
 at all events, to most men who mixed much 
 in the world. One of those who lived 
 mysteriously, and had obtained and main- 
 tained a footing in society, Heaven only 
 knows how. He was a notorious defaulter 
 on the Turf, and yet he was present at 
 most of the principal race meetings of the 
 year. He apparently never paid anybody, 
 and apparently nobody ever expected that 
 he ever would, and yet he always found 
 neophytes rash enough to bet with him, 
 and tradesmen still so confidlnof as to enter 
 him on their books. These thino^s are, 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 WHVERsriY OF ituwats
 
 52 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 ard no one can say how it is so. A hard- 
 working, honest, professional man may find 
 it difficult to oret credit to the tune of three 
 or four hundred pounds, while plausible 
 Berkley Holt, with neither profession nor 
 prospects, owed indefinite thousands, yet 
 nobody ever thought of being hard upon 
 " poor Berkley." How he had first estab- 
 lished this extraordinary claim upon the 
 commiseration of his fellows it is impossible 
 to conceive, but he had done so, and drew 
 upon it to the fullest extent. There was 
 no praiseworthy action that could by any 
 possibility be remembered to his credit, 
 while doubtful stories regarding his morals 
 and principles were plentiful as blackberries 
 in September ; yet Berkley Holt still clung 
 like a burr to society's skirts, and society 
 seemed quite to acquiesce that it should 
 be so. To owe and to borrow was his 
 normal condition, and nobody seemed 
 much to mind his owing, while there 
 seemed always young gentlemen just
 
 THE LAYTONS OF LAXBY. 53 
 
 beginning life, who were willing to lend 
 for the gratification of being launched 
 upon town by such an experienced mentor. 
 They grew to understand that he was 
 a costly preceptor in time, but seldom 
 cherished any grudge against Berkley for 
 the somewhat exhaustive education he 
 had bestowed upon them. 
 
 " Haven't seen you for seme time, Mrs. 
 Richeton," said Laceby, as he handed the 
 fair widow to her seat. ''Is it fair to ask 
 how you have been employed all this 
 autumn, and w^ho has been the worse for 
 encountering your fatal self ? " 
 
 " I've been reserving myself entirely for 
 your subjugation," replied the widow with 
 a low musical laugh. '' Don't you know, 
 sir, that I've serious designs upon you ?" 
 
 "Well, I didn't," replied Jim, gravely; 
 "but, of course, if you have, I've only to 
 ask when it is to be, and beg you to postpone 
 it till after the hunting season, if not very 
 inconvenient. When i^Jrs. Richeton deigns
 
 54 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 to be in earnest we not only succumb, but 
 lose our heads besides." 
 
 " Fancy you losing your head about any- 
 thing, much less a woman," rejoined the 
 widow gaily ; '' but, tell me, you've just 
 come from LIddlngton. What's It like, 
 and how's Mr. Luxmoore ? " 
 
 " Harold Is as well as a fellow can be, 
 and we'd three rattling good days' shooting. 
 It's a nice old place enough. Not so per- 
 fect as this, of course — none of your old 
 places ever can be. Art of house-buUdlng s 
 always on the Improve ; and If ever you 
 want to be uncomfortable, just accept an 
 invitation to stay in a castle. I did once. 
 A ghostly big bedroom, one might have 
 played rackets In, with a fire In the corner 
 that smoked ; corridors that one might 
 have run hundred-yard races in, but 
 through which the wind positively roared ; 
 fireplaces everywhere as big as a good 
 sized dog-kennel ; no billiard-room, no 
 smoklnor-room, and no bells that rung.
 
 THE LAYTOXS OF LAXBY. 55 
 
 Don't let's talk of it. I feel rheumatic at 
 the bare recollection." 
 
 " Ah, well," replied Mrs. Richeton, 
 smiling, " we don't come across many 
 houses so thoroughly comfortable as this." 
 
 " No, unfortunately — nor many cooks 
 as good. Pardon me, you shouldn't pass 
 those cotellettes a Madame rArchidicc" 
 
 " Miserable goicrniand, it is hopeless to 
 talk to you " 
 
 *' At dinner ; no. I can certainly do two 
 things at once ; eat and talk. To dine 
 without conversation is repugnant to civil- 
 ized people. Proceed, lady fair." 
 
 " Has Mr. Luxmoore anything promis- 
 ing in the racing way?" inquired the widow. 
 
 " My dear M.rs. Richeton, don't think 
 for one moment but what I would betray 
 the secrets of the stable to you if I knew 
 them, but I don't. All I saw at Lidding- 
 ton were some brood mares, foals, etc." 
 
 ''Well, I suppose we shall see him in 
 town next season ? "
 
 56 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 " Most certainly, and early too, I fancy, 
 as he's not at all satisfied with the hunting 
 in Bloomshire. May I ask how long 
 you've known Berkley Holt ? " 
 
 ''Hum! about forty-eight hours, I think. 
 It might be a few more. Why ? " 
 
 " Oh, nothing ; merely I fancied he was 
 a new acquaintance." 
 
 " Quite so," remarked the widow. " He 
 tells me he's a distant cousin of Harold 
 Luxmoore's." 
 
 " Yes ; can't be too distant, I should 
 think. Should prefer him as an Australian 
 cousin rather tied down to his property, 
 if I v/ere Harold." 
 
 " You don't like him ?" said Mrs. Riche- 
 ton, interrogatively. 
 
 " I don't know him, but I don't expect 
 to when I do." 
 
 " Why ? I find him rather pleasant." 
 
 " Quite so, no doubt ; but I don't think 
 he's quite my sort, you know ; and I fancy 
 it just possible you may some day be my 
 way of thinking "
 
 THE LAYTOXS OF LAXBY. 57 
 
 "If you mean to hint that he's regarded 
 as a rather mattvais sitjet^ I'm aware of 
 that," replied Mrs. RIcheton. 
 
 '' No, I don't mean that exactly. Let me 
 give you some v/ine," repHed the Honble. 
 Jim. 
 
 Most assuredly he did not quite mean 
 that, for the " rather " was a quaHfying oi 
 description that Jim Laceby would have 
 never been induced to subscribe to. If he 
 did not know Berkley Holt personally, he 
 knew quite enough about him to have 
 made up his mind pretty conclusively 
 concerning him. The Honble. Jim was 
 by no means straight-laced, but against 
 men of Berkley Holt's stamp his opinions 
 were determinate, very. In fact, he would 
 have positively refused to meet or be 
 introduced to him had it come in such 
 shape that the option of rejection had been 
 left him. As it was, he must make the 
 best of it. 
 
 Mrs. Richeton, of course, thoroughly
 
 58 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 comprehended that Laceby meant to turn 
 the conversation. She supposed that he 
 had reasons of his own for objecting 
 to Berkley Holt, but it did not occur to 
 her at all what they might be. She did 
 not quite understand her neighbour ; hold- 
 in^r somewhat elastic views herself as to 
 the shortcomings of those she met with 
 in the world, she looked upon it that the 
 imperturbable, easy-going Jim Laceby, with 
 a taste for the Turf and other similar 
 devices, must be a very lenient judge of 
 such a man as Berkley Holt. There were 
 plenty of people in her set who tolerated 
 him, and acquiescing in that marvellous 
 epithet of commiseration which he had 
 succeeded in attaching to his name, pitied 
 " poor Berkley ! " She did not comprehend 
 that Laceby held a pretty strict code of 
 honour, and that, with all their apparent 
 easiness and loose talk, there were many 
 who, like him, looked upon It that there are 
 certain infringements of that code which
 
 THE LAYTOXS OF LAXBY. 59. 
 
 placed a man without the pale. There is a 
 laxity upon some of these points nowadays 
 which cannot sufficiently be regretted, and 
 according to one of our most popular 
 novelists, in a late work, to bet, play, and 
 not pay is the prevailing fashion. Still, let 
 us hope there are yet plenty left who, like 
 Jim Laceby, hold contrary opinions with 
 some obduracy, and contend that when a 
 man ceases to pay it is quite time that he 
 should cease to bet ; further speculation on 
 his part bearing a marvellous resemblance 
 to what, were the laying or taking of odds 
 cognisant of the law, would secure him an 
 opinion from twelve of his countrymen on 
 his proceedings. 
 
 Mrs. Lay ton bends her head, and the 
 ladies, in obedience to her summons, shake 
 out their skirts, and disappear from the 
 dining-room. The men betake themselves 
 to olives, claret, and general conversation, 
 in which Berkley Holt bears a prominent 
 part. Then comes coffee, and, midst a.
 
 6o BOUND TO \YIN. 
 
 peal of laughter at Mr. Holt's last anecdote, 
 they also melt away to the drawing-room. 
 
 " I think you know a cousin of mine 
 very well, Mr. Laceby ? " remarked Berkley 
 Holt, edging himself next Jim as they 
 ascended the stairs. 
 
 " I know Harold Luxmoore, if you mean 
 him," replied Jim with a curtness that 
 would have discouraged many men. 
 
 " Exactly. Been staying with him, 
 haven't you ? " 
 
 " I have come here from Liddington." 
 
 " Just so. Hope you had good sport 
 there. The shooting used to be good in 
 old Oliver's time." 
 
 " There's not much to complain of about 
 it now," said the Honble. Jim frigidly. 
 
 " I fancy we've met in days gone by," 
 continued Holt. " Let's see, where was 
 it ? — Ascot ; Doncaster. I'm sure I've met 
 you racing somewhere." 
 
 " It would be probably outside the ring, 
 wherever it v.^as, Mr. Holt, I should
 
 THE LAYTOXS OF LAXBY. 6 1 
 
 imagine," retorted the Honble. Jim lan- 
 guidly, but looking his interlocutor very 
 straight in the face as they gained the top 
 of the staircase. 
 
 Berkley Holt turned sharp upon his 
 heel, and made his way to the drawing- 
 room with an angry flush upon his brow, 
 and a rigid resolve to be upshots with 
 Jim Laceby should the opportunity be 
 vouchsafed him. To be reminded that he 
 could not show his face in the betting ring, 
 consequent upon his defalcations, was an 
 offence Berkley Holt was little likely to 
 forget, and if he paid no other debts, he 
 acquitted himself of such as these with 
 great punctiliousness.
 
 62 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THEODORA RICHETON. 
 
 " What an impostor you are, Mr. 
 Laceby ! " said Annie Layton in a low tone 
 as that gentleman dropped into a chair by 
 her side upon gaining the drawing-room. 
 
 '' No doubt," replied the Honble. Jim 
 calmly; "we all are. How have I exceeded 
 my fellows in imposture just now ? " 
 
 "Why, you said you didn't like Mrs. 
 Richeton, and you've been flirting dis- 
 gracefully with her all dinner time." 
 
 "Wouldn't be the sliorhtest deeree of 
 imposition in that, I should contend, even 
 if you were quite correct in your facts, 
 Miss Layton. We, and so do you, often
 
 THEODORA RICHETOX. 63 
 
 flirt to some slight extent with people we 
 don't care about ; but I never said I didn't 
 like yirs. Richeton. I hate trouble, and I 
 never exerted myself so far as to make my 
 mind up about her one way or the other." 
 
 " But you should, you know." 
 
 '' I decline altogether to embark in such 
 an elaborate and extensive speculation, as 
 to what ' I should, you know,' " retorted 
 Laceby with his habitual indolent smile. 
 
 "]\Ir. Lacebv," returned Annie, menacino; 
 him with her fan, "you always yield when 
 I insist, remember, and I really require that 
 you should make up your mind about Mrs. 
 Richeton." 
 
 " Very well," replied Jim quietly. 
 
 There was a slight pause, and then Miss 
 Lay ton said, " Now, what is it ? " 
 
 " Don't know," returned Jim calmly. 
 " Couldn't m.ake up my mind on such an 
 important matter as a pretty woman with- 
 out due consideration. You can't expect 
 a man to form an opinion of a feminine
 
 64 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 fellow- creature after the fashion that he 
 writes a post-card." 
 
 " You're trifling with me, sir," said Annie, 
 her eyes dancing with fun. "If you won't 
 tell me what you think of her, what am I 
 to think of Mr. Holt?" 
 
 " I don't mind telling you what I think 
 of him," rejoined Jim, in his usual languid 
 tones ; '' but are we not to have some 
 music ? " 
 
 Miss Layton turned rather quickly 
 round upon her companion, and as she did 
 so discovered at once the reason of the 
 somewhat inconsequential finish of his 
 reply. Berkley Holt had strolled up to the 
 adjacent table, and was carelessly looking 
 over a photograph-book. 
 
 "Yes ; I think we must have some 
 music," she replied, rising. " Conversation 
 generally requires a little supplementing. 
 I must ask Mrs. Richeton to do something 
 for us. Don't you admire her singing ? " 
 
 "Certainly I do, but I'm not much of
 
 THEODORA RICHETOX. 63 
 
 a judge. I go to the Opera In the season 
 just as everybody else goes, yet Til admit 
 I'm heathen enough to be bored at times. 
 Wagner strikes me, for instance, as a good 
 deal like ]\Iilton — 
 
 ' A little hea\y, but no less sublime.' " 
 Mrs. Richeton acceded at once to 
 Annie's petition that she would sing them 
 somethinof. The widow had a fine con- 
 tralto voice, and was quite aware of it — 
 not the woman, indeed, to overlook her 
 advantages, and they were considerable. 
 A tall, somewhat stately brunette, no one 
 could deny she was a very striking person, 
 and few, especially men, would have denied 
 her claim to be accounted a very handsome 
 woman. She enjoyed the cc/cif of being 
 a vridow, in the meridian of her beauty, 
 with a claim on the world's sympathies in 
 consideration of the acknowledged unhap- 
 piness of her past wedded life. There was 
 no actual evidence that Tom Richeton had 
 ill-treated her, but the departed Richeton 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 66 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 had been a coarse, boisterous, unpopular 
 man, with an avid hist for strong waters, 
 and it was quite possible. Theodora 
 Richeton never opened her mouth on the 
 subject, but she would droop her long, 
 dark lashes, slightly elevate her straight, 
 dark brows, sigh, and give deprecatory 
 little shrugs of her shapely shoulders, 
 w^hich expressed infinitely more than any 
 words could have contained. When a 
 woman passes as a martyr to society she 
 usually, if clever, refrains from speech. 
 The accusation against her husband, im- 
 plied by her impersonation of Ariadne, 
 becomes vast in proportion to its vague- 
 ness. Mrs. Richeton had been an immense 
 success in this 7^0/e, and had no lack of 
 unscrupulous admirers, anxious to console 
 her for the nesflect with which she was 
 treated. 
 
 But Theodora Richeton had been far 
 too circumspect to give society any oppor- 
 tunity of scandalous gossip at her expense;
 
 THEODORA RICIIETOX. 0/ 
 
 consequently, when Tom Richeton, after 
 endeavouring to drown his disgust at a 
 very bad Vv'eek at Newmarket, fell under 
 the railway carriage instead of into it, the 
 world had nothing but sympathy to offer 
 upon the occasion, while the consolation 
 of the handsome widow became a thing 
 not only desirable but imperative upon 
 some one of those that were still both 
 unmated and unmoneyed. But Mrs. Riche- 
 ton shovv'ed herself in no hurry to put her 
 neck once more beneath the yoke, and till 
 last season, when she had undoubtedly 
 shown considerable favour to Harold Lux- 
 moore, no man could flatter himself that 
 he had made much progress in her good 
 Of races. 
 
 While the widow is warbling *' Per sua 
 ^ladre " in her pure contralto, three of her 
 hearers are speculating about her in a 
 manner that would somewhat surprise her, 
 could she but know it. Annie Layton is 
 wondering why she should have such an
 
 68 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 unreasoning mistrust of their guest, and 
 taking herself to task for not having con- 
 ceived a hkine for her Instead of rather 
 the reverse. Jim Laceby muses thought- 
 fully about Harold Luxmoore's last remark 
 at Liddington. " You're a good deal out, 
 Master Harold," he murmurs to himself, 
 " if you think she considers your little affair 
 over. Not ask after you, indeed ! didn't 
 she ? — rather, and I should say with con- 
 siderable interest, as far as I'm a judge. 
 No, next time you meet, whatever your 
 quarrel may have been, you'll find la belle 
 Richeton prepared to take up that flirta- 
 tion exactly where she laid it down, unless 
 I'm much mistaken." 
 
 Berkley Holt, too, was immersed in spe- 
 culation concernlno- the handsome widow 
 — a good-looking man, about ^\^ and 
 thirty, of medium height, with quick, glit- 
 tering, dark eyes, and a somewhat defiant 
 manner, the result of his doubtful position ; 
 for Berkley was quite aware that he was
 
 THEODORA RICHETOX. 69 
 
 now numbered amongst those only " tole- 
 rated of society,'' having forfeited his social 
 status by countless acts hardly recognized 
 as admissible even by easy-going moralists. 
 His advances had been curtly rejected by 
 others as well as the Honble. Jim. Rebuffs 
 of that kind, indeed, are common enough 
 to all these black muttons who live their 
 precarious existence on either side of 
 society's boundary fence ; but there was 
 never a dark sheep of them all w^ho 
 bore such disaster with more stoicism. 
 His aplomb was unbounded, and his belief 
 in himself unextinguishable. Despite that 
 his whole life had been one unmitigated 
 failure, there never was a man so imbued 
 with the principle of il faut sc fair valoir. 
 He was eternally scheming, and always as 
 boldly and hopefully as of yore. Just now 
 his busy brain is calculating whether there 
 is a chance of inducino^ Mrs. Richeton to 
 become ]\Irs. Holt. He has known her 
 by sight for some time, as he occasionally
 
 70 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 flitted fitfully through the somewhat fast 
 circle in which she habitually moved ; but 
 he never knew her to speak to till he found 
 himself domiciled with her at Laxton. 
 
 His presence there w^as owing to his 
 having scraped an acquaintance with facile 
 and somewhat fatuous Richard Layton on 
 some race-course. Richard Layton — some 
 men have — had a faculty for knowing 
 mativais sujets ; he had a perfect gift of 
 picking up with those whom wiser men 
 rather held at arms' length, and was wont 
 to be reckless in his general invitations. 
 Men of Holt's class reduce a general invi- 
 tation to a specific one, in a way that often 
 electrifies the giver. They work it all out 
 w^th the ease and rapidity of a wrangler 
 solving a simple quadratic equation. 
 Richard Layton w^as always feebly plead- 
 ing, in answer to his sisters upbraidings, 
 anent the somewhat strange acquaintance 
 he occasionally introduced to Laxton, — 
 
 "By Jove! I never thought he'd come,
 
 THEODORA RICHETON. 7 1 
 
 you know ; only said I hoped he'd give 
 us a look in if he happened to be our way. 
 How was I to guess he'd be our way a 
 week afterwards ? " 
 
 *' You goose, Dick ! " his sisters would 
 retort ; '' those sort of men are always 
 sure to be your way very speedily." But, 
 as Annie had said, they had looked 
 upon Berkley Holt as by no means objec- 
 tionable. 
 
 Berkley, a University man, and of good 
 family, of course had all the manner of a 
 man accustomed to mix in good society, 
 doubtful as his statics there might now be. 
 He was a clever man, and had he worked 
 at his profession— he had been called to 
 the bar — instead of devoting himself to 
 Ascot, Newmarket, etc., might have been 
 now doing well. As it was, what little 
 money he had was long ago run through, 
 and how he lived at present one of num- 
 berless similar social mysteries. 
 
 But the last notes of '' Per sua Madre "
 
 72 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 die away upon Mrs. Richetons rosy lips, 
 and the conversation, which had been 
 hushed for the song, now again becomes 
 general, amidst a chorus of charming, 
 delicious, delightful, thank you, the widow 
 retires gracefully from the instrument, dex- 
 terously evading an encore by a promise 
 to sing again later on. Mrs. Richeton 
 knows too well what uncharitable feelings 
 may be evoked by too long continuance 
 at the piano, let the singer sing ever so 
 sweetly. Are there not other damsels 
 with much belief in their vocalization 
 invariably awaiting their turn with im- 
 patience ; ladies who would follow Titien 
 or Patti without misgiving — have we not 
 all seen it, and, alas ! sorrowfully heard it ? 
 The lady that sings, like the man that 
 speaks, is loathe to miss an opportunity ; 
 and the daughter of the rector of the 
 parish loses no time in displaying her 
 ideas of song, which, if not particularly 
 harmonious, are at all events emphatic.
 
 THEODORA RICHETON. 73 
 
 Such music is, of course, intended only for 
 the purpose of masking conversation. 
 
 *' What is Mr. Luxmoore like ? " inquired 
 Annie Layton of Jim Laceby. *' Has he 
 any other tastes besides field sports and 
 racing ? Does he care about society, for 
 instance ? " 
 
 " Yes, very fond of it. Indeed ; goes 
 everywhere. Hunting and shooting he was 
 always fond of; as for racing, I don't think 
 he ever troubled himself much about that 
 till he inherited it." 
 
 " How do you mean Inherited it ? " 
 
 ''Well, he came into all old Oliver 
 Luxmoore's property, which, of course, 
 included all his racing establishment, so 
 that he considers himself bound to carry 
 it on for a bit, at all events. His uncle, 
 I believe, expressed a strong wish he 
 should." Although Jim Laceby w^as quite 
 aware of the current report in the Lidding- 
 ton country -that Harold was bound by will 
 to continue on the turf, he, like many
 
 74 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 of Luxmoorc's friends, deemed It no more 
 than a desire that the old man had elven 
 expression to In his last Illness. He 
 knew Harold said he was bound to win 
 the Derb}^, but he looked upon that as 
 a mere fashion of speaking. He did not 
 comprehend that he was obliged, under 
 heavy legal penalties, to continue the breed- 
 ing and running of horses. Few of his 
 friends, indeed, believed this ; they had 
 some of them heard the story, but conceived 
 it founded on no more than a strong- 
 request, embodied in the will, that he should 
 at all events try for some time longer to 
 achieve that goal for which poor Oliver 
 Luxmoore had striven in vain, cross his 
 pet mares judiciously as he might. It 
 is so at times. The caprice of fortune 
 is curious in many ways. Lord George 
 Bentinck never could attain the Isthmian 
 wreath, while the young heir of Streatlam 
 carried it off pretty well on obtaining 
 his majority, and has lived to be crowned 
 thrice since.
 
 THEODORA RICHETOX. 75 
 
 '' Then he goes out in London, and that 
 sort of thing," remarked ]Miss Layton. 
 
 '' Of course he does ; he's been abroad 
 a good deal, but no man enters into all 
 ' the go ' of the London season with more 
 ve7^ve than Harold Luxmoore. You must 
 let me introduce him to you all when we 
 get back to town ; as residents in the same 
 county, of course, you ought to be 
 acquainted, and I'm quite as sure you 
 will like him, as I am that you won't 
 like Berkley Holt when you ever come 
 to know him.'' 
 
 "Ah! Tell me about him." 
 
 '' Not a word more. He's eyes like 
 a hawk, and ears like a hare, and both 
 have been actively on duty since I have 
 been in the drawine-room." 
 
 " Why, you said you had never met 
 him." 
 
 ^'Just so; but I've met him In other 
 men's mouths, and not much to his benefit. 
 Never mind him. I shall tell Harold
 
 76 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 he must know you all. You will have 
 to make papa send him his card and a 
 dinner ticket, and I'll see it's attended to." 
 
 " Very good, your highness," laughed 
 the girl. *'We do know that you never 
 introduce us to anybody that isn't nice." 
 
 *'What! you've forgiven me old Lady 
 Firebrasser ? " 
 
 " Well, she was a trial, I admit ; but we 
 know there were diplomatic reasons for 
 that." 
 
 ** Yes ; and you'll find Liddington Grange 
 a pleasant house to stay in at times, when 
 there's anything going on that side the 
 country. Wants a mistress, which no 
 doubt it will get ere long. It looked last 
 year as if your friend Mrs. Richeton had 
 some idea of taking the responsibility upon 
 her handsome shoulders." 
 
 " No, really ! I had no idea of that ; but 
 we don't see much of her in town. You 
 know we're not in her set exactly." 
 
 '' There was gossip about them ; but
 
 THEODORA RICHETOX. 77 
 
 Stop, you must interfere. Look ! that 
 unhappy girl is going once more to demon- 
 strate her ignorance of music. Make Mrs. 
 Richeton sing again, in pity to us — and 
 
 her " 
 
 Miss Layton glides to the piano, and 
 dexterously insisting upon the young lady 
 in possession not tiring herself, with a 
 saucy glance at Laceby sits down thereat, 
 and calling her sister to her aid, embarks 
 upon a duet. The girls' voices are fresh 
 and clear ; moreover, they have been well- 
 taught and thoroughly instructed as to the 
 tether of their capabilities. The result 
 is, that they sing together prettily and 
 pleasingly ; instruction in the tether of 
 our capabilities in this world being a 
 branch of education that cannot be too 
 highly commended, however painful it may 
 be at the time for the pupil. Berkley 
 Holt, in pursuance of his lightly-sketched 
 design, had joined ]\Irs. Richeton im- 
 mediately upon her retreat from the piano,
 
 78 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 and commenced to make himself agree- 
 able, with his usual audacity. He could 
 talk well enough, and be pleasant enough 
 when it served his purpose, notwithstand- 
 ing, a keen observer mio^ht have noticed 
 a slight repression of himself, such as is 
 common enough amongst those who, living 
 chiefly amongst men habitually coarse in 
 manner and thought, find themselves 
 thrown among well-bred women. Berkley 
 Holt, it need scarcely be said, was no 
 novice in the ways of good society ; but 
 the slang of the betting ring, and his 
 coarser haunts, rose so naturally to his lips, 
 that he required to keep some watch 
 over himself to prevent such expressions 
 escaping his mouth. He flatters himself 
 he is getting on very well with the widow, 
 an idea that would be natural to any 
 male creature with as good an opinion of 
 himself as Berkley. Mrs. Richeton is 
 fond of and accustomed to adulation ; 
 accustomed to smile sweetly upon any
 
 THEODORA RICHETOX. 79 
 
 good-looking- man who pays court to her ; 
 but Theodora Richeton is no fool. She 
 likes to be flattered, and is always caress- 
 ing in her manner to the adorer of the 
 hour ; but she troubles her head little 
 further about the matter, and her flirtations, 
 on the whole, have left little mark as far as 
 she has been concerned. 
 
 " I trust you will allow me to call 
 upon you when you return to town," said 
 Berkley, at last. " I have often, of course, 
 encountered you in society, though I 
 never had the pleasure of making your 
 acquaintance." 
 
 Hardly the fact ; they did know each 
 other by sight, and occasionally crossed in 
 society, but by no means ofteru 
 
 Theodora Richeton was a little staeeered 
 by this bold request. She had a somewhat 
 dim perception of Holt's status in society, 
 and most assuredly had not meant that 
 their three days' or so acquaintance was 
 to open her door to him. Still she had no
 
 8o BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 excuse ready to her hand at that moment, 
 so she smiled, and said she should be 
 delighted, with an inward reservation 
 about beinof at home to a o^entleman of 
 such consummate forwardness. But now 
 Mrs. Richeton is called upon to redeem 
 her promise, and once more her sweet 
 contralto notes float through the room, and 
 aeain the buzz of conversation is hushed. 
 Jim Laceby, lounging upon an ottoman 
 somewhat In the background, suddenly 
 catches the tones of Berkley Holt. He 
 is talking in a low voice to Dick Layton. 
 
 " I'm off to the smoking-room for a 
 quiet cigar before the lot of you come 
 in. I must make an early start of it to- 
 morrow, as I got a telegram just before 
 dinner which compels my return to town. 
 You can make my adieu to everybody to- 
 morrow. I hate causing a fuss, so shall 
 clear out quietly." 
 
 " All right ; sorry you must go, but of 
 course you know best," returned Richard
 
 THEODORA RICHETON. 8 I 
 
 Layton, after the usual flabby manner In 
 which he was accustomed to take farewell 
 of his guests. So many of these had 
 turned out failures in the eyes of his family, 
 that it was always somewhat of a relief to 
 get them safely off the premises. Holt 
 had been a tolerable success ; but Dick 
 thought on a prolonged visit he also might 
 be found fault with. He was always re- 
 penting these ill-advised invitations, but, 
 nevertheless, when carried away by wine 
 and good-fellowship, could never abstain 
 from issuing them. As before said, too, 
 his faculty for fraternising with the black 
 sheep was instinctive. 
 
 '' Wonder whether my appearance and 
 determination not to know him had any- 
 thing to say to that telegraph?" mused Jim. 
 " Hardly, I should say. From what I've 
 heard of Berkley Holt, he's much too cool 
 a hand to be put down by a trifle like 
 that." 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 SUMMING UP THE POSITION. 
 
 Berkley Holt lived in Cavendish Cham- 
 bers, Duke Street, Portland Place, not that 
 he was in the habit of communicating that 
 address indiscriminately to either his friends 
 or tradesmen. Mr. Holt thoroughly under- 
 stood the value of peace and quietness, and 
 detested the annoyance of calls from friends 
 to whom he had lost money, or of unfor- 
 tunate tradesmen grown weary of his 
 promises to pay. Berkley, like most 
 gentlemen whose income may be said to 
 arise from the well springs of Providence, 
 was lavish on three points only — his per- 
 sonal expenditure, his I O U's, and his
 
 SUMMING Ur THE POSITION. 83 
 
 promises, fixed or undefined ; but he had 
 the natural disHke of his kind to beine 
 brought to book concerning such transac- 
 tions, and held that all settlement, except 
 decidedly in his favour, was to be ever 
 indefinitely postponed. 
 
 He invariably gave his address at a 
 fashionable play club in the Piccadilly 
 neio^hbourhood, more noted for its hiorh 
 stakes than the moral atmosphere preva- 
 lent within its walls. A club that numbered 
 plenty of the dlite upon its books, neverthe- 
 less, including several members who had 
 retired from other establishments of the 
 kind, in accordance with some prudish 
 rules, not thought much of at the 
 " Haedulus." They did not vrant you at 
 the "Haedulus" unless you played; they 
 esteemed you more highly if you paid 
 when luck was hard against you, but they 
 did not altogether give the cold shoulder, 
 even to those who were unable to settle. 
 Established, as its promoters averred, for
 
 84 . BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 the purpose of enabling a man to ac- 
 complish a quiet and early rubber, it had 
 advanced considerably beyond the ken of 
 those modest speculators, who had, doubt- 
 less. Arcadian views of shilling-whist till 
 twelve, and never contemplated the wild 
 loo and baccarat orgies, for which the club 
 was now celebrated. Poor, miserable, de- 
 ceived apostles of an early whist movement, 
 they doubtless groaned, but they Avent with 
 the days they lived in, and for the pool at 
 " unlimited " with the worst of the un- 
 righteous. 
 
 The ''Haedulus" was a club with a 
 reputation. There were fabulous rumiours 
 of the sums lost behind its Stygian portals, 
 often supplemented by the observation, 
 "And paid up every cent, by Jove!" which 
 did, to the outside world, savour a little 
 of being a somewhat sharp though indirect 
 comment on that jocund community. It 
 was whispered about, that to have been 
 declared bankrupt, to have had to renounce
 
 SUMMING UP THE POSITION. 85 
 
 three or four well-known clubs, and to have 
 an established character for impecuniosity, 
 were rather qualifications for being of the 
 "Haedulus" than otherwise. If so, Berkley 
 Holt had qualified ; at all events, he was 
 one of that honourable body. 
 
 Staring into the blazing fire, a cigar in 
 his mouth, his slippered feet resting 
 comfortably on the fender, Berkley sits in 
 his cosy chambers, meditating gravely upon 
 many things. His debts trouble this 
 cynical philosopher not an iota, play or 
 otherwise. It is against his creed to part 
 with money to any one unless it becomes 
 a dire necessity ; but of course he en- 
 counters, especially at play, men who will 
 be paid. How he does get it is a mystery 
 that puzzles Berkley's Vv^orld ; but the older 
 hands in his set hold it is an axiom that 
 he can always be made to disburse his 
 losings, providing they are of moderate 
 dimensions, if sufficient pressure be exer- 
 cised. It is, perhaps, in great measure
 
 S6 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 owing to that belief, men still more or less 
 bet and play with Berkley Holt. 
 
 As he has abandoned his profession, so 
 has he kicked down his chances in life. 
 Son of a niece of Oliver Luxmoore's, the 
 old gentleman had, in Berkley's university 
 days, been extremely kind to him. At that 
 time, when Harold Luxmoore was still a 
 boy at Eton, Berkley had been much at 
 Liddington. He became a great favourite 
 with the old squire, on account of his 
 general love of field sports, but more 
 especially from the astuteness he showed 
 with regard to turf matters. There was 
 never any probability of the old man 
 making him his heir ; but he most assuredly 
 would have inherited something handsome 
 at his death but for his own misconduct. 
 
 Pretty Lizzie Dixon, the daughter of a 
 respectable tenant farmer on the Liddington 
 estate, had succeeded her aunt, Mrs. 
 Hamper, as still-room maid at the Grange. 
 It was the old story. Lizzie Dixon listened.
 
 SU:sIMIXG UP THE POSITION. 8/ 
 
 faltered, refused, consented, and one fine 
 morning stole away to be married with 
 Berkley Holt. That she was ruined, but 
 not married, it were needless to say. 
 Promises w^ere things Berkley was ever 
 prodigal of; but the old squire, though no 
 puritan, was very wrathful when the tale 
 came to his ears, as of course it speedily 
 did. He vowed he would have no more 
 to say to a connection who had failed to 
 respect his household and his tenantr)\ 
 It was an insult to himself that a girl 
 beneath his roof-tree should have been 
 corrupted, for Oliver Luxmoore held some 
 queer old-fashioned notions, not quite com- 
 patible with these days — more s the pity — 
 about the obligations of bread and salt. 
 He never knew very much about Berkley's 
 career afterwards. H e never knew that poor 
 Lizzie Dixon died broken-hearted from 
 shame, neglect, and ill-treatment within a 
 couple of years. That Berkley had been 
 notorious for one or two bits of extremely
 
 88 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 sharp practice on the turf he was aware ; 
 but the worst part of Berkley's career 
 never came to his knowledge, or it is 
 scarcely possible that he would have put 
 his name down for even an improbable 
 reversion of Liddington Grange. 
 
 '' Hum ! " mutters Berkley, still staring 
 into the glowing coals for inspiration. " I 
 wonder what the fool can want to see me 
 about ? If it's money, I haven't got it, and 
 he must know that. I want it. I usually 
 do. I have ever since I can remember. 
 Talk about man's wants or rights, he 
 never wants but that one thinof. He can 
 command all the rest then. I rather wish 
 I hadn't got so mixed up with the fellow. 
 I thought it would be easy to be his 
 master, but the cunning hound waxes 
 somewhat bumptious, and is not so easy 
 to manage as I first thought him. Who 
 could have suspected that wizened little 
 anatomy knew so much, and could pull 
 so many strings as he appears to be able
 
 SUMMING UP THE POSITION. 89 
 
 to do. I meant him to serve my ends, 
 and it's just dawning upon me that he has 
 some motive of his own in assisting me. 
 I wonder again what that can be. It was 
 curious, very, his migrating from London 
 to set up for himself in Liddington as soon 
 as I told him about old Oliver Luxmoore s 
 will. True, he said that he was doing 
 no good here, and that he could probably 
 both better himself and look after my 
 interests to gfreater advantaofe if he went 
 down there, and yet I've somehow a sus- 
 picion that he turned over more money 
 in that ramshackle little office in Crutched 
 Friars than the look of the place war- 
 ranted. I've known men of his kidney 
 worth a deal of money, whose business 
 places looked equally unlike the Pactolian 
 fountain. He always vows his inability 
 to lend more than small sums, but they 
 all do when I want to borrow, varied with 
 great difficulty about finding even them; 
 yet if I had bonds or securities to offer.
 
 90 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 I shouldn't be surprised to discover that 
 my esteemed friend Larcher could find a 
 biggish sum at short notice. I wonder, by 
 the way, whether he still keeps that blessed 
 little hole in Crutched Friars. Hang me 
 if I don't make a pilgrimage to see some 
 of these days." 
 
 Then his thoughts wander back to that 
 little drama of nine years ago, in which he 
 played the villain. He muses uneasily 
 over the fair trusting blue-eyed girl, whom 
 he persuaded to elope with him — " a mis- 
 take that, yes, a devil of a mistake." Old 
 Oliver had been bound to have done 
 something for him but for that. He 
 thinks dreamily of the sweet face and well- 
 rounded figure, and his face darkens as he 
 recalls how he treated his victim. *' Well, 
 it was her fault more than his," he mutters 
 with an angry curse. " What business 
 had she to worry him with her tears and 
 remorse because he had not married her ? — 
 as if he had not plenty of troubles of his
 
 SUMMING UP THE POSITION. 9 1 
 
 own to contend with just then — ravening" 
 duns and an incensed uncle, who hardened 
 his heart to all letters of contrition. A 
 mistake — yes ! " But was it quite fair to 
 make the girl, w^ho had sacrificed every- 
 thing for him, the target of his sullen gibes 
 because his passions had for once failed to 
 be subservient to his interests ? A flush of 
 shame crosses his brow even now, as he 
 remembers the felon blow that he dealt 
 her that night in his cups. He never saw 
 her again. When he awoke from his 
 alcoholic lethargy Lizzie Dixon was gone. 
 He tries once more to justify himself, as 
 men always do when looking backward 
 over the blackness of their lives. We 
 would all fain rehabilitate ourselves at such 
 times. She might have known that he 
 had been losing, had been drinking, that 
 he was not in his rieht senses. Poor soul ! 
 she had seen rather too much of him in 
 this state of late, and when he smote her 
 with his clenched fist, the girl's proud spirit
 
 92 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 revolted. Had she not deemed his love 
 dead he miofht have beaten her till he laid 
 her in her grave, but if she could not have 
 love she would brook no longer injus- 
 tice and ill-treatment. Lizzie carried off 
 that nieht her bruise and the unborn babe 
 destined to deprive her of life; and Berkley 
 Holt never knew more of her till a black- 
 edged letter, some months afterwards, 
 informed him of her death and burial. 
 
 Grim reflections these ; and so Berkley 
 apparently thinks, for he throws his cigar 
 impatiently into the fire, and mixing a stiff 
 glass of brandy and water, swallows half 
 its contents at a gulp. But he mutters 
 " What is the use of looking back ? It is 
 only fools who continue pondering over 
 the lost tricks ; the wise man concentrates 
 himself upon the fresh deal. My friend 
 Larcher, I shall curse you with special 
 vindictiveness if you have summoned me 
 to town for nothing. Whether it was 
 worth going on with one would have seen
 
 SUMMING UP THE POSITION. 93 
 
 later on ; but I'll own I should like to 
 have prosecuted my flirtation with the fair 
 widow. Another thino^, I wished to o-et 
 a firmer foothold in Laxton — a house to 
 stick to that." 
 
 When Berkley Holt got into a house, 
 and had made up his mind regarding it, 
 after this fashion, he was as difficult to 
 dislodge as a limpet. He adhered to the 
 establishment as pertinaciously as his crus- 
 taceous likeness to the rock of its affec- 
 tions. He invited himself in an off-hand 
 manner, and if you couldn't have him this 
 week — well, he would come next. I don't 
 think the intelligence that the family was 
 out would have quite choked off Berkley, 
 unless supplemented with the information 
 that so also were the cook and the butler. 
 
 A gentle tap at the door, to which Holt 
 responds with an authoritative " Come in," 
 and Mr. Larcher glides gently through 
 the half-opened door into the apartment. 
 Mr. Larcher always, w^hen it depends upon
 
 94 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 himself, comes round a door ; he never 
 throws one open and advances boldly into 
 the room, always round it. When it is 
 opened fully for him, he has a way of 
 wriggling in round the door-post that is 
 uncomfortable. He is rather addicted to 
 similar wriggling in his conversation, 
 having a way of going round and round 
 the subject in question, but never at it. 
 Still it would be rather a mistake to accuse 
 Mr. Larcher of inconsequential wandering 
 in his discourse. It might be curious, but 
 it was nevertheless true, that after talking 
 a thing over with Mr. Larcher, you never, 
 on reflecting over it afterwards, could call 
 to mind that he had any opinion about 
 it, though you had a hazy idea of having 
 expressed your own sentiments pretty 
 freely. 
 
 " How are you, Larcher ? Come in, sit 
 down, have a cigar, and let's hear what it's 
 all about. You don't telegraph to me for 
 nothing, I presume ? "
 
 SUMMING UP THE POSITION. 95 
 
 '' No ; it cost a shilling," replied Mr. 
 Larcher, with a chuckle, " but you're quite 
 right, my dear Holt. I'm not given to 
 throwing shillings away. I wanted to see 
 you," and as he spoke the attorney in- 
 sinuated himself into an easy chair. 
 
 *' What about ? " replied Berkley curtly. 
 
 " Oh, a good many things. Didn't you 
 say a cigar ? " 
 
 " Yes, here you are, and help yourself to 
 brandy." 
 
 " Thank you very much. This really 
 is most excellent tobacco. Where do you 
 get them ? " 
 
 " Never mind now. I'll write down 
 the address for you afterwards. What is 
 it?" 
 
 "Well, I think soda," replied Mr. 
 Larcher, puffing benignly at his cigar. 
 ''It goes better with the cognac than plain 
 water, to my mind." 
 
 " Psha ! " exclaimed Holt, with undis- 
 guised impatience, " help yourself, it's on
 
 96 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 the table. What Is It you want to see 
 me about ? " 
 
 " One can't open soda water and talk 
 business," replied Mr. Larcher, as he pro- 
 ceeded to perform that ceremony. " How 
 impatient you are. Walt till I feel myself 
 a bit comfortable. Your curiosity Is 
 mastering your natural politeness. You 
 are exclaiming what Is It I want almost 
 before asking what Is It I'll take. The 
 courtesies of life, my dear sir, the courtesies 
 of life ; we should never forget them," con- 
 cluded Mr. Larcher, unctlously, as, having 
 mixed himself a jorum, he resumed his seat. 
 
 Berkley Holt eyed his visitor with 
 unmxitlgated disgust. It would not exactly 
 suit him to quarrel with Larcher, but he 
 was chafing Inwardly at what he con- 
 sidered the Impertinence of a man whom 
 he deemed his tool, and looked upon as 
 socially beneath him. Yet he felt that it 
 was Incumbent on him that he should keep 
 his tern- per.
 
 SUMMING UP THE POSITION. 97 
 
 " Why did I wish to see you ? " con- 
 tinued Mr. Larcher. " Well, my dear 
 friend, for many reasons. Perhaps I was 
 anxious about your health. I've a slight 
 pecuniary interest in it, you know. Per- 
 haps I've news to give you of your cousin 
 Harold ; perhaps, I thought, you might 
 like to hear how I was getting on at 
 Liddington." 
 
 Berkley Holt's lip curled as he replied, 
 ''Yes, I can fancy it, of course, highly 
 probable that any or all of those reasons 
 induced you to telegraph to me. You're 
 quite right ; no one knows better than I 
 do that you don't throw shillings away. 
 What news is there in Liddington ? " . 
 
 " Not much, sir, not much. The people 
 about there seem to want pluck to be 
 quarrelsome and litigious, and are not 
 civilized enough to comprehend the luxury 
 of a law-suit. There has been some ex- 
 cellent shooting, and a colt or two foaled 
 at the Grano^e, and I've discovered that 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 98 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 one Berkley Holt bears no good reputation 
 in those parts." 
 
 '* Oh ! they gossip of me yet down there, 
 do they ? What do they allege to my 
 detriment ? " asked Holt with knit brows. 
 
 " Dear me, a trifle. I'm surprised they 
 still remember It. A mere chit of a 
 country girl, who was vain enough to think 
 herself mate for your worship, and believe 
 you when you told her so. It Is too 
 ridiculous that such a juvenile fatix pas 
 should be still remembered against you," 
 replied the attorney, with a low, harsh, 
 cackling laugh. 
 
 '' Silence ! " thundered Holt, " I want to 
 hear no more of that. It's of the past, 
 and I'll trouble you to allude to it no 
 more." 
 
 '' They talk of It yet In LIddlngton," 
 retorted the other, drily. 
 
 " Whatever they do in LIddlngton, I'll 
 not hear of it from you or any one. There 
 are passages in most men's lives they
 
 SUMMING UP THE POSITION. 99 
 
 brook neither jest nor criticism on. Bear 
 that in mind in future." 
 
 Mr. Larcher's ferret-Hke eyes gleamed 
 wickedly upon his companion for a moment. 
 If Holt had not been once more gazing 
 moodily into the fire there was an an- 
 tagonism in them which might have 
 arrested his attention. It was a malevo- 
 lent, mutinous look that augured ill for 
 the relationship that Berkley proposed 
 should exist between himself and his con- 
 federate. 
 
 " I will remiember/' replied Mr. Larcher 
 slowly. " I wanted to see you for the 
 purpose of getting somewhat fuller instruc- 
 tions than I possess at present. I am to 
 watch Harold Luxmoore's proceedings at 
 Liddington. Good ! But it would be 
 better to tell me more particularly in what 
 direction." 
 
 " Evidently in two. You know all about 
 the will ? " 
 
 '' Of course. I advanced money on it ;
 
 lOO BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 not much, I'll admit, but something on the 
 possibility of the reversion." 
 
 "Well," said Holt, rising, and turning 
 his back upon the fire, '' it Is obviously to 
 our interest that Harold Luxmoore should 
 not win the Derby." 
 
 Mr. Larcher nodded. 
 
 *' In the second place, it is equally our 
 Interest that he should not marry." 
 
 Again the attorney nodded. 
 
 " And, thirdly, if anything called him to 
 a brighter and happier sphere without his 
 having attained either of these ends, there 
 Is no denying It would be a deuced good 
 thine for me." 
 
 The two men gazed keenly Into each 
 other's faces, as it may be presumed men 
 generally do when they first hint at the 
 possibility of crime to one another. Holt's 
 remark carried no such interpretation 
 literally, but the low, stern tone in which 
 it was couched gave his companion 
 thoroughly to understand that he was
 
 SUMMING UP THE POSITION. 10 1 
 
 not likely to stand at anything- which 
 might help to clear the way for his own 
 succession to the Liddington estates. 
 
 Mr. Larcher said nothing in reply, but 
 mused with half-closed eyes over a perfect 
 chaos of malpractices, in which the poison- 
 ing of both horse-flesh and humanity at 
 times more than once seemed to take 
 visible shape. 
 
 '' You know H arold Luxmoore, of course ? " 
 he remarked at length. 
 
 ** No ; I did as a boy, but he mixes 
 in a d — d supercilious set now, of whom 
 I know nothing," replied Holt sullenly. " I 
 have made overtures twice or thrice." 
 
 " But they've been coldly received, eh ? " 
 said Mr. Larcher, with a slight chuckle. 
 
 " Luxmoore is an insolent prig," returned 
 Berkley fiercely, ''and had best look to 
 himself if ever I get the chance to do him 
 a bad turn." 
 
 "Most decidedly," thinks Mr. Larcher, 
 '* and my dear friend is likely to be at some
 
 102 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 pains to put himself In that commanding- 
 position. Harold Luxmoore shows com- 
 mendable prudence In keeping his relative 
 at arm's length." 
 
 '' It would be, perhaps, to your advan- 
 tage, Holt, to cultivate more Intimate rela- 
 tion^ with your cousin though, if you 
 could," remarks the attorney, after some 
 slight reflection. 
 
 " Perhaps so ; but that's neither here nor 
 there. I tell you I can't. The conceited 
 set of brutes among whom he lives turn up 
 their noses at me." 
 
 Berkley Is hardly warranted In this 
 assertion, Insomuch as It was possible, 
 without any conceit, to look somewhat 
 askance at being on intimate terms with 
 such an extremely mattvais stijet as himself 
 
 *' Hum ! then our particular object at 
 present Is to prevent his winning either 
 a bride or the Derby. The first will not 
 be easy to interrupt in a man with his 
 income ; as for the other, it will very likely
 
 SUMMING UP THE POSITION. IO3 
 
 never be necessary to interfere. When 
 it is, there are a good many opportunities, 
 if one only looks about a little. Thank 
 you ; it s all quite clear now, and I'll be off 
 There's nothing more, I think ? " 
 
 *' Nothing," replied Holt with a grin, 
 "except to remember that those whom 
 the gods love die young, and to pray that 
 Harold Luxmoore may be so specially 
 favoured."
 
 104 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE REUNION. 
 
 There are clubs and clubs, and a very 
 entertaining book might be written upon 
 the colouring of clubs ; I mean the 
 different grooves into which these monastic 
 establishments eventually adapt themselves. 
 It has been done, indeed, already to some 
 extent, but the author confined himself to 
 mere sketches, instead of working out his 
 pictures. It is a curious thing how many 
 of these caravanserais eventually settle 
 down into a course of life by no manner 
 of means contemplated by their promoters, 
 and we have heard how the "Haedulus " fell 
 away from the paths of virtue, which its
 
 THE REUNION. IO5 
 
 founders had marked out for It. The 
 " Reunion," originally started as a literary 
 club, had gradually become one of the 
 pleasantest and cosiest clubs in London, 
 but its habitues were by no means of the 
 class those who first set it going at all 
 contemplated. The literary element had 
 died out. It often does in the varied 
 societies started by the children of Bohemia. 
 Swelldom creeps in, and gradually, like a 
 parasite, kills down the jest and genial 
 story. The gilded youth of our generation 
 somehow become elect of the establish- 
 ment ; they consider Hogarth coarse, don't 
 know much about Fielding, and require 
 jokes generally explained to them. They 
 are as unfitted to such resorts as that 
 famous lady of quality would be who 
 achieved immortality so lately by her in- 
 ability to understand that the artist she 
 had engaged to entertain her guests vocally, 
 at the piano, was unable to continue for an 
 hour. '' I had a conjuror last year,'' quoth
 
 I06 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 my lady meditatively, "who went on for 
 quite that time." 
 
 The literary element had quite dis- 
 appeared from the "Reunion ;" but, though 
 the original intention of the institution had 
 been completely subverted, it yet remained 
 a quiet, pleasant, fashionable club — a club 
 with no particular colouring, except that 
 the wrong man didn't often get into the 
 "Reunion." They were a little exclusive in 
 that way, and the slightest suspicion of 
 anything cloudy connected with a candi- 
 date's name was sufficient to insure him 
 a perfect hailstorm of black balls. The 
 laxity of the "Haedulus" was no more 
 appreciated than the high stakes in vogue 
 at that establishment. 
 
 " Seen Harold Luxmoore in here to- 
 day ? " inquired Laceby in his usual 
 languid manner, stopping in front of 
 Herrick, who, ensconced in an easy chair, 
 was perusing Breakspear's notes in the 
 " T2irf Chronicle^' and vainly endeavouring
 
 THE REUXIOX. 10/ 
 
 to discover what that erudite vatlclnator 
 intended to predict concerning the City 
 and Suburban. 
 
 Breakspear was as ingenious as the 
 Oracle of Delphi, and as difficult to interpret. 
 When you lost your money from following 
 his forebodings, it always appeared after- 
 wards that you had misconstrued his care- 
 fully-considered opinion. Given rather to 
 the expression of his conviction that if 
 So-and-so did not win, So-and-so would, 
 with contingent remainders regarding So- 
 and-so's staying, and So-and-so's not break- 
 ing down — a style of prophecy in great 
 repute as regards the Stock Exchange, 
 the weather, and the peace of Europe just 
 now ; things about which the Breakspearsy 
 who feel it incumbent to prophesy, feel 
 much exercised at present. 
 
 '' Luxmoore, no," replied Herrick. " He 
 was in the smoking-room pretty late last 
 night, but I haven't seen him this morning. 
 He's pretty sure, though, to be In shortly..
 
 I08 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 What do you want him about — anything of 
 Importance ? " 
 
 " No, nothing much — only I've made 
 the Laytons send him a dinner ticket for 
 next Thursday, and I want him to go. In 
 his county, you know ; and they're real 
 pleasant, do the thing well, and all that 
 sort of thing, you understand." 
 
 " Muchly. I've got a card myself, and 
 am going." 
 
 "Glad to hear It," replied Jim, with 
 his accustomed economy of pronouns. 
 " Deuced good house, but they want to get 
 acquainted with some good people. The 
 old fellow and the girls are all right, but 
 the Madre has a knack of picking up with 
 what may be termed ' the outside nobility ; ' 
 while the son has a genius for fraternising 
 with all the black sheep about." 
 
 '' He has," returned Herrick. " I've 
 noticed him about lately with two or three 
 not likely to do him much good — Berkley 
 Holt, for Instance."
 
 THE REUNION. 109 
 
 " Ah, yes, I was afraid so ; he brought 
 Holt down to Laxton. I should think 
 he'll probably awake to the fact that Holt 
 is rather too expensive a luxury in friends 
 to keep up for long, supposing he at all 
 sustains his character, and one has little 
 reason to presume he will not." 
 
 " Here is Harold," replied Cyril Herrick 
 lazily. '' As for Dick Layton, I don't 
 think we need trouble our heads much 
 about his future." 
 
 " No ; " observed the Honble. Jim medi- 
 tatively. " He is so clearly marked out to 
 be the prey of his fellows that if one 
 interfered he might resent it, and if Holt 
 does not plunder him, some one else, of 
 course, will. How are you, Luxmoore ? 
 I was just saying I wanted to see you. 
 Want you to accept a dinner ticket the 
 Laytons have sent you. Nice people, 
 good house, and in your own county ; you 
 ought to go." 
 
 " I haven't seen It as yet, but I shall be
 
 I lO BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 most happy to make their acquaintance. 
 Are you going ? " said Harold, as he 
 dropped into an easy chair. 
 
 *' Yes ; so's Herrlck. Meet your flame 
 of last season too, perhaps — Mrs. RIcheton. 
 At all events, I found her at Laxby, and 
 she Inquired after you with considerable 
 interest," and, as he concluded, Laceby 
 gazed curiously at Harold Luxmoore. 
 
 ''I'm half afraid I'm engaged," remarked 
 the latter after a slight pause. " What 
 day did you say it was ? " 
 
 " I didn't say any day," replied the 
 Honble. Jim slowly. " I don't quite 
 recollect ; never can without a talk to my 
 fellow." 
 
 " It's for Thursday next," chimed in 
 Herrick. 
 
 Laceby bestowed a compassionate glance 
 upon the speaker, a look such as he might 
 have cast upon a partner who had revoked 
 at whist, or a man guilty of any other 
 social gaudier ie. The Honble. Jim had
 
 THE REUNION. Ill 
 
 meant to have investigated this a httle 
 more fully. 
 
 " Very unlucky ; I am engaged that 
 night," said Luxmoore quickly. " Sorry ; 
 otherwise I should have been so elad to 
 have made your friends' acquaintance, 
 Jim!" 
 
 " Can't be helped," responded Laceby ; 
 " but go and see 'em first time you've a 
 chance. The girls really are charming, 
 and I don't want to rail against the sex, 
 but girls are not always in these days. At 
 all events I don't care about them when 
 they bore one about skates, French plays, 
 and Tattersall's, besides manifesting a 
 fancy for cigarettes. Your young lady 
 who honours the smoking-room is a devil 
 of a nuisance." 
 
 " But, thank Heaven, tolerably scarce," 
 laughed Herrick, as he rose and nodded 
 farewell. 
 
 Looking after him with half- closed eyes, 
 Laceby reflected that C}tI1 Herrick was
 
 112 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 new to fashionable London. *' New, yes, 
 deuced new," he muttered. " What a 
 blessing it must be to be a little ignorant 
 of all our social malpractices ! " Turning 
 lazily towards Luxmoore, he remarked, 
 " Thursday — of course, I forgot that's the 
 day of Mrs. Florenstein's banquet. No, 
 you wouldn't have met the fair Richeton, 
 Harold ; she happens to be going there. 
 By Jove, how lucky Herrick remembered 
 the day ; I might have seduced you into 
 accepting under false pretences. Deuced 
 drafty this room ; committee thinking it 
 time to lay in the spring colds, I presume.'' 
 
 Harold Luxmoore mused for some little 
 time, and then said, " I didn't know Mrs. 
 Richeton was intimate with Mrs. Floren- 
 stein." 
 
 " Oh dear, yes, they are sworn allies, 
 those two ; always Avent to Ascot and 
 Goodwood together, till Mrs. Richeton 
 was seized with a fit of morality and 
 eschewed racing altogether. Nobody
 
 THE REUNION. I I 3 
 
 knows why ; and If you are a sensible man 
 you will never waste time In pondering 
 over why a woman does or does not do 
 anything ; probably from about the last 
 motive you would have attributed to her. 
 Anyhow, Theodora RIcheton, for a couple 
 of years before her husband s death, com- 
 pletely gave up attending races." 
 
 '' Odd ! You must remember I've been 
 so much abroad, and this gossip Is new to 
 me. Florenstein kept horses, didn't he ? " 
 
 " Yes ; and RIcheton was his partner, 
 but It was all done In the former's name." 
 
 ''And were the two ladles very much 
 interested In the success of their husband's 
 stud ? " 
 
 " Decidedly; but especially Mrs. Floren- 
 stein, who Indeed is still. Mrs. RIcheton 
 was difficult to understand, but If you ask 
 me, I should say she often simulated an 
 interest she did not feel. She understood 
 It all very well, and was really, for a lady, 
 a surprisingly good judge ; but I fancy she 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 114 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 got SO dosed with racing that she felt sick 
 to death of it. You see the fair Theodora 
 is a clever woman, with considerable culti- 
 vation of taste, and I can imagine her 
 getting very tired of 'The field I'll bet 
 upon,' and all that." 
 
 ''You don't think she'll be at theLaytons', 
 then, on Thursday ? " remarked Luxmoore, 
 with affected carelessness. 
 
 " No, certainly not," replied Jim Laceby ; 
 " and you had better change your mind, and 
 dine with them." 
 
 " Why should I ? " retorted Harold. " I 
 told you I had an engagement." 
 
 " Well, break it ; I want you to know 
 the Laytons. You don't want to meet 
 Mrs. Richeton. Stop, don't interrupt--of 
 course you never said so — much too polite 
 a man, and all that sort of thing," rather 
 a pet phrase of the Honble.'s, this. " Say 
 I dreamt it was so. I'll undertake you 
 shan't " 
 
 ^' Very well, I'll come. Never mind
 
 THE REUNION. II5 
 
 why ; but I do not wish to meet Mrs. 
 Richeton." 
 
 " I never mind about other people's 
 affairs," repHed Laceby, '' till they consult 
 me, and then they never mind in the least 
 what I say to them. Of course you don't 
 want to meet Mrs. Richeton, because she 
 dislikes you; that's the delicate way to 
 put it." 
 
 Harold smiled faintly as he replied, "Yes, 
 that's near enough." 
 
 Laceby drew on his gloves, and with 
 a quiet nod took his departure, musing 
 much as he did so what had taken place 
 between Harold and Theodora Richeton ; 
 evidently he thought that the lady, at all 
 events, felt no malice, nor did it seem to 
 him that Luxmoore had auo^ht to alleQ^e 
 against her. He was surprised that Harold 
 had known so little of her previous history, 
 as was apparently the case ; and yet, upon 
 reflection, he was compelled to own that 
 there was no great peculiarity in that.
 
 Il6 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 Luxmoore, till last season, had mixed very 
 fitfully In London society, and might, there- 
 fore, be expected to be tolerably ignorant 
 concerning many people the story of whose 
 lives was, of course, well known to the 
 Honble. Jim. " Fancy he'll turn up at the 
 Laytons' now," he muttered, as he lit his 
 cigar on the steps ; " and, if he can get clear 
 of the widow, it will be all for the best. 
 She's not quite the woman to suit him, 
 though I've nothing to say against her. 
 Wonder what has passed between them."
 
 ( 117 ) 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A DINNER IN GROSVENOR GARDENS. 
 
 LuxMOORE jumped into the hansom that 
 was to convey him to the Laytons', and 
 drove airily to Grosvenor Gardens on the 
 Thi>rsday evening. He had received a 
 Hne from Laceby in the interim, which 
 assured him that he ran no chance of 
 meeting Mrs. Richeton. Whatever might 
 be his reason, there could be no doubt that 
 Harold was decidely averse to encountering 
 the fair widow; and the Honble. Jim, de- 
 spite his " never minding about other 
 people's affairs," had been considerably 
 exercised in his own mind concerning that 
 reason. However, Laceby was the last 
 man to worry himself to any great extent
 
 it8 bound to win. 
 
 about anything he didn't understand, unless 
 it personally concerned him ; so, after some 
 meditation, which led him to no definite 
 conclusion, he dismissed the subject with 
 a brief " Had a row of some sort, I suppose; 
 particular row — hardly conclusive on one 
 side, at all events." 
 
 He and Harold met in the hall, and 
 proceeded upstairs together, where the 
 Honble. Jim introduced him to his hosts. 
 The party was rather of the oninmm- 
 gatherum order. Lord Kilfinnon, an 
 Irish peer, endowed with a brogue, good 
 humour, high spirits, and an estate on 
 which the encumbrances pretty well 
 equalled the rent-roll ; two or three warm 
 City men, with their belongings ; Cyril 
 Herrick, and a rather rond, doubtful-look- 
 ing man, who was an intimate of Dick 
 Layton's, completed the gathering ; and 
 a few minutes after their entrance, the 
 Irish peer was escorting the hostess to the 
 dining-room.
 
 A DINNER IN GROSVENOR GARDENS. II 9 
 
 Harold found himself in charge of Annie 
 Layton, and was rather struck by his 
 companion's personal appearance. You 
 would hardly have called Annie Layton 
 a pretty girl, at first sight, but you would 
 have been quite ready to swear to it at the 
 end of a couple of hours. If her features 
 were somewhat irregular, the hazel eyes, 
 flashing with fire, and the wealth of her 
 rich brown tresses, made ample amends. 
 But it was not in these lay the girl's chief 
 beauty. It was in her wonderfully mobile, 
 animated face, which reflected every change 
 of her mind, that her great charm consisted; 
 now breaking into ripples of laughter as 
 her mirth was moved, and anon clouding 
 lightly, like a summer's day sky, as her 
 mood became more serious. Quick-witted 
 and high-spirited, Annie Layton was as 
 pleasant a partner as could well fall to a 
 man, either at dinner or dance. 
 
 " We have often wished to make your 
 acquaintance, Mr. Luxmoore," she re-
 
 120 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 marked, as she spooned her soup. "We 
 like to know all our neighbours, being 
 naturally sociable, but occasionally our 
 neighbours will have none of us on account 
 of our newness. It is very wrong to be so 
 new as we are." 
 
 " We were all new, as you phrase it, 
 once," laughed Harold ; '' and I can't see 
 it is so very criminal." 
 
 "No ; but there is a prejudice against it," 
 replied the girl archly, "just a little, you'll 
 admit. The county families, the very old 
 ones, you know, entertain misgivings about 
 what we do with our knives, whether 
 we don't use them pretty much as their 
 great-grandfathers did, no doubt. But 
 we wanted to know you, because we have 
 heard so much of you from Mr. Laceby, 
 and he, as you doubtless are aware, is an 
 immense favourite with all of us." 
 
 "Jim says you'll all combine to spoil 
 him whenever he goes to Laxton, and 
 always demands how can I expect to keep
 
 A DINNER IN GROSVENOR GARDENS. 121 
 
 him at Liddington with such temptation 
 so near at hand." 
 
 " Gracie and I, indeed we all, do our 
 best, I trust, to make Laxton pleasant to 
 our friends," replied Miss Layton ; " but, 
 of course, Mr. Luxmoore, there are always 
 some one welcomes more thoroughly than 
 others." 
 
 " Just so ; those of the innermost 
 sanctuary ; those we kill two fatted calfs 
 for instead of one." 
 
 " Don't scoff or insinuate such surfeiting 
 of our peculiar intimates with veal," re- 
 torted Annie, merrily. " We have plenty 
 of nice people come to Laxton at times, as 
 I hope some of these days you will come 
 and see." 
 
 " Miss Layton, don't be rash ; having 
 made your acquaintance, who would not 
 wish to improve it. You will be taken 
 at your word ; so be cautious." 
 
 " I think I must, with a gentleman who 
 pays such prettily-turned compliments,"
 
 122 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 replied the girl, with a Httle mock rever- 
 ence. '' By the way, we had a distant 
 connection of yours at Laxton this winter 
 —a Mr. Holt." 
 
 " Yes; he is a sort of cousin. I haven't 
 seen him for years, not since I was a boy, 
 indeed. He quarrelled with my uncle, and 
 was never at Liddington afterwards." 
 
 " Then, you don't know much of him ? " 
 
 " Nothing," replied Harold; "our paths 
 in life have lain wide apart, and I seldom 
 hear of him." 
 
 Not quite the truth this, though as near 
 as, under the circumstances, it was possible 
 for Luxmoore to make it. He had heard 
 a good deal of Berkley's career from 
 Laceby and others, quite enough to know 
 that . it was very unadvisable to renew 
 acquaintance with him ; but he naturally 
 did not wish to say anything against his 
 kinsman, though he might desire to keep 
 him at arm's length. 
 
 Miss Lay ton said no more, but inwardly
 
 A DINNER IN GROSVENOR GARDENS. 1 23 
 
 reflected that Mr. Luxmoore was endorsing 
 Laceby's opinion concerning Berkley Holt. 
 "Why was Dick always forming such 
 dubious acquaintances ? " 
 
 " Do you ride, Miss Layton ? " asked 
 Harold, after a slight pause. 
 
 " Yes ; very fond of it. Gracie and 
 myself seldom miss our morning's canter. 
 You, of course, have lots of horses. I 
 know you breed ever so many every year." 
 
 " I do," laughed Luxmoore ; " but it's a 
 great mistake to suppose that any surety 
 for having anything to ride. I declare, like 
 many another stud-owner, I always seem 
 to have between forty and fifty horses of 
 one sort and another, but nothing to ride. 
 I had quite a business, I assure you, to get 
 a park hack out of the whole lot for this 
 season. Luckily, my trainer sent one back 
 with a message that it was not likely to 
 win a race unless amongst donkeys, and 
 I'm riding that." 
 
 Annie Layton opened her eyes wide
 
 124 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 with astonishment. She comprehended 
 nothing of the mysteries of the turf, and it 
 seemed to her past understanding that a 
 man who owned as many horses as would 
 mount a troop of cavalry, should find a 
 difficulty in picking out one for his own 
 riding. It is the initiated only who are 
 cognizant of the fact that sires, brood 
 mares, foals, and horses in training, swell 
 to an enormous aggregate without leaving 
 one the owner may bestride. The pro- 
 prietors of large racing establishments, as 
 a rule, are by no means the best-horsed 
 men in London, for either riding or driving 
 purposes. 
 
 "It's a fact. Miss Lay ton, I assure you, 
 incredulous as you may look about it ; but, 
 never mind, I have one, and for a wonder 
 she is in her right place. The Ladies' Mile 
 is the course she was destined for; and she 
 canters that very pleasantly, as I shall 
 shortly trust to show you." 
 
 " I hope, Mr. Luxmoore, you won't find
 
 A DINNER IN GROSVENOR GARDENS. 1 25 
 
 our horses too fast for you," replied Miss 
 Layton, with great gravity; '' we think we 
 could beat donkeys, you know." 
 
 "As you are strong, be merciful," replied 
 Harold, laughing. '' Don't leave me behind, 
 unless I am very disagreeable." 
 
 " We will do our best, but I'm afraid." 
 
 " You can't possibly canter slow enough, 
 eh?" 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Luxmoore," cried the girl, 
 bursting into a peal of laughter, " as if I 
 didn't know your pretty chestnut, with her 
 long, swinging, easy canter ! How dare 
 you try to impose upon me so ! Why 
 she's one of the nicest horses one sees in 
 the park ; but there's mamma drawing her 
 gloves on, which is what nautical people 
 call sailing orders, I believe. You must 
 make my sister's acquaintance when you 
 come upstairs, remember. She admires 
 your mare quite as much as myself, and we 
 both infringe the Tenth Commandment a 
 good deal concerning her."
 
 126 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 " Ah ! " said Harold, laughing, '' the 
 London season, I am afraid, usually gives 
 rise to much violation of that law. One 
 sees so many things one cannot but help 
 covet." Annie bestowed a bright smile 
 upon him as she rose and rustled out with 
 the other silks and satins to the drawing- 
 room, reflecting, as she ascended the stairs, 
 that Mr. Laceby was right, as he always 
 was, and that his friend Harold Luxmoore 
 was a decidedly agreeable cavalier. 
 
 "Well," said Jim in a low tone as he 
 closed up next his friend, '' you've had a 
 narrow escape. Deuced lucky for you the 
 ladies vanished when they did. Your con- 
 founded moralising is safe to bring you 
 to grief. Take my advice, and drop it." 
 
 " What on earth do you mean ? " 
 
 " Mean ? why, just this, old fellow; breach 
 of the Tenth Commandment, in the London 
 world, is apt to lead to breach of the 
 Seventh, and so the less you expatiate upon 
 it the better. There's quite enough dis-
 
 A DINNER IN GROSVENOR GARDENS. 1 27 
 
 cussion upon It, as a rule, without super- 
 fluous moralising." 
 
 " Don't be a fool, Jim," retorted Harold, 
 smilino-. 
 
 " Do my best/' returned the Honble., 
 " but we can't always help It, you know. 
 Thank Heaven, I'm not clever, and so 
 have to think about my goings on. Your 
 clever people do come croppers, and no 
 mistake. For getting Into out-and-out 
 grief, there's nothing like Impulsive genius. 
 You can pass that claret If you've quite 
 done with It." 
 
 " There you are. Like you I possess 
 that talisman, but I wasn't quite aware of 
 Its virtue before." 
 
 " Must have been. Pooh ! common 
 sense, and nothing else, is like banking 
 on old-fashioned principles. You don't 
 astonish the world either way, but get 
 along comfortably, and without noise. 
 Coffee, by Jove ! Hang it, old Lay ton's 
 getting degenerate ! We ought to have
 
 128 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 polished off a couple of bottles more of 
 '48 before going- upstairs. I'm only half 
 fit." 
 
 '' Bound to go, though, all the same," 
 whispered Harold. " You can't expect to 
 swallow claret in decent society in the way 
 you do at Liddington." 
 
 " Just wait till I'm there again," replied 
 the Honble. Jim. " See if I forget to 
 resent that impertinence." 
 
 " The sooner you avenge yourself the 
 better," laughed Luxmoore, as they entered 
 the drawing-room. 
 
 In obedience to the hint he had received, 
 Harold at once dropped into a chair by 
 the side of Gracie Lay ton. He liked what 
 he had seen so far of these neighbours 
 of his much, if neighbours they could be 
 called. In the country they don't reckon 
 miles very closely. We all know that 
 potentate in the Eastern counties by repute, 
 who was wont to gravely enumerate the 
 King of Denmark amongst his neighbours,
 
 A DINNER IN GROSVENOR GARDENS. 1 29 
 
 and there were certainly nothing hke the 
 leagues between Liddington and Laxton 
 that span the North Sea. 
 
 " Miss Grace," he said, " your sister tells 
 me that you have both been coveting the 
 one poor riding horse I possess. How 
 fortunate you both covet her, othervrise, 
 after the Spanish fashion, I should have 
 to say, ' Deign to honour me by accepting 
 her ; ' but it is the old story of safety in 
 numbers." 
 
 " Put with great casuistr}', Mr. Lux- 
 moore," laughed the girl ; " but you talk 
 of your one poor horse. Why, w^e regard 
 you as a Mazeppa, who has finished his 
 ride, and now possesses horses in herds." 
 
 " People always do when a man races ; 
 but it is as great a mistake as to suppose 
 that a gentleman who farms ever has 
 butter and eggs enough to supply his 
 house." 
 
 '' Oh ! I can understand that, for I know 
 papa's farm never keeps us going at Lax- 
 
 VOL. I, K
 
 130 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 ton, In that respect. Do you ever go to 
 garden parties, Mr. Luxmoore ? " 
 
 *' I go to everything I think will be 
 pleasant, when I have a chance — but why .^" 
 
 " Because I know mamma hopes to in- 
 duce you to come to one of ours later on. 
 We've a box sort of villa place at Rich- 
 mond, where Ave retreat when the weather 
 gets very hot, and we usually entertain 
 our friends during the strawberry time. It 
 isn't bad fun, for a change, when the Row's 
 eettinor almost too hot even to sit in." 
 
 " Delightful ! Look at the rippling 
 water, eat strawberries, and sit on the 
 grass. Only see I'm asked. Miss Grace, 
 and I'm to be counted on." 
 
 " What are you two plotting ? " inquired 
 Laceby, as he lounged up to their sofa. 
 *' Conspiring against somebody's peace of 
 mind ? " 
 
 " Yes, yours," replied Gracie, laughing. 
 " Meditating dragging you from your 
 beloved Pall Mall, and carrying you off 
 to Richmond."
 
 A DIXXER IX GROSVEXOR GARDEXS. I31 
 
 " No, not yet," replied the Honble. Jim, 
 rather seriously. " Awful jolly, you know, 
 later on, when the east wind's well out, and 
 the strawberries are well In ; but there's 
 nothing but colds to be caught on the river 
 at present." 
 
 " And pray what else can one expect to 
 catch, I should like to know ? " replied the 
 girl with a saucy moice. 
 
 '' Sporting papers say fish ; and a wicked 
 old London chaperon, of much experience, 
 told me that she had known husbands 
 caught there In hot weather." 
 
 " Mr. Laceby, you are too bad," cried 
 Grace Layton, springing to her feet In 
 much Indignation. " I shall talk to you no 
 more to-night." 
 
 '' Then I shall go," replied Jim, with his 
 habitual coolness. "Always do, you know, 
 when you've nothing more to say; because, 
 as I never have any talk, conversation 
 languishes, and things get flat." 
 
 "Incorrigible!" murmured the young
 
 132 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 lady, laughing as she crossed over to her 
 sister. 
 
 " Come along, Harold — time to be off — 
 lets make our adieux and go." 
 
 Their good-nights were soon spoken ; 
 and in a few minutes they were strolling 
 up Grosvenor Place, cigar in mouth. 
 
 " What do you think of them ? " inquired 
 Jim laconically. 
 
 " Somewhat vulgar the old lady," said 
 Harold meditatively ; '* but the two girls 
 are very nice, and pretty girls to boot." 
 
 " And will have a pile of dollars each to 
 the back of that. A marrying man might 
 do worse. Ain't a marrying fellow myself, 
 or I should devote my energies to the 
 speculation." 
 
 " And in which direction ? " 
 
 "How do you mean ? " inquired the 
 Honble. Jim, pausing to rekindle a re- 
 fractory cigar. 
 
 " Why, which of the girls should you go 
 in for ? "
 
 A DINNER IN GROSVENOR GARDENS. 1 33 
 
 " Both ! no, dash It, I don't mean that 
 exactly — be guided by circumstances, I 
 think — see where my prospects looked 
 brightest, and all that sort of thing. Toss 
 up about it, perhaps; for I'm hung if I know 
 which I like best. But I say, ' Jordan's a 
 hard road to travel ; ' let's have a hansom. 
 Here you are, my man — ' Reunion Club ' — 
 on you go ! "
 
 134 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 A GARDEN PARTY AT RICHMOND. 
 
 The London season runs on. The Two 
 Thousand Is a thing of the past ; and every 
 one knows all about the Derby, now, alas I 
 too late acquired knowledge for some ; but, 
 turfite or no turfite, that is the race upon 
 which Englishmen will have an opinion, 
 and back It, whether it be thus emphasised 
 on the breezy Epsom Dov/ns, in parched, 
 thirsty Hong-Kong, the plains of Hlndo- 
 stan, or by the blue waters of the 
 Mediterranean. Is not the legend of the 
 plucky Calcutta milliner, who staked her 
 gold mohur In the great Indian lottery, and 
 landed ten thousand and a husband, yet
 
 A GARDEN PARTY AT RICHMOND. 1 35 
 
 embalmed in our memories ? Ascot with 
 its toilettes, its luncheons, and its crhne de la 
 creme of racing is over. The pigeons are 
 falling fast at Hurlingham, and lawn tennis 
 is in full swing at Prince's. All London, 
 by which is meant that sacred upper ten 
 who are somebodies, and a vast proportion 
 of that less august but still numerous tribe 
 — the nobodies, have thronged Lord s for 
 over two days, to see the struggle between 
 the Universities. Strawberries are in, and 
 at sixpence the pottle ; the east wind is 
 hushed, and people lounge in the parks, 
 revelling in summer and sunshine. Mrs. 
 Layton thinks the time has come for those 
 garden parties at Richmond, and that 
 discriminating- matron is riofht. The cool 
 river, the trees with their sleepy shade, the 
 shaven lawn, and strawberries, will be very 
 grateful to those who have been living at 
 high pressure for the last two or three 
 months. 
 
 Harold Luxmoore has improved his
 
 136 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 acquaintance with the Grosvenor Garden 
 family considerably since that first dinner 
 party. He is now quite an habitud of the 
 house, and constantly accompanies the girls 
 in their rides. Cyril Herrick is of opinion 
 that Harold is '' meant " for the Matri- 
 monial Stakes, and magnanimously offered 
 to bet Laceby two fifties to one that he was 
 past the altar as a winner before he was 
 past the chair at Epsom in that capacity. 
 The Honble. Jim laughed, and replied that 
 Harold had a genius for flirtation. " Look 
 at the way he carried on with Mrs. 
 Richeton last season, and, by Jove, you 
 know he never goes near her now;" and 
 again, Jim Laceby rather pondered upon 
 how that was ; but when Harold confided 
 to him that he thought Mrs. Lay ton a nice 
 amiable old lady — that vulgarity he once 
 saw, no longer visible to his eyes — the 
 Honble. Jim was a little staggered, and 
 when he further went on to say that Dick 
 Layton, after all, wasn't half a bad fellow,
 
 A GARDEN PARTY AT RICHMOND. 1 37 
 
 Laceby put his glass in his eye, stared at 
 him fixedly for a minute or so, and then 
 remarked — 
 
 " By Jove, youVe took it doosid bad, 
 you know. There's only one chance for 
 you. Have you made up your mind which 
 it is ? " 
 
 '' Don't talk nonsense, Jim," replied 
 Harold, somewhat pettishly. 
 
 " Ah well, as long as you can't decide 
 between the sisters you're safe ; but now 
 you've got to the length of thinking that 
 flabby-minded young man a good fellow, 
 you'll be booked for certain about forty- 
 eight hours after you've quite determined 
 which it is you are a-gone coon about." 
 
 " Humbug ! as if a fellow can't be inti- 
 mate with a family without falling in love 
 with the dauo^hters." 
 
 " Don't matter, as long as he falls in love 
 with the daughters," replied the Honble. 
 drily ; " when it comes to falling in love 
 with ^/le daughter, and thinking her cub of
 
 1 2,0 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 a brother a good fellow, I should say — well, 
 there's something in it. Now, don't get 
 irritable. Why shouldn't you ? They're 
 very nice girls. Old Layton is able to do 
 the right thing in the settlement, or, pin- 
 money way, and j/ou have heaps of pedi- 
 gree for both. I don't say do. I never 
 should about marriage. I only say, don't 
 shut your eyes to where you're getting to. 
 You've more experience than I, perhaps, 
 on these matters. I never have been able 
 to fathom how you managed with Theo- 
 dora RIcheton." 
 
 " Never mind that; and you'll oblige me 
 by not recurring to it again," retorted Lux- 
 moore stiffly, and he abruptly cut short the 
 conversation by rising and walking away, 
 leaving the Honble. Jim to once more 
 wonder what had taken place between 
 Harold and the fair widow. 
 
 It can hardly be supposed that Mrs. 
 RIcheton had not noticed Harold Lux- 
 moore's persistent avoidance of her all this
 
 A GARDEX PARTY AT RICHMOND. 1 39 
 
 season ; little likely that a woman would 
 fail to note such defalcation in a man with 
 whom it was matter of notoriety she had 
 had some love passages, and many had 
 been her attempts to bring about a meeting 
 with him. But if she was clever in assault, 
 he had proved himself passing clever of 
 fence also, and, though it had not been 
 possible for him altogether to avoid meet- 
 ing her, yet he had so managed that she 
 had never succeeded in having him at all 
 to herself She might have said, even in 
 the words of the old song, '' We met — t'was 
 in a crowd:" but never did Theodora 
 Richeton succeed in achievinor the ereat 
 object of her desire, a tete-a-tete with the 
 lover who had broken her chains. Laceby 
 was quite right when he conjectured that 
 Theodora Richeton was in real earnest love 
 with Harold. She was ; petted, courted, 
 pursued all her married life, she had 
 become reticient, cynical, and scant of 
 belief in man. She knew what her hus-
 
 140 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 band had been ; she was too quick not to 
 see what some of these would-be lovers 
 of hers would be likewise, had she listened 
 to them. When Harold Luxmoore, with 
 his frank, honest love, first addressed her, 
 his words of wooing went straight to her 
 heart. She who had been the mate of an 
 intemperate brute, the quarry at which half 
 the rouds of London had aimed, was it not 
 sweet to her ears to listen to a true love 
 story ! Few guessed this woman's strong, 
 passionate nature, fettered, trammelled by 
 the defensive warfare she was ever engaged 
 in ; she had fallen in love with Luxmoore, 
 as the veriest girl might have done, but she 
 had never suffered him to know it. She 
 had been to him the capricious, unreason- 
 able woman she had been to many others. 
 She had played with him as she had done 
 with many more ; coquetted, been tender, 
 cruel, and varied like an April day. More 
 than once had her passion nearly mastered 
 her, and she had all but thrown herself on
 
 A GARDEN PARTY AT RICHMOND. I41 
 
 his breast and confessed her love ; but the 
 worldly experience she had gained deterred 
 her. She had seen too much of love 
 lightly won as lightly scorned, and she still 
 trifled with him. She deemed him more 
 fully within her thrall than he was. She 
 had not recognized thoroughly the manli- 
 ness of his nature. He spoke out hotly 
 and fiercely at last, and told her he'd be no 
 more the sport of her whims and caprices ; 
 she should once for aye decide between him 
 and all others. She hesitated, and nearly 
 gave way to his bold, passionate appeal ; 
 but the old worldly training proved too 
 strong, and she mocked at the love she so 
 feared to lose. She did not believe him 
 when he angrily exclaimed, " Then look 
 upon all as over between us. I'm not a 
 man to be fooled as a woman's caprice 
 may prompt her. I've loved you honestly, 
 and told you so. You answer with jest 
 and equivocation. Good! I'll spare you 
 further opportunity for exercising your wit.
 
 142 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 Adieu ! " She swept him a mock curtsey 
 with a smile. Her admirers had flung out 
 of her drawing-room before in this fashion, 
 but she had seldom had much trouble in 
 bringing them back, if so minded ; but 
 Harold Luxmoore had never crossed her 
 door-sill since ; and Theodora Richeton 
 began now to think that, for once, a man 
 had snapped her chains with one fierce 
 wrench, and alas ! the one man of them 
 all she had ever really cared to hold in 
 bondage. 
 
 Still, it must not be supposed that Mrs. 
 Richeton despaired of recovering the ground 
 she had lost; but Harold's persistent avoid- 
 ance of her began to give her considerable 
 uneasiness. If she once accomplished a 
 tete-a-tete with him, she thought she could 
 very soon put their relations on the old 
 footing, and had quite made up her mind 
 to trifle with him no more, but this seemed 
 by no means easy to bring about. If it 
 should be deemed curious that, considering
 
 A GARDEN PARTY AT RICHMOND. 1 43 
 
 their mutual intimacy with the Laytons, 
 Harold and Mrs. Richeton did not more 
 frequently meet, it must be borne in mind 
 that people are often guests in country 
 houses, who see little of their hosts in the 
 London whirlpool, and the Laytons and 
 Theodora Richeton moved in very diver- 
 gent sets. True, the widow, in pursuance 
 of her own ends, had paid considerable 
 court to the Laxton people this season, 
 but whether it was due to a hint from 
 Laceby, whether some chance expression 
 of Luxmoore himself had given them their 
 cue, or whether it was due to that in- 
 stinctive intuitiveness that women always 
 possess on such subjects, the Misses Lay- 
 ton had somehow arrived at the under- 
 standing that those two did not harmonise 
 in society. So that when they did feel 
 it incumbent to ask Mrs. Richeton to their 
 house, they usually omitted Luxmoore. 
 
 Still, so much as the latter was about 
 with them, whether joining them in their
 
 144 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 morning canter, or at fete, ball, or flower- 
 show, it was not to be supposed that 
 Harold's intimacy with the Grosvenor 
 Garden family could escape notice. No 
 woman is ever indifferent to what becomes 
 of the love that once was hers. She may 
 care for it no more, but she is curious to 
 the last to know who may be the keeper 
 of the heart she once counted her own. 
 Have we not all noted the keen interest 
 women invariably take in the marriage of 
 a man with whom they have had love 
 passages, slight though they may have 
 been. Mrs. Richeton had eyes, and she 
 saw. Mrs. Richeton had ears, and she 
 heard comment and speculation free upon 
 what was likely to come of Harold's in- 
 timacy with the Layton girls. " Nothing," 
 thought the widow in her inmost heart, 
 "if it is within my power to prevent it." 
 But day by day did this intimacy wax 
 closer, and Theodora Richeton saw with 
 dismay that equally did her power to in-
 
 A GARDEN PARTY AT RICHMOND. 1 45 
 
 terfere wax fainter. Her hints, her visits 
 in Grosvenor Gardens, were both ingenious 
 and well-timed, but equally unavailing". 
 She could not complain of incivility on the 
 part of the Laytons, for she had been 
 asked to their house on divers festive occa- 
 sions, but she had only once encountered 
 Harold Luxmoore there ; — that was at a 
 dinner-party. He had then sat at the far 
 end of the table from her, and left without 
 coming up to the drawing-room. It could 
 be hardly termed meeting him. One 
 source of satisfaction only remained to 
 Theodora Richeton ; people, as yet, only 
 coupled his name with the Layton girls, 
 and no one so far had presumed to indicate 
 the special object of his devotion. 
 
 " He cannot have been so blind," she 
 would muse, " as to be ignorant of my own 
 wild passion for him. Oh ! Harold, my 
 darling, when I mocked you most I was 
 nearest throwing myself into your arms, 
 and sobbing out all my love to you." 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 146 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 A woman's mistake again ! Not one of 
 her sisters who would fail to see this weak- 
 ness, and not a few men of the world, 
 looking on with that calm analytic view 
 peculiar to their class, who would be cog- 
 nisant of it likewise ; but a man is very 
 often blind to a woman's love for himself. 
 Theodora Richeton ponders much over 
 this ill-omened passion of hers, quite ready 
 to interfere promptly in her own behalf, 
 so soon as she may see. the possibility of 
 doing so ; a woman likely to make such- 
 possibility for herself, and quickly, if once 
 she deem the stake on which her heart 
 is set in danger of being won by another. 
 
 But meanwhile it is June, with the 
 niehtin^ales and the swallows. The bloom 
 of the chestnuts is spent, but the straw- 
 berries, if not in full bloom, are in full 
 berry, which is infinitely preferable. Lon- 
 don has raced and revelled at Ascot, and 
 garden parties down the river are getting 
 much in vogue. A glimpse of the country
 
 A GARDEN PARTY AT RICHMOND. 147 
 
 becomes sweet, and the jaded Londoner 
 yearns for flowers, grassy slopes, and the 
 rippHng of the river. Mrs. Lay ton's cards 
 are out for her second garden party at 
 Galatea Villa, Richmond, and Harold 
 Luxmoore is pledged to attend that en- 
 tertainment. Mrs. Richeton, who has 
 lately established a species of amateur 
 espionage over her quondam lover, has 
 no difficulty in ascertaining this fact. She 
 meditates much thereon. She is equal to 
 vciMoki finesse, and is so much in earnest in 
 this matter that she would stoop to what 
 haughty Theodora Richeton never had 
 yet — the manoeuvring for an invitation, 
 but it is impossible. She had been asked 
 to that first garden party, and Harold 
 Luxmoore had not been there. 
 
 Galatea Villa was a charming place for 
 such a party ; a one-storied building, with 
 dining, morning, and drawing room on the 
 ground floor, and garden and shrubberies 
 runnincr down to the river, on which was
 
 148 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 a neat boat-house, properly furnished with 
 skiffs and wherries, eminently adapted for 
 people who meant to idle on the water, 
 whether it were in couplets, quartettes, 
 or even choruses. All these have been 
 known pleasant beneath a summer's moon, 
 albeit the former hath been usually ac- 
 counted dangerous. I should presume a 
 man in a skiff with a pretty girl by moon- 
 light must either get somewhat sentimental, 
 or be so dead to what the situation requires 
 as to be dubbed an insensate monster. 
 The primmest of maidens would almost 
 expect her hand squeezed upon such an 
 occasion. To have driven a pretty girl 
 home from a snow picnic in the Canadas 
 by moonlight, and to awake not engaged 
 the next morning, shows much fortitude ; 
 but studying the stars in a skiff off Rich- 
 mond in summer time may be pronounced 
 a very fair European equivalent to that 
 temptation. 
 
 Now, I don't think till this afternoon
 
 A GARDEN PARTY AT RICHMOND. 1 49 
 
 Harold Luxmoore had quite made up his 
 mind as to which of the sisters it was he 
 liked best. When I say that, I mean 
 he had not as yet recognized to himself 
 that he had a preference. That is a thing 
 circumstances very often open our eyes 
 somewhat suddenly to. You, my dear 
 sir, might have philandered for months 
 more with the present wife of your bosom 
 before putting the eventful question, if it 
 had not been for that sudden departure 
 of the family for the Continent, when you 
 suddenly awoke to the fact that without 
 Marianne life would be desolate, and con- 
 jured up that terrible picture of foreign 
 counts and barons innumerable, laying their 
 dilapidated chateaux, waxed moustaches, 
 and imperfectly paid revenues at the feet 
 of your charmer. Upon that you spoke 
 with some trepidation and misgiving, and 
 were somewhat surprised to find in the 
 end that it had been only expected you 
 should have come to the point long before.
 
 150 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 It Is possible that Harold Luxmoore, 
 except for the scene I am about to de- 
 scribe, might have been some time longer 
 in awakinof to whom was his real attraction 
 in Grosvenor Gardens, or, to put it more 
 accurately, as to which of the two sisters 
 it was that he had fallen in love with. 
 Harold, so far, had a somewhat indefinite 
 idea that the Layton girls were very nice ; 
 — he liked riding with them, dancing with 
 them, etc. ; but even the two sisters would 
 have been puzzled so far to say that he 
 manifested more liking for one than the 
 other. 
 
 The cold collation on the lawn, with the 
 strawberries, and a variety of cooling com- 
 pounds in the disguise of cups, have been 
 satisfactorily disposed of, and, breaking up 
 in couples or small knots, Mrs. Layton's 
 guests wander about the shrubberies or 
 paddle off in the boats at the bottom of 
 the lawn. Nobody wants to row. No- 
 body wants to go anywhere — simply to
 
 A GARDEX PARTY AT RICHMOXD. I5I 
 
 get out Upon the cool rippling river, and 
 bask in all the orlories of a real summer s 
 nio^ht. Harold Luxmioore and Grace Lav- 
 ton had sauntered down to the vrater 
 together. Thev had linorered somewhat 
 behind the remainder of the gay troupe 
 when the adjournment to the river was 
 first proposed. Some people always do 
 linger behind on such occasions, and, as 
 a clear-sio^hted maiden aunt of the writer 
 once obser^'ed, "she believed thev did it 
 on purpose." It may be so, but when 
 Harold and Gracie arrived at the boat- 
 house, ever}' one v/as afloat, and nothing 
 but a skiff left for them. 
 
 " Step quietly in, Gra — I m.ean ^.liss 
 Gracie," said Harold. " I vras in the boats 
 at Eton, and can guarantee you shall comxC 
 to no harm." 
 
 The girl smiled as she stepped lightly 
 into the boat, and replied, " I think I can 
 trust myself to you, ^Ir. Luxmoore." 
 
 " Ah, you've faith in me then. It is
 
 152 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 some satisfaction when our friends believe 
 in us untried," said Harold, as with half a 
 dozen strokes of the sculls he sent the 
 skiff well out into the river. " You don't 
 know that I can row ? " 
 
 " Perhaps not," laughed Gracie, " but I 
 know that 3^ou can ride, and I know that 
 you can dance, and IVe a general belief in 
 you altogether, so don't feel at all afraid." 
 
 "What an evening it is!" said Harold, 
 lazily shipping his sculls. "Should you 
 feel shockingly outraged if I lit a cigar ? " 
 
 " Dreadfully ! but please do, if it is only 
 to see how meekly I can endure such 
 violence to my sensibilities." 
 
 " You're very good," replied Harold, as 
 he kindled a cabana. " Do you know," he 
 exclaimed, after a few moments, " it seems 
 almost selfish to indulge in such Hedonism 
 with a companion who can't smoke." 
 
 " Do you like a woman to smoke ? " 
 asked Gracie dreamily. 
 
 "No, certainly not;" and Harold thought
 
 A GARDEX PARTY AT RICHMOND. 
 
 DO 
 
 how ver}' pretty his companion looked as 
 she lounged back upon the cushions of the 
 skiff. She had thrown aside her hat, and 
 the red tints in her rich brown tresses 
 glistened in the moonliorht, while the 
 delicately-moulded figure, robed in light 
 muslin, was clearly defined against the 
 scarlet furnishings of the boat. She leant 
 her head upon her hand as she gazed 
 musingly into the water, and seemed scarce 
 to heed his reply to her question. 
 
 " You shall do as you like about it 
 though, when you come to see me at 
 Liddington in the autumn," said Harold, 
 with a low laugh. " You know you're all 
 pledged, and I'll have a ladies' smoking- 
 room fitted up, if you and your sister 
 require it." 
 
 '' No, sir ; i\nnie and I are not likely to 
 require It. I've an Idea, too, that ladies 
 who do smoke wouldn't care much about 
 one for themselves. I fancy they'd con- 
 sider what did for you would do for them."
 
 154 BOUND TO WIX. 
 
 " Don't be angry ; I was only jesting. 
 Of course I know you and Annie do 
 nothing of the kind ; but I hope to make 
 Liddington pleasant to you when you 
 come." 
 
 " We are sure of that, Mr. Luxmoore, 
 and look forward immensely to seeing 
 your old house and pictures, and all those 
 famous horses that you have got in the 
 paddocks there," rejoined the girl softly. 
 
 Nothing much in this conversation ; 
 very common-place observations so far ; 
 but bear in mind the river and the moon- 
 light. Ordinary words become invested 
 with far more than ordinary meaning upon 
 such occasions. 
 
 Suddenly, round the turn in the river, 
 comes a big wherry, propelled by four 
 strong rowers, and heralded by blatant 
 and brazen music, with an accompaniment 
 of blatant and brazen laughter. Cockney 
 dom and its young women are abroad 
 upon the waters in force. A French horn
 
 A GARDEN PARTY AT RICHMOND. 1 55 
 
 and cornet-a-piston are mutually murder- 
 ing the "Carnival de Venise," while 
 Cockneydom and its sweethearts make 
 the niorht hideous with intimations that 
 
 o 
 
 they are " magnificent bricks," that " Cham- 
 pagne Charlie is their name," etc. The 
 wherry vacillates a good deal in her course ; 
 the rowers are sturdy watermen ; but what- 
 ever may be at the prow, Cockneydom, 
 somewhat the worse for liquor, is at the 
 helm. Ignorance and semi-inebriety steer- 
 ing, small wonder the course of that wherry 
 is zigzagged as that of forked lightning. 
 
 Harold contemplates its approach with 
 indolent disgust for a few moments. It 
 seems to him a horrible desecration of the 
 night and the scene. 
 
 Suddenly he snatches at his sculls with 
 the muttered ejaculation, *' By heavens ! 
 the drunken brutes will be aboard of us in 
 a moment." " Simultaneously it occurs to 
 these amateur steersmen that they are 
 likely to run into this skiff that is drifting
 
 156 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 on the water, and they jerk their rudder 
 lines quickly and wildly in the opposite 
 direction to that which Harold is now 
 pulling. The result is obvious. The 
 wherry's nose swings round, and in another 
 second she crashes into the skiff amid- 
 ships. Cockneydom, male and female, 
 with screams and perturbations, tumble 
 together in a confused heap in the stern 
 sheets of their boat. The watermen drop 
 their oars, with strong expressions of con- 
 tempt regarding their temporary masters ; 
 and Harold Luxmoore and his charge are 
 struggling in the river ! 
 
 Harold can swim well, and has a cool 
 head. He is at the surface of the water 
 again in a few seconds, looks anxiously 
 round, and in a dozen strokes or so is by 
 the side of the light dress, which so far 
 has borne the girl up. 
 
 " For God's sake keep quiet, Gracie," 
 he cries, as he passes his arm round her. 
 " You're in no dano-er. We shall be
 
 A GARDEN PARTY AT RICHMOND. 1 57 
 
 picked up directly, and I can take care of 
 you." 
 
 She makes him no answer. She is 
 indeed too unnerved to speak, but, collect- 
 ing all her energies, she does her best to 
 remain passive. The watermen are prompt, 
 and thoroughly alive to the exigencies of 
 the situation. One jumps quickly aft, and, 
 pushing his way through the frightened 
 Cockneys, seizes the rudder ropes, two 
 stand by their oars, while the fourth, 
 springing into the bow of the boat, shouts 
 directions to his comrades. It is not five 
 minutes since the collision before the 
 wherry is alongside of Luxmoore, who is 
 devoting himself merely to keeping Gracie 
 and himself afloat. Being a good service- 
 able broad-bottomed boat, Miss Lay ton is 
 lifted on board without any very great 
 difficulty, and Harold, with some little 
 assistance, scrambles in after her. Female 
 cockneyhood, somewhat recovering from 
 its fright, and urged by irresistible curiosity,
 
 158 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 would fain flock forward and minister to 
 the sufferer, but Harold somewhat de- 
 cisively rejects such aid, and says some- 
 what sharply — 
 
 " You have run us down by your own 
 confounded ignorance, or carelessness, and 
 all we want is to be put on shore at the 
 lawn there. We shall get dry clothes and 
 all we require at the house. Pull in as 
 quick as you can, men ; remember, the lady 
 is wet through." 
 
 " A mighty 'igh and aughty sort of 
 feller," mutters Cockneydom, with bated 
 breath. 
 
 " Are you very cold ? Sit still ; we shall 
 be at home again in a few minutes," 
 whispers Harold, as he strips the gloves 
 from a pair of little damp hands that he 
 has somehow got within his own. The 
 sole reply is a slight pressure of his own 
 hand as he peels the second glove off. 
 
 The wherry makes a clumsy shot at the 
 landino- sta^e, and the watermen would
 
 A GARDEN PARTY AT RICHMOND. 159 
 
 have fain amended their mistake, but 
 Harold, saying, " Pooh ! we are too wet 
 to care now about trifles," jumps over his 
 knees into the water, and calls upon Gracie 
 to trust herself to him. With the aid of 
 the watermen, she puts her foot upon the 
 gunwale, then leaning her hands lightly 
 upon his shoulders, allows him to take her 
 in his arms and carr}^ her up the bank. 
 Her hat has been lost in the scrimmage, 
 and her long wet tresses trail over his 
 shoulder. 
 
 ''Safe at last thank God!" he mutters, as 
 he gains the crest of the bank, and looks 
 down into her face. 
 
 " Yes, and it is you who have saved me," 
 she whispers, gazing up at him with a faint 
 smile. " Put me down now, please ; I'm 
 quite able to walk." 
 
 '' Are you sure ? " he answered, releasing 
 her vv^th some reluctance. 
 
 " Yes. Oh dear, what a pickle we're in ; 
 at least I am. Look at my poor muslin
 
 l6o BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 clinging round me like a shroud, and if it 
 hadn't have been for your prompt help, 
 Mr. Luxmoore, it might well have been 
 one. I can never forget it. I'm not good 
 at pretty speeches. Will you please re- 
 member, if I can't say thank you properly, 
 I know what you have done for me to- 
 night." 
 
 '' A trifle," replied Harold. " You were 
 in my charge. It was commonplace selfish- 
 ness. How could I have faced the world 
 again had anything happened to you, and 
 I alive to listen to it ? But, nonsense, the 
 wherry would have picked us both up, 
 doubtless ; after putting us into the water, 
 the least they could do was to pull us out." 
 
 " You don't cheat me out of my gratitude 
 in that fashion, Mr. Luxmoore ; but let's 
 run up here to the back door. I don't 
 want to frighten people, nor, to tell the 
 truth, appear before them so bedraggled 
 as I am just now. Ah ! this will do. I 
 shall disappear here, and slip up the back
 
 A GARDEN PARTY AT RICHMOND. l6l 
 
 Stairs to my room. Don't think badly of 
 me for deserting you," and so saying, Gracie 
 disappeared. 
 
 For a few minutes Harold mused con- 
 siderably over his evening's adventure. 
 Then it came back to his mind that he 
 was wet, aye, so wet as to be actually 
 distilling on the gravel in little rivulets. It 
 was all very Avell for his companion, who 
 could rush up to her room and re-clothe 
 herself in dry draperies ; but for him there 
 was no such resource. To walk into the 
 town and charter a cab was all he could 
 think of, and without further delay, he 
 struck across from the villa to put that 
 design, and a glass of hot brandy and 
 water, into immediate execution. 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 1 62 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 WHAT FOLKS SAID. 
 
 As may easily be supposed, the account 
 of Grace Layton's misadventure was pro- 
 mulgated pretty freely before eight and 
 forty hours had elapsed. It was the 
 talk of smoking-room loiterers ; it was the 
 gossip of the park. At the '' Hsedulus" it 
 was asserted Harold Luxmoore had dived 
 for her three times, and that they both 
 would have perished if it had not been 
 for the champion swimmer, who happened 
 to be passing in his barge just then ; 
 and here the "Haedulus" diverged into a 
 tremendous controversy, supplemented by 
 considerable wagering, as to who was the 
 champion swimmer, branching off again
 
 WHAT FOLKS SAID. M63 
 
 into whether he possessed a barge, and, If 
 so, what was a barge ; whether a Boynton 
 suit was not as much boat as a champion 
 swimmer was entitled to, etc ; winding up 
 with the usual chaotic state the ''Hsedulus" 
 usually assumed when discussing the rights 
 or wrongs of a subject. Conversation at 
 the '' Hsedulus " was always flighty, and a 
 promising argument on the Eastern Ques- 
 tion had been known to degenerate into 
 a wager of ten pounds as to whether 
 " bluebottle " was spelt with one t or two. 
 Late in the evening, spelling, like pro- 
 nunciation, is wont to become fraught with 
 difficulties, as are remembrances of the 
 songs of our youth and our really excellent 
 stories. 
 
 The " Reunion " had again another ac- 
 count, to the effect that Harold Luxmoore 
 had saved Grace Layton's life at the im- 
 minent risk of his own, being picked up, 
 indeed, when quite exhausted, and after 
 having been upwards of an hour in the
 
 164 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 water. The ''Reunion," with much hauteur, 
 remarked further, that as Luxmoore be- 
 longed here, they presumed they knew what 
 they were talking about, an argument which 
 was about equivalent to stating that In 
 London you must be correctly Informed of 
 what the English are doing In Japan. 
 
 In the park, again, they had quite 
 another version. Harold Luxmoore had 
 slipped off the jetty Into perfectly shallow 
 water, and that brazen Grace Layton — you 
 recollect the girl ? red-headed, green eyes, 
 and a squint, my dear — had given a 
 melodramatic scream, and jumped In after 
 him. Worth jumping after too, I'm told. 
 Has ten thousand a year, and a charming 
 old place In Bloomshlre. How he could 
 possibly take up with people like the 
 Laytons, I can't conceive. The father 
 keeps, no I mean kept — I don't want to 
 be scandalous — a shop, and does now, for 
 all I know ; but, of course, one doesn't 
 know much about such people.
 
 WHAT FOLKS SAID. 165 
 
 Old Lady Suntowers this — a sweet, 
 affable old lady, as may be guessed from 
 the above, and who spun out an attenuated 
 jointure by patronising new people to the 
 extent of her ability ; dining with them, 
 staying with them, driving with them, and 
 promising to introduce them to a set who 
 would have seen Lady Suntowers in her 
 coffin sooner than within their gates, and 
 finally abusing them with all the con- 
 centrated acidity that three score summers 
 enable a disappointed woman of the 
 London world to achieve. Lady Sun- 
 towers, like many more of her kind, had 
 fought hard to be within circles whose 
 doorsteps she had never crossed. Com- 
 mend me to a woman of that kind for 
 bitterness to those she deems just a step 
 beneath her. Poor, battered, beaten, 
 intriguantes, one cannot like, but one can 
 hardly help feeling some commiseration for 
 these women. At all events, I do, as one 
 does for those who have staked their lite,
 
 1 66 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 and feel towards its close that they are 
 about to rise losers from the table. 
 
 Not long, one may be sure, before all 
 these rumours reach the ears of Theodora 
 Richeton, ears keen as pretty to hear any- 
 thing concerning the proceedings of Harold 
 Luxmoore. The widow's brows pucker 
 a little as she digests these reports in the 
 solitude of her boudoir. Adventures of 
 this kind, as she well knows, are wont 
 to lead to somewhat positive results when 
 the recipients know much less of each 
 other than Harold and Grace Lay ton. 
 " Marriage very apt to come of such an 
 accident/' muses Mrs. Richeton ; '' but 
 marriage shall not be the result in this 
 case, if I have power to stop it." This is 
 no girl, but a vehement impassioned 
 woman, who comprehends thoroughly that 
 her life's happiness depends upon the 
 recovery of that love which she rejected 
 when it laid at her feet. She certainly 
 cannot see her way just now, but she in-
 
 WHAT FOLKS SAID. 1 67 
 
 tends watching events narrowly, and avail- 
 ing herself, with exceeding promptitude, of 
 anything that may turn up in her favour. 
 One thing is quite clear, that it is incum- 
 bent on her to call at once on the Laytons, 
 and felicitate Miss Gracie upon her for- 
 tunate escape. " Quite the proper thing 
 to do," murmurs the fair Theodora ; " and 
 one will probably hear the true version 
 of this little shipwreck at the same time." 
 
 The family make light of it when she 
 pays her visit. Annie pooh-poohs the 
 idea that her sister was in any sort of 
 danger. "Yes, certainly, Grace and Mr. 
 Luxmoore were run down by a boatload of 
 pleasure-seekers, but they were picked up 
 almost immediately. He, poor fellow ! ran 
 the greatest risk, for he would go back to 
 town in his wet clothes ; but papa had called, 
 and she was glad to say Mr. Luxmoore 
 was none the worse for it. Yes, of course, 
 Gracie was frightened ; who wouldn't be, 
 at findinor one's self in the middle of the
 
 1 68 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 river? — but she changed her dress, and even 
 came down and danced afterwards. How- 
 ever, here she comes, and can speak for 
 herself. " 
 
 Grace Layton certainly described the 
 thing In considerably more glowing colours. 
 She said no more than the truth when she 
 described Harold as keeping her afloat till 
 help came, but she hesitated not an iota in 
 asserting that he, by so doing, saved her 
 life, and reiterated the statement, with 
 considerable solemnity, when her sister 
 jestingly made light of the danger, and 
 asseverated, " Your dress would have kept 
 you afloat. Grade, and I heard Mr. Lux- 
 moore say so himself." 
 
 '' You might as well assert to the crew 
 of the lifeboat that picks you up that they 
 have no claim on your gratitude, as, If they 
 had not done so, another lifeboat would. 
 No, Harold Luxmoore saved my life, and 
 I frankly acknowledge and thank him 
 for it."
 
 WHAT FOLKS SAID. 1 69 
 
 An amused smile played round Mrs. 
 Richeton's mouth as she listened to this 
 little passage between the sisters. It was 
 a thorough revelation to her ; both girls 
 had an inclination towards Harold Lux- 
 moore, and were disposed to listen kindly 
 to love words from his lips. Quite patent 
 to Mrs. Richeton now that Gracie had not 
 only got rather further in feeling, but also 
 deemed herself to have advanced some 
 points in the right of possession. One 
 might suppose, when you save a girl from 
 drowning, she ought to think you have 
 some claim upon her, but I fancy they 
 would be very apt to take the opposite 
 view of it, and, like Grace Layton, consider 
 they had a claim, and sort of right of 
 possession in you. Very clear, this, to 
 Mrs. Richeton's experienced eyes; and 
 equally transparent that Annie was just a 
 wee bit jealous that her sister should have 
 got the better of her in this matter. It 
 does not follow that either girl's feelings
 
 170 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 were deeply interested as yet ; but we 
 all know that pleasant debatable ground, 
 where, alas ! we never can linger long. 
 Immutable law of nature ! We must go 
 either forward or backward — become lovers 
 or dwindle into ordinary acquaintance. 
 
 When Mrs. Richeton steps into her 
 carriage she is perfectly mistress of the 
 situation. She feels quite sure that, up 
 to that garden party, either of the Layton 
 girls was prepared to fall in love with 
 Harold Luxmoore, let him only give 
 sufficient provocation. She feels assured 
 now that Gracie has done so, and that her 
 sister is not only aware of, but somewhat 
 irritated at, the fact. For a few seconds 
 she debates within herself whether there 
 is any capital to be made out of this 
 soup f on of jealousy, but she remembers 
 the loyal love of the sisters for one 
 another, and she decides not. Annie's 
 pure, sisterly affection will soon get the 
 better of that, let her but once be assured
 
 WHAT FOLKS SAID. I7I 
 
 Grace and Harold are mutually attached. 
 You must not think that Theodora Richeton 
 is a thoroughly bad woman, because she is 
 not. When it comes to the winning of a 
 man's love I doubt whether any of the sex 
 are not somewhat unscrupulous. It is 
 their game of war, and it does not do 
 to be too punctilious when campaigning. 
 Here we have a woman in her prime 
 launched upon the first real passion of 
 her life. A woman, too, from the career 
 she has led, cool, subtle, and cunning of 
 fence, having mixed in a school wherein 
 the niceties of honour were a little neglected; 
 accustomed to success, and having good 
 reason to be confident of her own attrac- 
 tions. "No," she mutters to herself, " Fll 
 not submit quietly to having him carried 
 off by that girl whom he has picked out 
 of the v\^ater. Ah, me ! what a fool I 
 have been. All I would have was there 
 for the plucking last year, and now, 
 perchance, my grapes are beyond my
 
 172 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 reach. We shall see. I'd give a good 
 deal to know whether Harold really cares 
 about this girl ; but," she continued 
 dreamily, '' there is no getting to see 
 him, that is, to see him tete-a-tete^ 
 
 Her Victoria was going quietly up the 
 drive in Hyde Park during these reflec- 
 tions, when her attention was suddenly 
 arrested by a gentleman, who was lounging 
 on the rails, raising his hat. More than 
 one hat had been raised in salutation 
 to her during her progress, and she had 
 acknowledged such courtesies mechanically, 
 almost without recognizing whom they 
 might be from. Why this man should 
 have attracted her attention it was im- 
 possible to say. Who can account for 
 why we notice this or that .^ It sufficeth 
 we do such things, and about as often 
 to our detriment as to our advantage. 
 Mrs. Richeton checked her carriage, and 
 in a second Berkley Holt had slipped 
 through the rails, and was talking gaily 
 and pleasantly by its side.
 
 WHAT FOLKS SAID. 1 73 
 
 Berkley was quick at grasping all social 
 chances that fell to him. Some men are 
 not, and lose much Qrround In the race 
 of life from this want of adaptability and 
 readiness. He had, as we know, speculated 
 somewhat daringly on what might come 
 of his acquaintance with Theodora Riche- 
 ton, and was not at all disposed to consider 
 himself altogether without a chance of 
 sharing the widow's carriage In most 
 legitimate fashion later on. It was some- 
 thing to be seen talking with one of the 
 acknowledged queens of the London 
 world, and no one could be more keenly 
 alive to that advantage than Berkley Holt. 
 He possessed an extensive acquaintance 
 amongst men, but he numbered few ladies 
 of position on his visiting list. Not that 
 he was in the least degree blind to how 
 much women, at times, can do to assist 
 a man's career ; but then, Berkley's career 
 had been peculiar, and of that kind to 
 which women can afford small assistance.
 
 174 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 It SO happened, that even in that, Mrs. 
 RIcheton could have been of much use 
 to him ; for in her husband's time she 
 had known a good deal about such 
 matters, and was capable of giving advice 
 that was worth following. She had thrown 
 all such lore behind her, but it is very 
 possible she will take to such studies 
 again. When a woman loves in earnest 
 I could imagine her taking to anything, 
 from Blair's Sermons or entomology to the 
 breeding of game-cocks or race-horses, 
 if she thought it would advance her one 
 step in the object of her desires. Quite 
 likely Theodora Richeton will find it to 
 her purpose to once more frequent Ascot 
 and Newmarket, now that she has lost 
 both her head and heart to a man deeply 
 committed to such pursuits. 
 
 She could no more have explained why 
 she had singled out Mr. Holt for the 
 distinction that she had vouchsafed him 
 than her coachman. She was conscious
 
 WHAT FOLKS SAID. 1 75 
 
 only that it behoved her to Intervene 
 speedily, and to some purpose, if she would 
 not see the prize she coveted carried off by 
 another. Absorbed as she was in her own 
 thoughts, she had some hazy idea that if 
 ever she should need an unscrupulous 
 instrument to her hand, in the prevention 
 of this marriage, she could find none so 
 fitted to her purpose as Berkley Holt. 
 She had no plan, no particular thought, in 
 her head as to what she would do at 
 present. Nay, it was not certain, by any 
 means, that Harold Luxmoore had the 
 slightest intention of asking Grace Layton 
 to be his bride. Yet, her keen woman's 
 instinct told her that he would not ask in 
 vain, and her jealousy made her divine 
 that it was but too likely. She listened 
 with a pre-occupled smile to Berkley's 
 conventional jargon about the day's meet 
 of the Coaching Club, the last night's opera, 
 which he had collected from the morning 
 papers, and such divers small talk as that
 
 176 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 gentleman could improvise for the occasion. 
 She'd no more definite idea than that this 
 man mi^ht be of use to her in the future. 
 Berkley's audacity awakened her at last. 
 
 " Will you be charitable, Mrs. Richeton," 
 he said, " and take me as far as the Corner. 
 It is so terribly hot ? " 
 
 She recovered herself in an instant then, 
 and with a bow replied, " Unluckily, I am 
 going in the opposite direction. Would 
 you kindly tell the man to drive to Prince's 
 Gate. Good-bye." 
 
 Holt raised his hat, and complied with 
 her request, but was far too shrewd not to 
 understand how decided was the refusal. 
 He stood for some seconds musing over 
 this interview, and wondering what it all 
 meant. " Stopping the carriage to speak 
 to me looks well," he muttered ; " it's not 
 very often she condescends to do that ; but 
 there was no doubt about her No to my 
 proposition to share her drive. Pshaw ! I 
 suppose, like a youthful jockey, I'm in too
 
 WHAT FOLKS SAID. I 77 
 
 great a hurry to get home, and made too 
 much running. Naturally she expects to 
 be called upon, and made a considerable 
 fuss about before she yields such privileges 
 as that. Never mind, Berkley, my boy, 
 you are fairly entered for this stake now, 
 and not out of the betting. I wonder 
 what's become of my blessed cousin. He 
 was first favourite last year, and it would 
 be comforting to hear he wasn't trying. 
 Luxmoore would be a dangerous antagonist 
 out of the way." Mr. Holt, upon the 
 whole, feels somewhat satisfied with his 
 prospects, and hints mysteriously at the 
 '* Hsedulus," In the evening, that he is about 
 to marry a pot of money, an observation 
 which causes old Stephen Billlton, the 
 heaviest punter and bitterest speaker In all 
 that establishment, to remark, "Yes, Berkley 
 my chick, you've been about everywhere 
 with a view to increasing your Income in 
 such fashion for some years, but you're not 
 a ladies' man, whatever you may think. 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 178 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 Indeed, there never was a fellow so much 
 about who did so little good for himself as 
 3^ou. Take my advice and stay at home, 
 and concentrate yourself a bit ; It's clear 
 saving that in gloves, etc., any way." , 
 
 Berkley vouchsafed no reply. He knew 
 It was always a losing game to tilt with 
 old Stephen, more especially when the 
 cards were running against him, as they 
 were just then ; the veteran had plenty of 
 verjuice in his composition, and could not 
 be accused of keeping it to himself. He 
 turned abruptly to join in the talk that was 
 going on in the billiard-room next door, 
 which was fluctuating between red upon 
 green, white your player, and wild specula- 
 tion upon forthcoming events. One of the 
 speakers attracted his attention by noisily 
 expatiating on the merits of a wonderful 
 foal he had lately seen. ''Win the Derby 
 as sure as he's born, you know. Fetch 
 Heaven knows what if he was for sale.. 
 They say he's the best-looking one they 
 ever had there."
 
 WHAT FOLKS SAID. I 79 
 
 " How are you, Dick ?" exclaimed Holt, 
 as he recognized young Layton in the 
 speaker. '' What is the name of this para- 
 gon ? and where Is he bringing up ? " 
 
 Dick Layton nodded, and replied some- 
 what stiffly, ''Oh, you needn't laugh. He 
 comes from my country, and you'll hear 
 plenty about him before you've done." 
 
 Mr. Layton had been lecturing oracularly 
 to some young men of his own standing, 
 and by no means fancied an old hand like 
 Berkley cutting Into the conversation. He 
 feels that he will be an authority no longer * 
 and when you have been king of the 
 company for a short period, deposition 
 is generally attended with some bitterness 
 of feeling. 
 
 "Why, you must be talking of a Lid- 
 dington Grange foal," replied Holt, sharply; 
 " that's the only big stud in Bloomshire." 
 
 " So I was ; and they've a clinker can- 
 tering In the paddocks just now." 
 
 '' That is, to your fancy ? "
 
 l8o BOUXD TO WIN. 
 
 " Yes, to my fancy, and their fancy, and 
 to the fancy of anybody who's a judge," 
 retorted Dick rather angrily. 
 
 " As, of course, you are. Why on earth 
 should you snap at me in that fashion ? I 
 am naturally anxious to hear about their 
 having a good colt at Liddington. The 
 old man was an uncle of mine, and I 
 always stood the black and crimson hoops 
 in the old days. Of late they'd have broke 
 the Bank of England to follow\ They 
 never seem able to turn out a galloper 
 now." 
 
 "Well, they've one this time that old 
 Calvert and all the helpers and stable lads 
 are mad about," replied young Layton. 
 
 " What do they call it ? Has it got a 
 name ? " 
 
 '' Oh, yes — Coriolanus is its name ; and 
 they think an everlasting lot of him, I can 
 tell you." 
 
 ''Very glad indeed to hear my cousin 
 has got something promising at last,"
 
 WHAT FOLKS SAID. l8l 
 
 replied Holt. " It's time the black and 
 crimson was seen to the fore again." 
 
 "Wouldn't like to lay against him to 
 lose a thousand, Holt!" exclaimed a very 
 young member of the group, "would you?" 
 
 Berkley turned for a moment. Even he 
 was struck by the innocence of any one who 
 would volunteer to take the odds to that 
 amount from him, and he contemplated the 
 speaker as a hawk that has just dined 
 might eye the robin whom he destines for 
 his future refreshment. 
 
 " No, thanks," he replied lazily. " I 
 always back the Liddington horses from 
 old associations. Good-night." 
 
 Berkley Holt was not one whit per- 
 turbed at hearing that Harold Luxmoore 
 had come into possession of a foal that 
 showed great promise. His turf know- 
 ledge told him how many promising year- 
 lings never even saw the famous Surrey 
 race-course. No one better versed in the 
 ups and down of a thoroughbred's career
 
 I 82 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 than he, and he reflected much more over 
 what might accrue to his benefit, through 
 the acquaintance he had estabHshed with 
 Mrs. Richeton, than as to what might be 
 the future destiny of Coriolanus. Had he 
 possessed less confidence in himself, he 
 would have been puzzled at the fair 
 widow's taking him up, but Berkley had 
 much too great an opinion of himself not 
 to believe in his own powers of fascination 
 with the other sex. It is no uncommon 
 weakness of humanity, on either side, and 
 it no more entered the schemer's head that 
 he was to be a mere instrument of Mrs. 
 Richeton's machinations, than it had in the 
 first place that Mr. Larcher would be 
 otherwise than subservient to his will. 
 True, he had come to mistrust that shrewd 
 attorney considerably of late, but he owed 
 him moneys that there was no immediate 
 possibility of disbursing, as indeed he 
 would have owed any one else whom it 
 was practicable to induce to advance them,
 
 WHAT FOLKS SAID. I S3 
 
 and yet it had struck him forcibly that to 
 have one's head under Mr. Larcher's belt 
 was a circumstance by no means desirable. 
 He had an indistinct idea that Mr. Larcher 
 would have no manner of compunction 
 upon being hard, to the extent of his ability, 
 upon "poor Berkley" whenever it should 
 suit his convenience, and that he need 
 expect slight mercy or commiseration at 
 his hands. 
 
 But life to Berkley Holt was as the 
 recurring changes of the kaleidoscope — 
 brilliancy and gloom alternated with equal 
 rapidity in his career, and, to do him 
 justice, he faced the rapid fluctuations of 
 fortune with unflinching pluck. Had he 
 lived in the days of duelling, he was of 
 that stamp who maintained their position 
 by much readiness with the pistol, and 
 s were tolerated of society from the known 
 alacrity with which they were prepared to 
 send any one out of it who should cast a 
 doubt upon their pretensions.
 
 184 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE LIDDINGTON LOT. 
 
 LiDDiNGTON should be all alive this bright, 
 crisp, October morning, but country vil- 
 lages and country towns only get " all 
 alive " upon infinite provocation. In good 
 truth, in a pleasant rural village there is 
 not much to be alive left to the eye of a 
 mere lounger. The men are all afield be- 
 times ; labourers and farmers are away to 
 their avocations ; the women are as yet 
 busied over their household duties ; the 
 shopkeepers know there is small hope of 
 traffic at this hour, bright though the sun 
 may shine, crisp though the air may be. 
 The housewives of Liddington, like their
 
 THE LIDDIXGTOX LOT. 1 85 
 
 neighbours, who Hve some two or three 
 miles off, postpone such shopping as they 
 may have in view till well on in the after- 
 noon. Then there is much drinking of tea, 
 gossip and chaffering to be met with in 
 the main roadway — it can scarce be called 
 a street — of the little hamlet. 
 
 At this hour — ii a.m. — a few doo^s on 
 the prowl, and a few shopkeepers in shirt 
 sleeves on their door-sills, examining the 
 Aveather with lazy though critical approval, 
 constitute the population of Liddington 
 that seems to be up and about. 
 
 Presently, Dr. Slocombe, in his pet Bed- 
 ford cords and butcher boots (somewhat 
 splashed the latter, by the way), jogs 
 through on a likely-looking hack, and, pull- 
 ing up at the door of the King's Head, 
 calls lustily for a glass of '' bitter." 
 
 " What ! you abroad and athirst so 
 early ? " cries buxom Mrs. Hamper, as she 
 appears in answer to his summons, bearing 
 an old-fashioned ale-glass, full of amber-
 
 1 86 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 coloured fluid. ''Mercy on us! who's been 
 brought to bed now ? " 
 
 '' Oh, woman," repHed the doctor, with 
 a twinkle in his eye ; " do you think 
 there is nothing but the relieving your sex 
 of their burthens that may call a man from 
 his bed before the sun has well topped 
 the horizon ? And yet, you are right. 
 I have been looking up a nursery, and if 
 the cubs in Jericho Wood don't get on 
 foot the better for the rattling Tom Byers 
 and myself gave them this morning, I can 
 honestly say it's not our fault. We've 
 ■done our best to open the eyes of the 
 young ones to what a lovely country lies 
 all around them." 
 
 " So you've been a cub-hunting," re- 
 turned Mrs. Hamper. " It's as well John 
 knew nothing about it, or he'd have treated 
 the farm as you've done your patients, and 
 let it alone." 
 
 "And it would probably have been 
 equally beneficial. John over-irritates
 
 THE LIDDIXGTOX LOT. iSj 
 
 Mother Nature with his stimulants — bones, 
 sulphuric acids, etc. — pretty much as I do 
 constitutions. Wait till you're ill, Nancy 
 Hamper, and then see what a mess 111 
 make of you." 
 
 The landlad}' laughed as she replied, 
 with a touch, too, of softness in her voice, 
 '' I've been under you once or twice, doctor, 
 and don't want to be again ; but if I'd been 
 the Queen of England I couldn't have had 
 more care." 
 
 " Pooh, pooh ! " retorted the doctor 
 sharply; ''interest, ]\Irs. Hamper- -interest. 
 You overdo it still ; but when could I ever 
 hope to Induce another woman to be as 
 careful of the sugar in her punch-com- 
 pounding as, after years of argument, I 
 have succeeded in persuading you to be ?" 
 
 A merry smile flashed across the land- 
 lady's face as she took the empty glass 
 back from her euest. '' I hear we are to 
 have great doings at the Grange this 
 week. Is that so ? ''
 
 I 88 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 *' Yes, indeed, the young squire has a 
 large party down this time. They arrived 
 in shoals last night. No such profusion 
 of petticoat and furbelow been seen in the 
 old house, Mrs. Hamper, for many a year 
 — not since poor Oliver Luxmoore's short 
 career as a Benedict." 
 
 " Ah ! we shall have young Mr. Harold 
 choosing a wife ere long, and the sooner 
 the better, say I." 
 
 '' Of course. I never knew a woman yet 
 who wasn't anxious for more marriages. 
 You all seem to think that men have 
 nothing else to think about." 
 
 "It is as well they should think about 
 that first, before they give up their minds 
 to other reflections," retorted Mrs. Hamper. 
 " Oh, doctor, that's the mistake you've 
 made." 
 
 " Not at all. I took it seriously into 
 consideration some years back, but a man 
 called John Hamper somehow bested me." 
 
 '' I daren't stop any longer," cried the
 
 THE LIDDIXGTOX LOT. 1 89 
 
 landlady with a jolly laugh. " A man 
 called John Hamper might get uncom- 
 fortably jealous if he heard you had been 
 making love to me in the middle of the 
 village at noonday." 
 
 " Be precise — be precise," retorted the 
 doctor, picking up his reins. " I only said 
 I meant to have done eighteen years or so 
 ago." jNIrs. Hamper turned on her heel 
 with a slight toss of her head, and vouch- 
 safed no reply. 
 
 Up in Liddington paddocks this morn- 
 ing, Mr. Calvert is engaged in an operation 
 that he evidently considers of considerable 
 importance. Coriolanus has had a head- 
 stall on him almost from his birth. He 
 has been handled, petted, fed with lumps 
 of sugar ; and everything that one of the 
 most experienced stud-grooms alive can 
 think of has been used to give him con- 
 fidence in man, and to prevent nervous- 
 ness, as often as anything the real cause 
 of that fatal bane to the race-horse so
 
 igO BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 constantly called temper. High-bred stock 
 of all kinds, quadruded or bird, is always 
 exceptionally nervous, and requires delicate 
 handling accordingly. That rough treat- 
 ment has ruined many a colt and puppy, is 
 now universally admitted in every stable 
 or kennel of repute, and seldom, if ever, 
 resorted to. Coriolanus, having been in- 
 dulged for the last three days in the 
 mastication of a heavy, plain snaffle-bit 
 for the best part of his time, has now been 
 bitted up in earnest. The cavesson is on 
 him, his bridle is bitted up moderately 
 sharp to the dumb jockey, which for the 
 first time is on his back, the lunging-rein 
 is buckled to the check of his bridle, and 
 the son of Velocipede is asked at length to 
 move in compliance with the wish of his 
 ruler — man. His boy is coaxing him to 
 try, for like most untutored animals, he 
 cannot as yet understand what is required 
 of him. Calvert, holding the lunging-rein 
 in one hand and a light horsedealer's whip
 
 THE LIDDINGTON LOT. I9I 
 
 in the other, is gently inducing him to 
 pace round in the circle, of which he — 
 Calvert — forms the centre. Pray don't 
 think the whip is allowed to play much 
 part in the lesson ; it is kept almost 
 entirely in the background, and only used 
 when his boy's coaxing utterly fails to 
 induce the high-bred son of Veturia to 
 move. Then, noiseless and lio^ht as the 
 cast of a crack salmon fisher, the lash falls 
 on Coriolanus's quarters, and that young 
 aristocrat, with a slight start, snorts out 
 suspicion of some indignity passed upon 
 him, resumes his circling a little too im- 
 petuously, and has once more to be soothed 
 and petted into gentleness and sobriety. 
 
 " Oh ! by the Lord ! " suddenly exclaims 
 Mr. Calvert, as his eye is suddenly arrested 
 by the sight of a mixture of shooting 
 jackets and linsey skirts bearing straight 
 down upon him from the house ; " this will 
 never do. We can't do our lessons in 
 public yet, my man, can we? Our nerve
 
 192 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 aren't up to boxes full of ladies so far, by no 
 manner of means. Look sharp, Bob ; off 
 with the dumb jockey. Then unbuckle 
 the lunging rein, ajid lead him about, and 
 mind he don't get away from you again^ or 
 there'll be a vacancy for a boy at Lidding- 
 ton Grange, you can bet odds." 
 
 The lad was prompt to act and reticent 
 to reply, as a boy in a good racing 
 stable invariably is. Ready obedience and 
 silence are the two first essentials of their 
 education, and no bad foundation either 
 for any one who has to work his way 
 upwards in the world. Coriolanus's small 
 valet, too, believed in his horse to that 
 extent only attained in boyhood, and was 
 conscious of havinor committed terrible 
 misdemeanour, only the other day, in allow- 
 ing the colt to twitch this preliminary 
 snaffle-bit from his fingers, and indulge in 
 a wild gallop, though fortunately without 
 detriment to his, the colt's, self — much 
 the most important item of the two in
 
 THE LIDDIXGTON LOT. 1 93 
 
 Calvert's eyes, who would probably have 
 borne the intelligence of the lad's broken 
 arm witH more philosophy than the know- 
 ledge of a strained sinev/ on the part of 
 the colt. 
 
 *' How are you, Calvert ? and how are all 
 yowv proteges ? " said Harold Luxmoore 
 gaily, as the stud-groom lifted his hat in 
 due homage to the ladies. '' I've brought 
 quite a party, who insist on seeing your 
 pets, especially the winner of the Derby 
 that is to be. How many is it that I am 
 to have in for the year after next ? " 
 
 " I should think there'd be perhaps four, 
 sir. It's not a deal of use entering the 
 fillies unless they show great promise ; and 
 one of the colts shows a little weakness in 
 his off hock, that will make it a question 
 as to whether it's not throwing money 
 away to put him in." 
 
 " Not Coriolanus ? inquired Luxmoore 
 eagerly. 
 
 ** No ; he's sound as a bell and handsome 
 
 VOL. I. o
 
 194 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 as a picture — there he is," continued Calvert, 
 with some pride, as he pointed to where 
 the son of Veturia was pacing up and down 
 in somewhat fretful fashion. 
 
 " How are you, Calvert ? " remarked 
 Jim Laceby. " Come to see how the 
 babies are getting on, you know ; and, 
 by Jove!" he exclaimed, as he followed 
 the indication of the stud-groom's hand, 
 " Coriolanus is worth looking at. Quality 
 all over. Can he move at all equal to his 
 appearance ? " 
 
 " He's quick as a squirrel round the 
 paddocks, Mr. Laceby, and, excuse me, sir, 
 but I do think he's too good to stand 
 money against. Beg your pardon, ladies, 
 but don't go too near him, please. He's 
 a nervous colt, and he's not accustomed 
 to petticoats." 
 
 " And is that a horse you think will win 
 the Derby, Mr. Luxmoore ? " inquired 
 Grace Layton. 
 
 " One we think might if he goes on
 
 THE LIDDINGTON LOT. 195 
 
 well ; at all events, the most promising 
 one we've got. Won't you wish him 
 luck ? " 
 
 " Yes, with all my heart. I sincerely 
 trust he will be successful next year," 
 replied the girl, little thinking how much 
 Interested she is destined to be In 
 Corlolanus's success. 
 
 *' Unfortunately, he won't figure in the 
 Derby till a year later on," returned 
 Harold. " Next time, I regret to say, I 
 have positively nothing in that can be 
 called to have even an outside chance." 
 
 The Honble. Jim had been contempla- 
 ting Coriolanus with the greatest attention 
 for the last few minutes. At last, turning 
 to the stud-groom, he remarked senten- 
 tlously, " You're right, Calvert, it's t'other 
 way on. I shall change my game, and 
 back him. How's the other little be^ear?" 
 
 " What ! Lacedemonian, sir? — that's him, 
 the brown colt the boy Is walking about 
 just below."
 
 196 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 Laceby and the stud-groom sauntered 
 leisurely towards a slashing big yearling 
 that was pacing soberly up and down some 
 hundred yards away, and the remainder of 
 the party followed suit. 
 
 *' Good-looking, that one, too," observed 
 the Honble. Jim after a little ; " but he 
 don't do after Coriolanus. Weaklsh hocks, 
 too, Calvert, hasn't he ? " 
 
 '' I'm afraid, sir, we must give him a 
 touch of the Irons before he goes to Blithe- 
 down. Now, Mr. Laceby, what do you 
 think of this one ? He's the forwardest colt 
 we have, though not the oldest. He's not 
 the good looks of Coriolanus, or the sub- 
 stance of Lacedemonian, but he shows 
 signs of being wonderful fast." 
 
 "Strikes me as too flashy, and I don't 
 like a washy chestnut, they've generally a 
 soft point in their character. What do you 
 call him, and how's he bred ? " 
 
 '* Hypocrite, by Beelzebub out of Happy 
 Land. I have doubts about his staying,
 
 THE LIDDINGTON LOT. 1 97 
 
 but he'll be bad to beat as a two-year-old, 
 on account of his speed, I fancy." 
 
 " There, Mr. Luxmoore, wouldn't that 
 make a park hack for you next season," 
 said Annie Lay ton. ''No fear of our 
 leaving you behind then, you know." 
 
 Harold laughed as he whispered, " Do 
 you think for a moment I'm allowed to 
 have anything to say to any of these horses 
 till they have been returned from the train- 
 ing stable as useless ? — not I." 
 
 The sisters opened their eyes wide, as 
 well they might ; the turf was a mystery 
 to them past all comprehension. 
 
 " This is all very well, Calvert ; but 
 where's Beggarman ? you forget he's one 
 of the lot I laid against on New Year's 
 Day." 
 
 " Of course, sir, of course. He's over 
 here in his paddock. I don't mean to set 
 to work at him for another month, and 
 Darlington ought to keep him till quite the 
 back end next year, I'm sure, before he
 
 igS BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 asks him to race. He's big, and yet back- 
 ward." 
 
 *' Do you like him ? " asked Jim abruptly, 
 as Calvert stooped to unlock the door of 
 the paddock. 
 
 ^'Well, I do— and I don't, Mr. Laceby. 
 I shall be real curious to hear what you 
 think about him. He's like a growing 
 girl of fourteen now — all legs, elbows, and 
 hips ; but I can't help fancying he will 
 grow into something." 
 
 The Honble. Jim and the rest of the 
 party stood for some minutes studying a 
 big angular black colt, who appeared to 
 study them with like solemnity. 
 
 " It's a good-tempered one, anyhow," 
 said Laceby at last ; '' and I tell you what, 
 Harold, if it does w^ell, and goes on growing 
 as it has done, it'll make a devilish good 
 giraffe." 
 
 '' He's a bad feeder, Mr. Laceby," replied 
 the stud-groom, laughing ; " but I hope 
 we shall find he's a race In him some of 
 these days."
 
 THE LIDDIXGTOX LOT. 1 99 
 
 " Coriolanus is the pick of the basket, 
 Calvert ; and if it wasn't for his hocks, 
 I should fancy Lacedemonian also, but I 
 doubt his standing training." 
 ' " You don't like Hypocrite, then, sir ? " 
 
 " No, Calvert, I don't ; and he carries 
 no money of mine till I've seen him win 
 twice, and seen how he does it." 
 
 " Well, good people, you've seen the 
 Liddington Grange Derby lot for the year 
 after next, and now I hope you're all ready 
 for luncheon. Coriolanus and Hypocrite, 
 I really do think, may give a good account 
 of themselves, especially the former." 
 
 " Yes, perhaps so ; but I couldn't believe 
 in a horse called Hypocrite," said Grace 
 Layton. 
 
 "Oh yes you could, ma mie'' whispered 
 her sister, smiling, " if his owner told you to.' 
 
 Grade replied with a blush and a pout 
 to this somewhat unfair attack, and Annie, 
 having shot her arrow, had no wish to 
 tease her sister further. It had been too
 
 200 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 evident of late as to which of the sisters it 
 was that Harold had succumbed, for there 
 to be anything like rivalry between them 
 on the subject, even if it can be fairly said 
 such a thing had ever existed ; but there 
 are many sisters, I conceive, who have 
 experienced a slight flutter when an eligible 
 man commenced frequenting the house 
 with evident intention, and who would 
 bear me out in the theory that it has been 
 the simplest accident that has eventually 
 decided him, or rather opened his eyes, to 
 which really was the magnet of attraction. 
 
 Harold Luxmoore, indeed, has quite 
 made up his mind on the subject, and 
 determined to ask Grace to be his wife 
 before his party breaks up. Meanwhile, 
 time glides away merrily at the Grange. 
 There are shooting parties by day, which 
 the ladies often enliven by their presence 
 at lunch. The Honble. Jim has darkly 
 hinted once or twice that this entails waste 
 of time, and is detrimental to a good bag ;
 
 THE LIDDINGTON LOT. 201 
 
 but his host is so evidently hard hit that 
 he holds it useless to ar^ue the ooint 
 further, and the remainder of the party 
 seem to find no fault with the liberal 
 allowance of a full hour for that meal, 
 blended with unstinted claret-cup and 
 soothing cigars. Mr. Lay ton, senior, is 
 enjoying himself enormously. He has lost 
 all the skin off his nose, and if he has not 
 been eminently successful in bringing par- 
 tridges to hand, he has had the excitement 
 of shooting a keeper in the leggings, for- 
 tunately of stoutish box cloth, and then ad- 
 ministering a sharp dose of number five to 
 an erring retriever about the hind quarters. 
 As Jim Laceby said, Harold's presence of 
 mind was great in the latter instance ; he 
 pretended to believe it intentional, and 
 thanked the old gentleman " for giving 
 that confounded dog a lesson." It is right 
 the parents should get a pull at times, for 
 sons-in-law occasion them much tribulation, 
 as often as not, afterwards.
 
 202 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 A particularly good day among the 
 partridges has been followed by a very 
 lively dinner party ; for not only are there 
 others of the surrounding neiehbours 
 staying in the house, but Harold has 
 supplemented his gathering by a contingent 
 from one or two adjacent houses. The 
 fun has been fast and furious in the 
 drawing-room. Music and divers games 
 have been followed by an impromptu 
 charade, which, from its irrelevancy to the 
 word chosen, and the utter incompetency 
 of the performers to understand what was 
 required of them, had proved a tremendous 
 success. Jim Laceby's impersonation of 
 a Turk, achieved by rigid silence, much 
 stoicism, and intense devotion to a chi- 
 boque, which he had abstracted from the 
 smoking-room, being perhaps the greatest 
 effect of the performance. Nobody seemed 
 to have made out anything about the 
 word more than there was a Turk in it. 
 But that mattered little ; it had led to much
 
 THE LIDDINGTON LOT. 203 
 
 laughter, and so far had It served Its ends 
 Infinitely better than a much more In- 
 telligent performance might have done. 
 
 Harold and Gracie Lay ton have strolled 
 away Into the conservatory, what time the 
 butler Is arranging the tray with sherry, 
 soda, etc., that "loving night-cup" always 
 passed around in well-regulated country 
 manslohs. More than one meaning glance 
 follows the young couple from the veteran 
 battalion, for Harold's attentions have been 
 so marked during the week that some of 
 these feel tolerably certain that all Is 
 settled, though not as yet announced. 
 They are to some slight extent wrong ; 
 but Grace Layton and her family have 
 certainly good cause to suppose that their 
 host will speak to the purpose before long, 
 and Papa Layton is jubilant In the extreme 
 at the prospect. What could he ask better 
 for one of his oflrls than a o-ood fellow 
 whom she likes, and who possesses the 
 advantages of family and a good estate.
 
 204 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 The Luxmoores are of the blue blood 
 of Bloomshire, and that ranks high in 
 Mr. Layton's eyes, had he not that other 
 quality of anexcellent income to boot. 
 
 " Two days more and you will be gone," 
 remarked Harold, in that intensely prosaic 
 manner so characteristic of the Anglo- 
 Saxon when he trembles on the verge of 
 sentiment. 
 
 The lady cast down her eyes and said 
 nothing. She felt that the question 
 virtually settled between them days ago 
 was about to be formally put. 
 
 " I know the old house, from what I 
 hear, can't compare with Laxton in com- 
 fort; still, I hope you've found your time 
 here go by pleasantly." 
 
 " Indeed, I have ; indeed, we all have, 
 Mr. Luxmoore, and should he very un- 
 ungrateful to say otherwise, after all the 
 trouble you have taken to entertain us. 
 Why should you call your dear old home 
 uncomfortable ? "
 
 THE LIDDINGTON LOT. 
 
 205 
 
 '' You are quite right to stand up for 
 it, Gracie ; do you know why ? " Of course 
 she did ; but it was not altogether Hkely 
 she would give her reasons ; so she did 
 what many another girl has done, became 
 absorbed in the contemplation of her own 
 tiny slippers. " And you haven't been 
 much bored by all the racing talk that 
 has gone on ? " 
 
 " Certainly not ; there has been very 
 little, except when we went round the 
 paddocks. I didn't understand it, of 
 course, but I liked looking at the horses. 
 I'm fond of horses, and the young things 
 we saw seemed so tame, and yet so shy, 
 that for the first time I understood how 
 difficult it must be to win a horse's con- 
 fidence when young." 
 
 " Difficult as it is to win a girl's, Gracie. 
 Will you tell me if I have succeeded ? " 
 
 She flushed, and faltered for a moment, 
 and then said in low tones, " What is it 
 you would have ? "
 
 2o6 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 " You know, Grade ; will you take the 
 man who picked you out of the Thames, for 
 a husband ? " 
 
 She looked up in his face for a moment, 
 and her eyes gave consent. She made no 
 resistance as he drew her to him, but 
 whispered, smilingly, " You never would 
 take any credit for that before." 
 
 '' Holding back my trumps, child," 
 laughed Harold, as he clasped her in his 
 arms and kissed her. '' But answer : you 
 promise to be mistress of Liddington 
 Grange ? " 
 
 " I promise," she replied softly ; " and if 
 you care, Harold, to know it, I vowed that 
 night at Richmond to listen to no man's 
 love but yours, till all chance of your 
 whispering it into mine ears was over." 
 
 " Was that likely ? " he replied. 
 
 '' I don't know ; at all events, I thought 
 so. Annie told me she had heard that you 
 were devoted to Mrs. Richeton." 
 
 " Idle rumour, Gracie, though with a
 
 THE LIDDIXGTON LOT. 207 
 
 dash of truth in it. I plead guilty to have 
 flirted a good deal with her a year ago, but 
 that is over long since, before even I knew 
 you. Can you not believe me ? " 
 
 ''Aye, and trust you, too, thoroughly. 
 We ought to go back, Harold ; " and the 
 Q-'irl lino-ered on her lover's Christian name 
 as woman does when, in the first flush of 
 recognized love, she feels privileged to call 
 him by it. 
 
 '' Of course. I suppose those good 
 people will be ringing for their carriages. 
 Wait another minute. I shall have my 
 talk out with your father to-morrow. I 
 don't suppose he will object to me as a 
 son-in-law." 
 
 " Why, Harold, he thinks no end of you. 
 I should make you vain, sir," continued 
 the girl, " if I told you what pretty things 
 he has said about you and Liddington. 
 Nobody can have had such a happy week 
 here as myself; but papa, I should fancy, 
 comes next."
 
 2o8 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 At this moment fell upon their ears, 
 in melodious thouo^h somewhat subdued 
 tones — 
 
 " Cherries and plums on the fruit trees are found, 
 Parsnips is long, and turnips is round ; 
 My body is hot, and my heart it's a fire on ; 
 It is just like a mutton chop upon a gridiron," 
 
 The lovers burst out laughing as they 
 recognized one of the Honble. Jim's 
 favourite morceaux, and In another second 
 Laceby stood before them. 
 
 " Lot of people want to say 'Good night,' 
 and don't seem to know how to get away 
 without doing it, Harold, so you'd best go 
 in and bow 'em out, or else we never shall 
 get a cigar. I'll take care of Miss Grade. 
 I was sent special to see If she'd climbed 
 up a cactus." 
 
 For a moment Harold hesitated ; then 
 murmuring, '' All right, Jim," he vanished 
 to wish his friends God-speed. 
 
 ''You must be awful glad to see me," 
 remarked the Honble. Jim drily. " Harold
 
 THE LIDDIXGTON LOT. 209 
 
 hasn't much conversation, and he never 
 was good at getting out of an awlvward 
 situation." 
 
 Grade blushed brightly, but Laceby was 
 privileged. " He'd a story to tell to-night 
 that has made me very happy. There 
 now, you're to hold your tongue, mind, for 
 a little." 
 
 "Accept my heartiest congratulations. 
 You've got one of the best fellows In the 
 world for a husband. Grade; and now I'm 
 dumb till all Is published." 
 
 A warm pressure of the arm Vv^as Grade's 
 answer to the first congratulations she had 
 received on her engagement. 
 
 VOL. I.
 
 2IO BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 AN OBJECTION. 
 
 " You were a very long time In the con- 
 servatory to-night, Grade. What have 
 you got to tell me ? " said Annie Layton, 
 when the sisters at length gained the 
 sanctuary of their own bed-room. '' The 
 crisis, my dear, has been visibly impending 
 for some days : has it come ? " 
 
 " Yes," returned the other, as a rosy 
 flush suffused her face. '' Will you not 
 congratulate me, Annie ? " 
 
 '' With all my heart, darling. No one 
 could I welcome more heartily as a brother- 
 in-law. We'll have no nonsense between 
 us two ; and if I made a wee mistake weeks
 
 AN OBJECTION. 211 
 
 ago, my eyes were opened in good time, 
 and, sister mine, I can congratulate you 
 with honest truth now." 
 
 " How good you are to me," said Gracie 
 gently. She also had seen there was some 
 inclination towards Harold cropping up in 
 her sister's heart at one time, and in the 
 plenitude of her success, in the first flush 
 of her victory, could but feel some com- 
 passion for the sister who had stifled her 
 feelings so loyally and speedily. 
 
 " Yes, Gracie, I prophesy you will be 
 very happy. Harold and you will suit 
 exactly, and I think will always be glad to 
 find a room for your maiden sister." 
 
 " Maiden sister, indeed ! Why maiden, 
 Annie, I'd like to know ? Not you, my 
 own. Your husband is about, and I have 
 a faint impression I could name him even 
 now." 
 
 " Name him ! " returned Miss Layton, 
 with much astonishment. ''Good heavens! 
 who is it you mean ? "
 
 212 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 '' Never mind," replied Gracie, laughing. 
 '' I'm not going to tell you to-night, nor 
 even hint who it is, but some of these days 
 you will come to me with a love story that 
 will not astonish me." 
 
 " Who can you mean ? " exclaimed 
 Annie. 
 
 " Never mind ; but do come to bed. 
 I've my own love affair to attend to just 
 now, and is not one enough for any reason- 
 able woman to manage at a time ? " 
 
 " I suppose it should be ; but I fancy a 
 good many of our London acquaintance 
 would laugh at such a notion." 
 
 " Come to bed," retorted Gracie. 
 
 '' But who is it ? " replied Annie. 
 " Gratify my curiosity, and I will." 
 
 " I don't know. I won't tell if I do, I 
 vow ; so, put out the light." 
 
 " I've half a mind to, and strangle you in 
 your sleep afterwards. You shan't sleep 
 till you do tell," cried Annie, laughing as 
 she extinguished the light, and jumped 
 into bed.
 
 AN OBJECTION. 213 
 
 Jubilant was Harold next morning, as he 
 sluiced himself in his bath — ^jubilant still as 
 he donned his neat shooting suit. Had he 
 not won the girl of his heart, and was there 
 likely to be obstacles to his wooing ? 
 When with the cerulean ichor in our veins, 
 a rent-roll of ten thousand a year, and the 
 consent of our lady-love, we would fain 
 claim her from the powers that be, at six- 
 and-twenty, there is small danger of refusal, 
 I trow. Harold has determined to have it 
 out with old Layton that morning before 
 shooting, and then, as he argues, there will 
 be nothing on his mind to prevent his 
 doing his duty among the partridges. 
 " They must have seen all the week that I 
 was making play in earnest, and no doubt 
 both papa and mamma will be glad to hear 
 all is satisfactorily settled." 
 
 As he strolled into the breakfast-room 
 he was met by a meaning smile from both 
 the sisters, who had entered just before 
 him.
 
 214 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 " Come and sit up at my end," he said 
 gaily, " I shall separate you, and my tea, I 
 know, is always more scientiiically con- 
 structed than it is at the bottom of the 
 table. Jim is better at the brewing of 
 clever cups than the simple hyson." 
 
 " No libel against Mr. Laceby," rejoined 
 Annie Lay ton. '' I'm so glad to hear that 
 Gracie is to make it in future," she con- 
 tinued in a low tone. " You're my brother 
 now, you know, and I shall call you Harold 
 henceforth." 
 
 "Wait till the evening," replied Lux- 
 moore, " till I have spoken to your father, 
 and then I shall be only too happy." 
 
 ** That would have been placed in your 
 button-hole," murmured Gracie softly on 
 the other side, " if you had been up be- 
 times, as you should have been ; as it is, I 
 can only drop it on your plate," and, suiting 
 the action to the word, Grace threw a rose- 
 bud in front of her lover. 
 
 " Very forward, those Layton girls,"
 
 AX OBJECTION. 215 
 
 muttered Mrs. Blackden between her teeth, 
 as she witnessed these Httle confidences. 
 *' Upon my word, I never savr such a bare- 
 faced combination between sisters ! " Mrs. 
 Blackden had accompanied her jolly hus- 
 band to Liddington upon this occasion, and 
 had brouo^ht with her an angular daughter, 
 just out, whom she considered admirably 
 fitted to be mistress of the Grange, and, 
 under these circumstances, the matrons of 
 Enorland will use harsh lanoruao^e. 
 
 But breakfast is over at last, and when 
 Harold quietly asks the old gentleman to 
 come into his room for a few minutes 
 before they start shooting, ]\Ir. Layton is, 
 of course, perfectly aware what is coming, 
 having, indeed, been most properly in- 
 formed by his wife for some weeks past 
 that this interview was delightfully immi- 
 nent. No doubt all the guests, and most 
 of the upper servants, could have equally 
 translated such an invitation, had they 
 heard it. The butler and the housekeeper
 
 2l6 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 had discussed this affair for some days, and 
 taken much stock of Grade in conse- 
 quence. Housemaids had eyed her, and 
 even the gardener looked critically on her 
 as he presented the choicest peaches for 
 her delectation. Mrs. Blackden alone, 
 with that awful confidence mothers are 
 apt to manifest for their own progeny, was 
 blind to what was going on under her nose, 
 and refused to put faith in the more acute 
 deductions of her spouse. A woman, with 
 a daughter both angular and marriageable, 
 is apt to lose what power of ratiocination 
 she may possess, and it is hardly to be 
 wondered at. 
 
 Harold leads the way Into that dearly- 
 loved sanctum of all country gentlemen, 
 which usually passes by the name of the 
 study. In it old Oliver Luxmoore had 
 smoked many a cigar, and pored for many 
 an hour over the pages of the Stud Book ; 
 had meditated much over the new-fangled 
 invention of the breech-loader, and bid fair,
 
 AX OBJECTION. 21 J 
 
 finally, to blow LIddlngton Grange into 
 infinite space, from the peculiar fancy that 
 seized him for a time of filling his cart- 
 ridges and smoking his pipe simultaneously. 
 To the last, the old man would load his 
 own cartridges, saying curtly, " he did like 
 to know what he was shootinsf with, and 
 if you left it to the gunsmiths you never 
 did ; '' but that gunpowder and ignited 
 tobacco was a dangerous combination he 
 never could be brought to see — like a 
 famous baronet of the shires, not many 
 years ago gone to his rest, who never 
 could be made to understand there was 
 any impropriety in thrusting his lighted 
 cigar into the same pocket as his powder 
 flask when he wanted suddenly to dispose 
 of it at a hot corner. Neither he nor 
 Oliver Luxmoore ever did come to grief, 
 but they are not to be altogether quoted 
 as precedents. 
 
 A painting of Plutus hangs across the 
 mantelpiece — the colt that, in Liddington
 
 2l8 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 annals, should have won the Derby. Why 
 he did not nobody can say. There are 
 plenty of such cases ; and those who raise 
 the cry of foul play are, as a rule, those 
 least qualified to judge. Those who are 
 thorough racing men do know that a horse, 
 like a human being, is not always the same ; 
 that what he did last week he cannot do 
 this ; but the noble army of backers never 
 reflect upon this, and raise marvellous 
 shrieks of foul play when the favourite 
 " goes down " to their detriment. In 
 humanity, you admit the potent influence 
 of liver and stomach. Why not in race- 
 horses ? Race-horses, poor things, like 
 their owners, are afflicted with stomachs, 
 and bile and gout. Yes, when you see 
 a race-horse is troubled with rheumatism, 
 it is just what we also call rheumatism in 
 the first instance, but concede to be gout 
 a year or two afterwards ; for example, 
 Newminster was a gouty horse. But this 
 is terribly irrelevant. We are not writing
 
 AX OBJECTION. 219 
 
 Upon present racing, only describing, under 
 fictitious names, the history of that famous 
 Derby of a few }^ears ago, whether ten, 
 whether twenty, makes but Httle difference. 
 
 " Please sit down, 'Sir. Layton. I know 
 you always like a cigar after breakfast, so 
 try one of mine for a change," remarked 
 Harold, as he ushered the Squire of Laxton 
 into his sanctum. 
 
 " All right, my boy, all right. My own 
 Partegas are not to be sneezed at, but I'm 
 bound to admit your Cabanas are quite up 
 to the mark, too." 
 
 " I dare say, Sir. Layton, you can make 
 a pretty good guess at what it is I wish to 
 speak to you about." 
 
 The old gentleman chuckled, as he 
 expelled a cloud of smoke from his lips, 
 and replied, " Perhaps so, perhaps so. I 
 generally see as far through a millstone as 
 my neighbours. I suppose you and Gracie 
 have come to an understanding." 
 
 " Will you give her to me ? I love her
 
 2 20 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 honestly and truly, and you know I'm In a 
 position to take care of her." 
 
 " There's no man I'd sooner welcome as 
 a son-in-law," replied Layton, rising, and 
 clasping his host's hand warmly. ''It isn't 
 because you've got money, though I know 
 the value of that as well as any one, but I 
 think you a thorough good fellow, who will 
 make my girl happy. Then, you've a pre- 
 scriptive right to her in some sort. You 
 always make light of it, but I can't forget 
 that, but for you, we might have lost her, 
 and we should have had sore hearts at 
 Laxby for many a day if our bonnie Grace 
 had been taken from us." 
 
 Genial and cheery as the old gentleman 
 always was, yet his voice shook with 
 emotion as he made this speech, and his 
 emotion in some degree communicated it- 
 self to Luxmoore, as it flashed across him 
 what would have been his feelines had 
 
 o 
 
 his chosen bride been gulphed 'neath the 
 glittering river that June evening.
 
 AN OBJECTION. 22 1 
 
 " Thank you,'" he said a little unsteadily, 
 as he returned Layton's hand-grip. '' You 
 all give me much more credit than I deserve 
 about that accident, but I presume now we 
 may as well announce It to the world at 
 once." 
 
 " With all my heart," returned the other 
 with a jolly laugh. " Unless you and 
 Grade Intend to be much more guarded 
 than most young people, the public would 
 very speedily draw such conclusion for 
 themselves." 
 
 " I need only add, then, that whatever 
 the lawyers think just about settlements, I 
 shall be perfectly willing to subscribe to. 
 Let your men and mine talk it over ; and 
 what satisfies you will satisfy me." 
 
 " Pooh ! we are not likely to differ on 
 that point. My girl won't come to you 
 empty-handed, Luxmoore. I've prospered 
 in life, and as I made my own money, have 
 a right to dispose of it as I like. I can 
 leave Dick a very good Income, and
 
 2 22 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 give both my girls a handsome dowry to 
 boot." 
 
 " All the better for Grade," laughed 
 Harold, "she may have that for pin- 
 money ; and now I want to see her for 
 ten minutes, and then we'll have at the 
 partridges. If light hearts have anything 
 to say to it, Mr. Lay ton, we ought both 
 to be very dead on them to-day." 
 
 " By Jove! yes," cried the old gentleman, 
 " and yet I'm so pleased," he added, with 
 a knowing wink, " that I shouldn't wonder 
 if I let some of 'em off from overflowing 
 with the milk of human kindness." 
 
 " As you like," smiled Harold ; " as long 
 as my friends only enjoy themselves, I 
 don't care whether they make big scores 
 or not. Shall we go ? " 
 
 *' Yes ; you're just the right age to settle 
 down," Luxmoore, remarked Mr. Lay ton 
 gaily, as he moved towards the door. 
 " By the way, of course you'll drop the 
 turf now ? "
 
 AX OBJECTION. 223 
 
 '' No, I can't very well, you know," 
 rejoined Harold carelessly. 
 
 " Well, perhaps not Immediately, but 
 you will get out of It as soon as It Is 
 cleverly possible, I presume." 
 
 '' No, I think not. I am tied to It, 
 remember." 
 
 " But, my dear fellow," replied Mr. 
 Layton, turning round on the very thres- 
 hold of the door, and with a very^ serious 
 expression coming over his jolly counte- 
 nance, " You can't surely mean that you 
 are so wedded to it that you cannot give 
 it up." 
 
 " Very much wedded to it Indeed, Mr. 
 Layton," retorted Harold gaily ; " as firmly 
 and as legally as I trust to be shortly to 
 your daughter." - 
 
 '' I don't understand you. Stop a 
 moment, and shut that door, please. We 
 must come to a clear understandino- on this 
 point, and the sooner the better. I'm no 
 strait-laced sort of man, Luxmoore, as you
 
 2 24 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 know, but I've seen so much misery 
 wrought by heavy turf speculation, and the 
 maintenance of large studs, that I should 
 have the greatest possible hesitation In 
 entrusting either of my girls' happiness to 
 any one extensively connected wath it." 
 
 '' I cannot help it ; I Inherited it, as you 
 know." 
 
 " Of course, of course, and while you were 
 unmarried there could be no reason that 
 you should not carry on the stud your uncle 
 left you ; but you must see that It would 
 be better to get quietly out of the whole 
 business now as soon as possible." 
 
 '' You are not aware, then, of the very 
 peculiar terms of my uncle's will," rejoined 
 Harold In a low voice. 
 
 " No ; I never heard anything peculiar 
 about it." 
 
 " Very well, then, I'll tell you what It Is. 
 I am left Liddlngton upon the condition I 
 spend six thousand out of the ten thousand 
 a year It Is worth, upon the rearing and
 
 AN OBJECTION. 225 
 
 running of race horses until I shall win the 
 Derby, when the obligation ceases. If I 
 marry, the property is entailed upon my 
 eldest son, who would succeed unfettered 
 by any such restriction ; but if during my 
 life, without having won the Derby, I fail 
 to expend that sum annually, in accordance 
 with the testator's directions, I forfeit 
 everything but a thousand a year, and the 
 property goes to a gentleman, whom I 
 know you have met — a Mr. Berkley Holt." 
 
 '' Good God ! what a preposterous and 
 unnatural will ! " exclaimed Mr. Lay ton. 
 
 " You see now how I am situated," con- 
 tinued Harold, '* and that my retirement 
 from the turf is impossible." 
 
 " Its a bad business, a terrible bad busi- 
 ness," replied the old gentleman earnestly. 
 *' I don't know what is to be done. I've 
 always said no girl of mine should marry a 
 man on the turf; as for Dick, when I'm 
 gone, he may please himself, but I'll never 
 let a daughter of mine run the chance 
 
 VOL. I. Q
 
 2 26 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 of such misery as I've seen come of it 
 once." 
 
 " But that is impossible in my case. I 
 only hold the estate on trust till I win the 
 Derby. I cannot alienate an acre. My 
 racing cannot be said to cost me a shilling. 
 I stand in the position of manager of a 
 racing establishment, the expenses of which 
 are paid while I have Liddington Grange, 
 and four thousand a year to keep it up 
 with. Not so rich a son-in-law as, no 
 doubt, you presumed me to be, but still, 
 with what you intend to do for Gracie, I 
 think we shall get on very well." 
 
 *• May I ask if you ever bet ? Pshaw ! 
 of course you do. It would, I should 
 imagine, be next door to impossible to 
 run horses and not back them at times." 
 
 ''Racing can seldom be made to pay 
 without betting," replied Harold sen- 
 tentiously 
 
 '* I am speaking of betting heavily. 
 Four thousand a year, Luxmoore, does
 
 AN OBJECTION. 22 7 
 
 not go far under such circumstances. I 
 speak advisedly. My only sister, whom 
 I dearly loved, I saw killed, slowly, but 
 steadily, by the disgrace and difficulties 
 her husband got into from racing specula- 
 tions. It all happened years ago, and 
 when I was a struggling man myself; 
 not but what I did something to helping 
 them a bit. He had a rattling good 
 business, which he let go to the dogs 
 from his infatuation for the race-course." 
 
 " But I've heard you talk yourself of 
 having a bet upon the Derby," interposed 
 Harold. 
 
 " Yes ; but that's a very different thing 
 from being on the turf. Will you give 
 me your word not to really bet, and to 
 retire from the whole thing if ever you 
 are able ? " 
 
 *' No," returned Harold haughtily, " Tm 
 not going to be treated like a schoolboy at 
 six and twenty, and I certainly decline to 
 be further fettered than I am. My uncle
 
 2 28 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 has tied me to the turf, and I must crave 
 the right to conduct my career there In my 
 own fashion." 
 
 Mr. Layton shook his head as he repHed, 
 very gravely — " Vm more sorry than I can 
 tell you about this, Luxmoore ; but for 
 this one thing, as I said before, there's 
 no man alive I would sooner have given 
 either of my girls to. It will be a 
 disappointment for Grade, too, I'm afraid. 
 Had I ever heard of the peculiar terms 
 of your inheritance, I should have interfered 
 to prevent your seeing so much of one 
 another ; as it Is, with the greatest regret, I 
 say it cannot be." 
 
 " You don't surely mean that you refuse 
 your consent ? " cried Harold ; " that you 
 will not give me Grade ? " 
 
 " Even so,'' replied Mr. Layton, sorrow- 
 fully, *' I could bear better to see her 
 suffer now than to think she ran the 
 chance of being subjected to what her poor 
 aunt was years ago."
 
 AN OBJECTION. 2 29 
 
 " But, my dear sir, this Is monstrous. 
 You're as unreasonable as my uncle was 
 In leavinof LIddinofton Grano^e to me 
 trammelled with such an extraordinary 
 condition. By heavens, I seem to be 
 the sport of fortune, and the football of 
 the two most Irreconcilable men that ever 
 existed. You can't mean what you say ? " 
 
 " I do, and thoroughly," replied Mr. 
 Layton. '' I will concede nothing further 
 than If you and Grade choose to wait 
 and see if the fortune of the race-course 
 will free you from your uncle's most 
 unheard-of condition — I shall be very glad 
 to talk the thing over again with you. In 
 the mean time, I consider there should be 
 no definite engagement between you, and 
 I most deeply regret that, under the 
 circumstances, I must request 3'ou to 
 abstain from visiting us — a loss I assure 
 you, Luxmoore, which I shall feel myself 
 extremely." 
 
 " Good God!" cried Harold, springing to
 
 230 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 his feet, " was ever man on this earth 
 placed in such a dilemma ? — an uncle," he 
 continued, pacing the room Impetuously, 
 " who leaves me an estate upon condition 
 I win the Derby ; the father of the girl I 
 would make m_y wife insists upon my 
 leaving the turf. My dear sir, do pray 
 reconsider what you have said." 
 
 " Impossible. Let us close this inter- 
 view ; it Is only painful for both of us. I 
 assure you it pains me very much to have 
 to come to this conclusion. We shall, ot 
 course, leave LIddington to-morrow. I 
 little thought that our visit was destined 
 to terminate so sadly." 
 
 *' Is there no solution to this monstrous 
 problem ? " muttered Harold. 
 
 " I am afraid not," replied Mr. Lay ton, 
 rising. *' Most sincerely do I trust fortune 
 may speedily favour you. It will at all 
 events be in your power then to decide 
 whether Grade's hand is worth the sacri- 
 fice I ask?"
 
 AN OBJECTION. 23 I 
 
 I don't think either Luxmoore or Mr. 
 Layton distinguished themselves that day 
 amongst the partridges. Harold, indeed, 
 was so distrait as to allow more than one 
 to go away imshot at — a sight so dis- 
 tressing to the Honble. Jim that he 
 couldn't resist w^hispering — 
 
 " ' In the spring, a young man's fancy 
 lightly turns to thoughts of love ; ' but you 
 know it didn't ought, Harold, in the 
 autumn, when partridges are about, and 
 * the merry brown hares come leaping,' 
 
 etc." 
 
 Harold's curt reply convinced Jim Laceby 
 there was something gone wrong, and the 
 Honble. Jim meditated much whether the 
 course of true love had got into its normal 
 state of trouble, or whether Coriolanus had 
 developed symptoms of equine infirmity. 
 The sudden departure of the whole Layton 
 family next morning to receive, so they 
 said, some relations whose volunteered 
 visit could not be possibly put off, still
 
 232 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 further perplexed Laceby ; more especially 
 did he wonder at Miss Grade's preter- 
 naturally solemn face — a face, too, that had 
 been so riante and sunny of late. Jim 
 puzzled a good deal over this, but, as Lux- 
 moore did not choose to speak, refrained 
 from inquiry. Concerning the health of 
 Coriolanus, he was by no means so reticent, 
 and at Tattersall s, on the ensuing Monday, 
 Mr. Plyant, the well-known bookmaker, 
 accepted twenty monkeys about the Lld- 
 dington lot, from a staunch disbeliever in 
 untried yearlings — on commission, as he 
 observed. 
 
 y
 
 ( 2 
 
 00 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 MRS. RICHETOn's CONGRATULATIONS. 
 
 When a woman takes an Interest in a 
 man in her own station of life she seldom 
 fails to know pretty accurately what he is 
 doing. When she loves she is never in 
 ignorance ; pursuing such knowledge, in 
 the latter case, at times very much to her 
 own unhappiness ; but it may be con- 
 fidently asserted of the sex that they will 
 know. Astonishing is the information 
 they contrive to obtain on matters that 
 our blundering and less observant selves 
 think far beyond their ken; and how 
 awkward it is when they suddenly confute 
 us with this surreptitiously and curiously-
 
 234 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 acquired lore. Victims, all of us, I presume, 
 in our time to woman's insatiable interest 
 In our proceedings. 
 
 The party at LIddlngton Grange had 
 been destined to break up at the end of 
 the week, and the departure of the Laytons 
 a day before their time naturally gave rise 
 to considerable comment. Dear Mrs. 
 Blackden, that amiable lady with the 
 angular daughter, was much exercised on 
 the subject. She could not get over that 
 long absence of Grace and Harold in the 
 conservatory. The tete-a-tete between Lux- 
 moore and old Mr. Layton had not escaped 
 her observant eyes. It's well if you can 
 keep clear of such observant eyes when 
 you are under the same roof with them, 
 and she drew, good woman, her deductions ; 
 inimical somewhat to her own designs, but 
 she was a person to look facts In the face 
 with a severity that sometimes almost 
 succeeded In putting facts out of counte- 
 nance. She arrived at the conclusion that
 
 MRS. RICHETONS CONGRATULATIONS. 235 
 
 a proposal had taken place, and that the 
 plebeian brood of adventurers, having 
 landed their victim, had departed in 
 triumph. She confided this solution of 
 the affair with much gusto to other 
 matrons of the party, adding that it had 
 never been her painful experience before 
 to see a man run down by a couple of 
 sisters like a hare at a coursing match. 
 *' I wonder," she remarked, in conclusion, 
 "whether they drew lots for him. They 
 looked quite capable of doing so, Vm sure." 
 
 Yes ; even the brightest and best can 
 expect little mercy at the hands of a bitter- 
 tongued woman, who has marked down a 
 quarry for her daughter, should they come 
 between her and her schemes ; and the 
 Layton girls fared no worse than any other 
 sisters in their situation would have done. 
 
 Not long, you may be sure, before this 
 rumour reaches the ears of Theodora 
 Richeton. It is well spread abroad now 
 that Harold Luxmoore and Grace Layton
 
 236 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 have plighted troth, and there are not 
 wanting those who can quote the settle- 
 ments he Is to make and the dowry he 
 is to get with his bride, to say nothing 
 of when and where the wedding Is to be 
 and the honeym^oon to be passed. Mrs. 
 RIcheton bites her lips as such gossip 
 falls on her ears. She knows now that 
 she loves this man as she never thought 
 to love human being, and he Is about to 
 marry another. Fiercely she counts up 
 her own advantages, her beauty, her for- 
 tune, her position, her talent. Yes, she 
 is the equal — nay, the superior, of Grace 
 Lay ton in all these points. " His heart 
 was mine," she argues, "till that girl's 
 deceitful eyes stole It from me. Ah, no," 
 she mutters at last, her lids welling with 
 tears ; " it was my own folly, my own 
 mockery, my own coquetry, delivered him 
 into her hand ; and then came that lucky 
 accident on the river, which gave her the 
 game. But no, Grace Lay ton, all is not
 
 MRS. RICHETONS CONGRATULATIONS. 237 
 
 over yet ; he loved me well before he ever 
 saw you ; he avoided me all last season ; he 
 gave me no opportunity to test whether 
 his love for me was dead. I'll know that 
 much, at all events, before he stands at 
 the altar with you. I must — I will see 
 him, and alone ; but how ? " And here 
 Theodora threw herself back in her chair, 
 and bethought herself deeply of how this 
 interview was to be brought about. 
 
 It was not easy, but gradually she began 
 to see her way. Her spirits rose as her 
 scheme took more definite shape, and 
 again she vowed fiercely that Harold Lux- 
 moore and Grace Layton should never be 
 man and wife. For days did the passion- 
 ate and enamoured woman continue to 
 brood over the whole business ; gradually, 
 and by a process of reasoning very common 
 to the human mind, she brought herself to 
 believe that she was the victim of much 
 treachery from her quondam friend Grace. 
 She must have known that Harold was
 
 238 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 her (Theodora's) lover; and what right 
 had she to listen to a love-tale from him 
 under such circumstances ? Surely, she 
 was justified in any reprisals that laid 
 within her power. Could she but see 
 him, then all might be well ; not two years 
 ago — and she knew her very whisper — a 
 glance, the touch of her hand, had made 
 his pulse bound. Impossible she could 
 have lost all influence over him. Had her 
 beauty waned since then ? she asked herself 
 again and again ; and honestly she told 
 herself it was not so, and the world would 
 freely have endorsed her verdict. Theo- 
 dora Richeton, in her thirtieth year, was 
 in all the splendour of her charms. 
 
 She had hesitated, and she had thought 
 much about this scheme she had in her 
 head. We all of us are a little nervous 
 when we come to risk a Quatre Bras, 
 which may be a Waterloo, but she must risk 
 something. She had determined to write 
 to Harold her congratulations upon his
 
 MRS. RICHETONS CONGRATULATIONS. 239 
 
 approaching marriage, and to ask him, for 
 the sake of past times, to call, receive* her 
 congratulations, and promise to accord her 
 his friendship in the future. Not an easy 
 letter to write this exactly. Too much 
 sentiment might well make a man situated 
 like Harold cautious about yielding to her 
 request, and yet she thought it was 
 imperative that she should assume the pose 
 of a woman who deeply regretted her 
 former coquetry, though, now looking on 
 it, that such regret was quite superfluous 
 to express. Theodora RIcheton seated 
 herself at her dainty davenport, and 
 nibbled the top of her pen for some 
 minutes before she dipped It in the ink. 
 At last she dashed boldly into the task she 
 had set herself. 
 
 '' Dear Mr. Luxmoore, 
 
 " I am told, upon undeniable autho- 
 rity, that you are engaged to pretty Grace 
 Layton, and cannot resist, albeit I have
 
 240 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 some old memories to stifle, sending you 
 my sincerest congratulations on the occa- 
 sion. Time was, my dear Harold, when I 
 had some thoughts that I might some day 
 stand in such relation to you, but, of course 
 all that kind of thing is dead between us 
 long since. Whose fault it was I hardly 
 recollect. Mine, I dare say, though you 
 men change your divinities so rapidly that 
 I am not quite clear upon the subject. 
 However, that is of the past, but our 
 friendship, I trust, is of the future. I don't 
 think you treated me altogether well last 
 season. You never called once. Come 
 and see me when next in town, and, as 
 the children say, * Make friends again.' " 
 
 And here Theodora Richeton dropped 
 her pen, and read her note carefully over. 
 *' Yes, that I think will do," she murmured. 
 " Now, how to wind up. I don't think I 
 dare venture any more sentiment. Ah, I 
 have it." 
 
 "Don't bear malice, Harold, to a woman
 
 MRS. RICHETOXS CONGRATULATIONS. 24I 
 
 for a moment's petulance, but come and 
 receive my congratulations in person. Tell 
 me I am forgiven, and that we are to be 
 friends in* future. 
 
 " Most sincerely yours, 
 
 "Theodora Richeton. 
 " P.S. — Your intended I have always 
 considered charming." 
 
 " And so I have, and do,"' murmured 
 the widow, as she folded and sealed her 
 epistle, " but I always thought myself more 
 so, and naturally feel disposed to disparage 
 her now." Yet, IMrs. Richeton was by 
 no means a woman of such weakness as 
 to undervalue her rival's attractions, and 
 cordially admitted to herself that both the 
 Misses Layton were very pretty and 
 attractive girls, particularly Grade. Still, 
 let rivalr}^ once ensue between women, and 
 the most honest and cleverest amongst 
 them never quite do each other justice. 
 
 This letter found Harold at Liddlngton 
 
 VOL. I. R
 
 242 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 Grange, all alone and dejected. Of course, 
 he had contrived an interview with his 
 fiancde before her departure, and explained 
 to her how matters really stood with him. 
 The girl had listened with surprise and 
 dismay to the story of Oliver Luxmoore's 
 will, and her father's somewhat unreason- 
 able decision concerning her marriage, but 
 she had been comforted by Harold's bold 
 assurance that all these difficulties were 
 too absurd not to melt away ere long. 
 '' Say you'll only be true, and believe in 
 mie, Gracie, for a little, and I feel little fear 
 of overcoming the trifling obstacles that 
 stand between us." What answer could 
 an honest, loving girl, who had given her 
 whole heart to a man, make ? She could 
 only say, much as Gracie did, that she 
 believed in him with all her soul, and 
 Avould wait patiently till he came to claim 
 her. " It's hard, Harold, that Ave are not 
 to be allowed to see each other," she 
 concluded, '' but writing is not interdicted ;
 
 MRS. RICHETOXS CONGRATULATIONS. 243 
 
 and, remember, I must hear from 3'^ou 
 pretty constantly — I shall, shall I not ? " 
 " Undoubtedly," had, of course, been his 
 answer ; and so, with a warm embrace, 
 had their farewell been spoken. 
 
 Very hipped is Harold in the solitude of 
 the Grange. It is sad when the pleasant 
 party breaks up, and we are left " to tread 
 alone the banquet-hall deserted : " and the 
 break up of a cheery country-house party 
 is apt to be fraught with great depression 
 of spirits to the entertainers. When the 
 entertainer is a bachelor, with a love affair 
 running all askew at the same time, it may 
 be guessed with what zest and enjoyment 
 he consumes his evenino- cio^ar. When the 
 gods are administering sharp punishment 
 to ourselves, it is wonderful how penitent 
 Ave become about the stripes we of late 
 have dealt out to our neighbours. Harold 
 Luxmoore, in his present depression and 
 disappointment, reads Mrs. Richeton's letter 
 with some compunction, such as would
 
 244 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 have made the heart of that lady leap with 
 hope, had she but been cognisant of it. 
 He feels that he went a long way with this 
 woman ; that he had wooed her at one 
 time in good earnest ; it was not fair or 
 just to avoid her altogether, as he did last 
 season. By Jove ! he really was fond of 
 her once. He can't stay in this big, ram- 
 shackle old house any longer by himself. 
 He must run up to town, and then — well, 
 he will call and make it up with Theodora 
 Richeton. How nicely she writes about 
 his engagement ; and, perhaps, after all, he 
 was a little hard upon her. Softened by 
 his own feelings for Gracie, and suffering 
 under the reaction occasioned by the break 
 up of his party, and the unexpected sus- 
 pension of his suit, Harold is more 
 tender-hearted than usual. He forgets the 
 merciless coquetry that drove him to break 
 his chains ; he sees only the handsome 
 woman who so delicately begs to be for- 
 given her treatment of him ; and who
 
 MRS. RICHETON S CONGRATULATIONS. 245 
 
 gently hints that she has been quite 
 sufficiently punished in hearing that he is 
 engaged to another. His eyes are shut to 
 the danger he incurs ; he does not see that 
 no woman would ever write such a letter 
 to a man as Theodora Richeton has done 
 to him, unless she believed that her thrall 
 was merely in abeyance — wanting only the 
 seduction of her presence to rivet the yoke 
 once more about her victim's neck — under 
 which belief she is scarce likely to confine 
 herself altogether to congratulations upon 
 his marriage and protestations of future 
 friendship. Harold indites a civil reply to 
 Mrs. Richeton's epistle, which is impera- 
 tive ; he also says he will call upon her, 
 which is foolishness past all conception. 
 
 Five days afterwards Harold Luxmoore 
 is ushered into Mrs. Richeton's drawing- 
 room, with an intimation that its mistress 
 will appear Immediately. 
 
 He looks round upon the room he once 
 knew so well, and, as a matter of course.
 
 246 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 the old memories throng thick upon him. 
 Do they not on all of us when we revisit 
 places in which our hearts once beat 
 so wildly ? He recalls the last time he 
 was there, when he pleaded his best and 
 she mocked him. Yes, that is the low 
 chair she sat in, and replied to his earnest 
 words Avith jibe and jest, looking up into 
 his face, when all his heart was on his lips, 
 with that saucy, insouciant smile that had 
 so maddened him of late. The very 
 pattern of the carpet seemed burnt into 
 his brain, and he even recollected those 
 complicated hexagons up and down which 
 he had strode in his wrath. He remem- 
 bered her pose, and the coquettish little 
 nod with which she had returned the 
 haughty obeisance he had made her, as, 
 mastering his rage with great exertion, he 
 had turned upon the door-sill to offer the 
 customary salutation. It was curious that, 
 with the new love filling his whole being, 
 he should have such vivid recollections of
 
 MRS. RICHETON S COXGRATULATIOXS. 247 
 
 the past; but it is so, nor does it at all 
 follow that there should be any disloyalty 
 to the present in such memories. But 
 the door opens, and Theodora Richeton 
 sweeps into the room with all her old 
 majesty, yet tempered with a slight languor, 
 infinitely more seductive than the pure 
 regal assumption of yore. With a faint 
 smile she shakes hands, and bids her visitor 
 be seated, and then sinks back herself into 
 a low lounging-chair near the fire. 
 
 " It is long since you were here, Harold," 
 she says at last in a low, dreamy voice — in 
 those trem.ulous contralto tones that were 
 wont to thrill through him little more than 
 a year ago. 
 
 " Yes," he replied. " I was thinking of 
 the last time I was here but just now. 
 If I was rude, pray forgive me." 
 
 " It is I who have to plead for pardon," 
 she interrupted. '' Harold Luxmoore, I 
 know I treated you shamefully; but you 
 have been fully avenged. Never mind all
 
 248 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 that ; it is of the past. I asked you to 
 come and let me congratulate you on the 
 present." 
 
 " You are very good," rejoined Harold, 
 his eyes suddenly opened to the awkward- 
 ness of the situation. 
 
 " She is a sweet, good girl, and not likely 
 to try you — I mean that she would never 
 treat you — that is to say, I've no doubt 
 she will make you very happy," concluded 
 Theodora, somewhat incoherently. 
 
 There was a pause of some minutes. 
 In good truth, the gentleman knew not 
 what to say, while the lady seemed too 
 agitated to continue. 
 
 *' Excuse me," she said, at length, " I am 
 very foolish — we poor women always are. 
 It is hard to shake off old recollections ; 
 and we miscalculate our strength some- 
 times. Give me a minute or two to collect 
 myself. You used to be lenient to my 
 whims and low spirits in days gone by." 
 
 '' If I could have imagined this interview
 
 MRS. RICHETOXS COXGRATULATIOXS. 249 
 
 could have cost you the sHghtest pain, 
 beheve me, I never should have suggested 
 it," replied Harold, thinking, by magnani- 
 mously taking his presence there as of his 
 own seeking, to facilitate his retreat. 
 
 " Loyal ever to a woman, Harold, you 
 always were. Xo ; if I find it hard to 
 bury the past — if I find it difiicult to con- 
 gratulate you on your wedding without 
 some reo^rets — I'm fain to confess it is all 
 my own doing. If I've trifled my life's 
 happiness away " 
 
 '' Hush, Theodora, for Heaven's sake!" 
 interposed Harold quickly ; " you are ner- 
 vous, hysterical, and don't know what you 
 are saying." 
 
 " Yes, you are right," she answered, with 
 a faint smile ; " and last time you were 
 here I was mad, I think, and did not know 
 what I was doing." 
 
 He answered never a word. What was 
 he to say ? He had loved this woman 
 passionately once, and felt that tenderness
 
 250 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 Still for her that must always remain in a 
 genuine man's heart for the woman he has 
 once loved, let her deceive him grossly as 
 she may. 
 
 " Yes ! " she exclaimed, passionately, and 
 rising from her chair, " Mad ! Mad ! What- 
 ever you may think, Harold, I never loved 
 you better than that last afternoon you 
 were here. I laughed at your protesta- 
 tions, and flouted you, but I little thought 
 to be taken at my word. I had coquetted 
 with so many, and who ever broke my 
 chains before ! " she cried proudly, " if I 
 willed otherwise. I trembled when you 
 came here no more. Ah ! if you had 
 returned within a couple of Aveeks, you 
 would have found a woman whom you had 
 conquered — a woman who no longer dared 
 to trifle w^ith your love. Too late ! too 
 late ! alas," she murmured, as she pushed 
 the hair back from her temples, and paced 
 the room with passionate steps, even as 
 Luxmoore had paced them some eighteen 
 months before.
 
 MRS. RICHETOXS CONGRATULATIONS. 25 1 
 
 Yes, he was avenged, but do not think 
 he in the least gloried in it. He was 
 puzzling only how to escape from so pain- 
 ful a situation. Yet, in that inscrutable 
 way in which trifles mechanically arrest 
 our attention in the midst of the most 
 tumultuous scenes of our lives, he wondered 
 whether she also was impressed with that 
 queer hexagonal pattern of the carpet as he 
 had been. 
 
 Suddenly she paused abruptly before 
 Harold. 
 
 " You love Grace Layton very dearly ? " 
 
 He bowed his head in assent. 
 
 " And you think she loves you as I could 
 — nay, do — love you ? " she demanded 
 passionately. 
 
 " For God's sake, Theodora, be reason- 
 able ! " he cried, rising quickly from his 
 chair. " It is too late to speak of that now. 
 My troth is plighted to Grace, and she 
 shall be my wife if I can compass it." 
 
 ''Too late ! yes, you are right. Kis3
 
 252 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 me, Harold, for once, you never did yet. 
 Kiss me, in token of forgiveness." 
 
 He bent his lips towards her cheek, but 
 her mouth met his In a fierce, passionate 
 caress, that might well have made any 
 man's head reel. Then, quickly extricating 
 herself from the half embrace in which he 
 had held her, she leant her arm upon the 
 mantelpiece and drew herself up right 
 royally. 
 
 Never had she looked handsomer In her 
 life than as she stood there regarding him 
 — her superb figure shown off to perfection 
 by the close fitting dark silk robe she wore 
 — her whole face still lit up with the pas- 
 sion that she struggled hard to repress. 
 She had meant to have played this game 
 of hers scientifically, but feelings are apt to 
 put calculation out of court, and Theodora 
 Richeton's love was no milk-and-water 
 passion, but — 
 
 " Like the lava flood 
 That boils in Etna's breast of flame ! "
 
 MRS. RICHETOX'S COXGRATULATIOXS. 253 
 
 She knew what she had done. It was the 
 supreme moment of the battle between 
 them — the last charge of the Old Guard. 
 She had risked all to see whether she yet 
 retained some hold over this quondam lover 
 of hers. Would he ever speak ? 
 
 If Harold Luxmoore hesitated a little, it 
 was not that he wavered for an instant ; 
 but he knew that embrace had been a folly 
 on his part ; and yet how was he to have 
 escaped yielding to it ? 
 
 " Our meeting has been a mistake, 
 Theodora," he said at length. " Forgive 
 me ; but whatever slight favour you might 
 have once regarded me with, I deemed a 
 thing of the past, or I should not have been 
 here." 
 
 The low steady tones of his voice told 
 her the battle was lost — that this new love, 
 if it had not superseded, had, at all events, 
 given him strength to master, the old. 
 Woman is loth to believe that the love 
 that once was hers is utterly dead ; apt
 
 2 54 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 to fancy that, opportunity being given, it 
 is easy to rekindle it, and that there is 
 much truth in — 
 
 " The new wine, the new wine, it tasteth like the old ; 
 The heart is all athirst again, the drops are all of gold ; 
 We thought the cup was broken, we thought the tale 
 
 was told; 
 But the new wine, the new wine, it tasteth like the 
 
 old." 
 
 Theodora Richeton recognized her defeat 
 with a sickening heart ; but one defeat does 
 not always decide the campaign, and, master- 
 ing her emotion with a strong effort, she 
 replied, '"I have been very foolish ; it is 
 all over now. You must forget what I 
 have said ; sit down, and tell me when you 
 are to be married," and Theodora resumed 
 her seat. ,^ 
 
 He followed her example, but with some 
 uneasiness visible in his manner, which 
 did not escape the quick eyes of his 
 companion. 
 
 " Don't be alarmed," she said with a faint 
 smile, '' the storm is over, and the past is
 
 MRS. RICHETONS CONGRATULATIONS. 255 
 
 buried. We are going to chat about the 
 future. In the first place, when are you to 
 be married ? " 
 
 *'Well, I don't know. That's not pre- 
 cisely settled as yet." 
 
 '' I suppose Gracie cannot quite make up 
 her mind to surrender her liberty. Well, 
 it will be your business to persuade her to 
 don the matrimonial fetters." 
 
 '' No, it isn't quite that ; but the fact is, 
 there's a difference between myself and 
 Layton. He is very anxious that I shall 
 retire from the turf, and I am not disposed 
 to comply with his request." 
 
 "He surely doesn't make that a condition 
 of your marriage?" inquired Theodora, with 
 an eagerness, that in spite of all her efforts, 
 she but imperfectly concealed. 
 
 For a moment it flashed across Harold 
 that he was, perhaps, making somewhat 
 imprudent confidences ; but, pshaw ! he 
 thought, what can it matter ? The whole 
 story will be public property in a few days,
 
 256 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 if it is not so already. " Yes, that," he said, 
 " is how things stand at present.'' 
 
 " Mr. Layton is hardly reasonable. I 
 know something of such matters, and am 
 aware that it is not so easy to retire 
 suddenly." 
 
 " At all events," retorted Harold, with a 
 somewhat bitter laugh, ''it is impossible for 
 me to give it up at present." 
 
 She did not in the least understand his 
 allusion ; she merely supposed that he was 
 too deeply engaged in it to be able to with- 
 draw at short notice. 
 
 " Never mind ; Gracie must wait a little. 
 Things will all come right before long, no 
 doubt." 
 
 " It is very good of you to bid me hope,'* 
 he replied, as he rose to go, and, strange 
 inconsistency of humanity, he felt almost 
 aggrieved that she should say so with so 
 much apparent nonchalance. " I must say 
 good-bye now." 
 
 " Good-bye," she said. '' Remember,
 
 MRS. RICHETOXS CONGRATULATIONS. 257 
 
 Harold, we are to be friends In future ; 
 is it not so ? " 
 
 " Certainly ; you do me much honour in 
 making the request." 
 
 " And you must forget the wild words 
 I spoke a little while ago. Tm not to be 
 shunned any longer, recollect. Farewell." 
 
 He pressed her hand slightly as pledge 
 of their future amity, and disappeared. 
 
 VOL. I.
 
 2=; 8 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE PACT. 
 
 Theodora Ricpieton sat lost in medita- 
 tion for some time after Harold Luxmoore 
 left her. She wavered in her purpose not 
 one whit. She had made her first great 
 attack upon his constancy, and failed, but 
 she by no means regarded that as con- 
 clusive. She was thoroughly in earnest, 
 and when a woman so unfettered in her 
 liberty as Mrs. Richeton is that, it is hard 
 to gauge what is beyond her power to 
 bring about. Clinging still fondly to the 
 idea that her love had, as yet, by no means 
 become indifferent to him, she resolutely 
 determined to oust her rival from her 
 place of vantage. He was engaged to
 
 THE PACT. 259 
 
 Grace Lay ton, what matter I Mr. Layton 
 at present refused his consent — that repre- 
 sented time. "A delayed marriage often 
 ends in nothing," thought Mrs. Richeton. 
 " Two points in my favour — this delay 
 and the fact that I am to retain Harold s 
 friendship. Now, in the first place, it 
 is essential, I think, that I should know 
 how deep Harold is in racing. He has 
 not many horses running at present, 
 apparently, and, with the exception of old 
 * Shooting Star,' doesn't seem to have a 
 good horse to his name in the Calendar. 
 Not difficult information to acquire," thinks 
 Mrs. Richeton. She has plenty of racing 
 acquaintance who could put her an fait 
 with all this in a very few minutes. She 
 balances for a little as to whether she 
 should refer to Jim Laceby or Berkley 
 Holt in this matter — either could, no 
 doubt, tell her all she wishes to know. 
 Both men know the Laytons also, but 
 the Honble. Jim, it strikes her, is a little
 
 26o BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 too intimate with the Laxton people, and 
 too decided a friend of Harold's, not to 
 be somewhat guarded about his replies 
 to such questioning as she would fain 
 put him through. No ; better she thinks 
 to consult Berkley Holt. He, at all 
 events, is no intimate of Harold's, nor, 
 though she first met him at Laxton, does 
 she believe him to be more than an 
 ordinary acquaintance of the Laytons ; 
 moreover, she has heard quite enough of 
 Berkley to know that he is not over 
 scrupulous, and that she thinks might also 
 be useful. When her schemes take definite 
 shape, it is possible that she may need 
 assistance to carry them out. 
 
 Mr. Holt is shortly thrown into beatific 
 visions of owning a charming house in 
 Park-lane, carriages, horses, a balance at 
 his bankers, and one of the handsomest 
 women in London as his wife. He lounges 
 back in his chair, and, with all the remark- 
 able sanguineness of his temperament,
 
 THE PACT. 261 
 
 arranges his first dinner party ; then he 
 recollects two or three promising young 
 ones he should like to buy : there's a colt 
 by Surplice out of Poverty, called The 
 Felon, that he thinks, could he but lay 
 his hand on it, would prove a troublesome 
 customer for this puffed-up Corlolanus of 
 his cousin's, when they come to meet ; and 
 what fun it would be to run Harold Lux- 
 moore once a year for the Grange estates ! 
 Several other schemes for the diffusion 
 of Mrs. Richeton's income pass rapidly 
 through his brain, for he is carried away 
 with the idea that the little note requesting 
 him, If disengaged, to call on her to-morrow 
 at three, must be due entirely to his own 
 good looks and agreeable manners. Do 
 not think a clever man cannot fall into such 
 mistakes. How the mighty of their time 
 have danced to a girl's pipe, has been the 
 jest of history from the days of Samson 
 and Hercules to those of Nelson, and still 
 more modern heroes.
 
 262 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 At the appointed hour, Berkley Holt is 
 shown into Mrs. Richeton's bright drawing- 
 room, and that lady cordially welcomes 
 him, and begs him to be seated. 
 
 " You were, no doubt, astonished at such 
 a request from me, Mr. Holt," says 
 Theodora, smiling. 
 
 *' Astonished — well, perhaps — a little," 
 replied Berkley, vaguely insinuating that 
 he was too general a conqueror to be much 
 surprised at surrender without summons 
 from any citadel. '' Still, Mrs. Richeton, 
 it is astonishment of that kind one can 
 submit to with much pleasure." 
 
 She smiled slightly in acknowledgment 
 of his compliment, and then continued, " I 
 have sent for you, Mr. Holt, to ask for 
 some information, which I have no doubt 
 it is in your power to afford me." 
 
 " I am entirely at your disposal, to the 
 full extent of my knowledge," rejoined 
 Holt. 
 
 " I wish to know whether Mr. Luxmoore
 
 THE PACT. 263 
 
 IS very heavily engaged on the turf; 
 whether his HabiHties are large there ; 
 whether he bets heavily ; in fact, as much 
 of Mr. Luxmoore's turf history as you 
 may be able to disclose." 
 
 " Sold — stock, lock, and barrel," mur- 
 mured Berkley, beneath his breath. " My 
 precious cousin evidently still first favourite, 
 and the widow thinks she's had as much 
 racing as will serve her time. That's the 
 position, I take it." 
 
 " Why ? " he asked, laconically. 
 
 " Because it is my whim, sir," replied 
 Theodora, haughtily. 
 
 ** Mrs. Richeton must excuse my answer- 
 ing under these circumstances. There are 
 plenty of people, no doubt, who can give 
 her the information she requires, but it 
 would come ill from a cousin of Lux- 
 moore's to furnish intellio^ence to his 
 detriment." 
 
 Theodora's lip curled at this specious 
 reply. She knew right well that there was
 
 264 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 no sort of Intimacy between the cousins ; 
 that they rarely met and then their Inter- 
 change of courtesies was of the scantiest. 
 But Theodora RIcheton was more than a 
 match for Berkley Holt. Nothing could 
 have exceeded the haughtiness of her 
 reply : — 
 
 " I had no Idea you and Harold Lux- 
 moore were such friends. However, 
 perhaps, after all, his friends are the most 
 likely people to get such knowledge from. 
 I will ask Mr. Laceby the question ; mean- 
 while, I can only apologise for the trouble 
 and Inconvenience I'm afraid I must have 
 occasioned you;" and the widow slightly 
 bent her head as a sign to Mr. Holt that 
 he was dismissed. 
 
 But Berkley had no Idea of things 
 terminating in this fashion. He felt as the 
 opposing counsel in a promising law suit 
 might do when an undignified compromise 
 is come to, and the fierce glory of litiga- 
 tion timorously laid aside. No ; something
 
 THE PACT. 265 
 
 must be got out of this Interview ; and 
 though the high hopes with which he had 
 entered the house were evidently without 
 foundation, yet It was quite hkely that 
 there w^as something behind this suddenly 
 manifested curiosity of Mrs. Richeton's. 
 
 " It must be as you will," replied Berkley, 
 without maklno- the faintest indication of 
 rising from his chair. " I should doubt 
 Laceby being so useful to you as I might 
 have been, had you honoured me with your 
 confidence. I asked ' why ? ' because If I 
 knew why you wanted to know this, I 
 could answer your question so much more 
 to the point. Of one ,thing you may rest 
 assured, that no man in England is better 
 informed of the extent or nature of Harold 
 Luxmoore's turf affairs than myself; and 
 that nobody is likely to be so in future, 
 for the best of all possible reasons, that 
 nobody can have half the pecuniary in- 
 terest concerning them that I have." 
 
 " Pecuniary interest concerning Harold
 
 266 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 Luxmoore's turf afifairs ? You —what can 
 you mean ? " exclaimed Mrs. RIcheton. 
 
 " Secret for secret, lady fair. Tell me 
 your motive for wishing to be acquainted 
 with them, and I will tell you mine." 
 
 " Let me think, Mr. Holt," replied 
 Theodora, authoritatively, as she threw her- 
 self back in her chair. "Yes," she thought, 
 " I must trust him to some extent; and there 
 can be little harm in trusting him with the 
 story of Harold's engagement." 
 
 " I will tell you," she said at length. 
 " Mr. Luxmoore is engaged to be married, 
 and his marriage, I hear, is conditional 
 upon his giving up racing. I wish to 
 learn what prospect there might be of his 
 doing so, should he want to, which I 
 understand he does not. In short, how 
 deeply he is committed to it ? 
 
 " Odd," he remarked ; " and you send to 
 me, of all men in the world, for informa- 
 tion. Now, I must ask you two questions 
 in my turn. First, are you aware upon
 
 THE PACT. 267 
 
 what conditions Harold Luxmoore suc- 
 ceeded to the Liddington Grange es- 
 tates ? " 
 
 " Not in the least, beyond that I have 
 heard it rumoured that his uncle expressed 
 a wish he should continue racino^ until he 
 won the Derby. What is your second 
 question, Mr. Hoh?" 
 
 '' The name of the lady to whom he is 
 enoraored to be married." 
 
 o o 
 
 '' That I must decline to tell you, though 
 I dare say you will hear it before many 
 days." 
 
 '* I am not asking from idle curiosity. 
 It's simply somewhat to my interest that 
 he should not marry." 
 
 " What can it matter to you ? " rejoined 
 Mrs. Richeton sharply. 
 
 " Will you allow me to put my question 
 in a somewhat different form, and promise 
 not to be offended if it becomes somewhat 
 personal ? " 
 
 Theodora's face flushed, and she replied
 
 268 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 bitterly, ''If you mean — am I the lady ? 
 no, sir ; I have not that happiness." 
 
 "And am I to understand," continued 
 Berkley, eyeing her keenly, " that you wish 
 to prevent this marriage ? " 
 
 " I said nothing of the kind," replied 
 Mrs. Richeton, with perfect recovery of 
 her nonchalance. 
 
 '' Certainly not. I merely meant if you 
 did feel that it would be a mistake on 
 Luxmoore's part, and had best be put an 
 end to, our interests would be identical. 
 Now, Mrs. Richeton, I am willing to give 
 you all the information you require." 
 
 " Go on, please ; you are already aware 
 of what it is I would know." 
 
 " Very good. Then, in the first place, 
 I had better briefly make you acquainted 
 with what Oliver Luxmoore's will really 
 was ; " and then Berkley Holt told to 
 Mrs. Richeton that story his cousin had, 
 some fortnight before, narrated to Mr. 
 Layton at LIddington.
 
 THE PACT. 269 
 
 She had Hstened to him most attentively, 
 and, when he finished, remained for some 
 few seconds silent, as if pondering over 
 what she had heard. 
 
 " Then, in fact, ]\Ir. Luxmoore cannot 
 retire from the turf without giving up 
 Liddington. The contingency of his win- 
 ing the Derby is both distant and dubious, 
 as you and I well know." 
 
 " Exactly. Do you suppose the friends 
 of the lady he is engaged to are aware of 
 his position in this respect ? " 
 
 " I can't say, but should suppose so," 
 replied Theodora. '' If Mr. Luxmoore is 
 at all in earnest about the matter he would 
 naturally tell the story of his inheritance in 
 answer to the stipulation they would fain 
 force upon him." ~^ 
 
 " Have you any reason to suppose that 
 his love is strong enough to outbalance his 
 interests ? It does now and then with very 
 young men." 
 
 " I can offer no conjecture on such a 
 subject," replied Theodora, haughtily.
 
 270 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 A more unpalatable question, perhaps, 
 Berkley could hardly have put to her, but 
 in his anxiety to ascertain what his own 
 chances might be in this combination, he 
 was somewhat oblivious of the concerns of 
 his companion, although he had already 
 fathomed the cause of her curiosity about 
 Harold's turf doings. 
 
 " Yes, I could hardly expect such a turn 
 as that," continued Holt, musingly. " Lux- 
 moore mayn't be clever, but he would 
 hardly make such an out and out fool of 
 himself as that." 
 
 " Your cousin is no fool, sir, as you may 
 find to your cost some day; and I can 
 conceive it very possible that his love for 
 a woman might carry him to lengths not to 
 be comprehended by men of your calibre." 
 
 She spoke angrily, though she controlled 
 her voice well. She could not bear to hear 
 her idol traduced by such as Berkley Holt. 
 She despised herself at this very moment ; 
 for Theodora Richeton dealt not in subtle-
 
 THE PACT. 271 
 
 ties, and knew what would be the outcome 
 of this conference now. 
 
 " Fool or no fool, I can't see how I am 
 ever to ascertain that fact to my cost, Mrs. 
 ■Richeton," replied Berkley, with an easy 
 sm.ile. 
 
 '' You can't ? " she rejoined, with a con- 
 temptuous glance. " A child, Mr. Holt, 
 who was acquainted with your energy and 
 determination," and it is impossible to 
 describe the irony with which she 
 accentuated these words, ''could predict 
 that you are likely to plot against your 
 cousin, if ever he should look like succeed- 
 ing in anything inimical to your interests. 
 You would do your best, no doubt," she 
 continued meaningly, " to beat him at 
 Epsom." 
 
 Berkley Holt indulged in a low laugh. 
 He was rather tickled at the delicate 
 language in which Theodora couched her 
 allusions. He, who didn't own a race- 
 horse ; there was but one way he could
 
 272 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 ''beat" Harold at Epsom, should he ever 
 look formidable for the great prize of 
 England. 
 
 " This marriage, too," continued Theo- 
 dora, " is against your interests." 
 
 "Not more so than any other," replied 
 Berkley, with brutal significance. 
 
 Mrs. Richeton's dark eyes positively 
 lightened, as, laying her hand upon the 
 bell, she said proudly, " Shall I ring, Mr. 
 Holt, for the servant to open the door, 
 or not ? " 
 
 *' Ten thousand pardons," rejoined Berk- 
 ley, who saw he had gone too far. " I 
 forgot ; of course we are speaking of this 
 particular marriage. I promise to confine 
 myself to the subject in hand in future." 
 
 Quite evident that whatever Mrs. Riche- 
 ton might have to propose it was to be 
 done right royally, and the conventionalities 
 rigidly observed. 
 
 Gently loosing her hand from the bell, 
 Theodora continued, as if utterly oblivious
 
 THE PACT. 273 
 
 of the momentary episode — '' We have 
 both an interest in preventing the marriage ; 
 yours — obvious ; mine, we will say — whim, 
 pique ; it does not matter what name you 
 choose to give it mentally, providing you 
 keep your lips closed concerning it. Mr. 
 Layton's unreasonable objection, of course, 
 delays it. I think it would be as well 
 that before Mr. Layton's objection can be 
 got over, it should be utterly broken off." 
 
 '' Certainly. What means do you propose 
 to use ? " 
 
 "Money and Mr. Holt's ingenuity," 
 replied Theodora calmly. 
 
 Berkley's face flushed as he rejoined, 
 "You do me too much honour." He was 
 not dead to all sense of shame ; and he 
 could not but contrast the punctilious 
 delicacy Theodora demanded for herself, 
 in contradistinction to the curt bluntness 
 which she used towards him. 
 
 But Mrs. Richeton saw in a moment 
 what was running through his mind, and 
 
 VOL. I. T
 
 274 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 also that he had too Hterally interpreted 
 her speech. She had no wish to rend the 
 thin disguise from her confederate, any 
 more than she could endure that the flimsy 
 veil should be torn aside in which she 
 strove to shroud her share in the transac- 
 tion. 
 
 " You misunderstand me, Mr. Holt, I 
 see. What I mean is, that I trust to your 
 exertions to prevent the marriage, but as 
 I am quite aware that delicate operations 
 of this kind require liberal expenditure of 
 money, I was going to undertake the 
 financial part of our little scheme. Excuse 
 me, but the world says you are not rich. 
 Pray allow me to contribute such sums as 
 you may find requisite." 
 
 Berkley Holt knew that he was being 
 bought to do this thing just as assuredly 
 as if it had been so frankly stated, but he 
 was in too urgent want of money to hesi- 
 tate. He knew the widow was rich, and 
 this would give him a pretext for drawing
 
 THE PACT. 275 
 
 pretty freely upon her resources, to say 
 nothing, perhaps, of giving him such a hold 
 over her as might make it impossible for 
 her to say him nay, should he ever think 
 fit to demand her hand. Herein Berkley 
 Holt showed himself somewhat green in 
 judgment; as he might have augured from 
 this very interview that Theodora Riche- 
 ton was a woman who would disclose all, 
 and face exposure with utter recklessness, 
 should such retribution overtake her. Such 
 women are by no means scarce; in fact, the 
 chronicles scandalous of the day are rife 
 of such histories. To do Berkley justice, 
 he thought of this latter as a somewhat 
 shadowy and far-off contingent that might 
 accrue to him in the course of events — no 
 more. 
 
 " Good. Our interests, Mrs. Richeton, 
 then, are in common for the present, and we 
 have determined that this marriaee shall 
 not be. As you rightly say, such finessing 
 requires money, and I am a poor man.
 
 276 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 You must find the sinews of war. I pre- 
 sume I may count upon the benefit of your 
 counsel at times ? " 
 
 " Count upon nothing from me, Mr. 
 Holt, but money, and that you shall have 
 freely. Fll have nothing to do with this 
 business further, and refuse to know any- 
 thing of it, except in the direst extremity, 
 and then I perniit you to call and tell me 
 how matters stand, reserving my right to 
 open my lips even then. In the mean 
 time I think it would be advisable that you 
 should not come here too often, though, of 
 course, I shall be occasionally glad to hear 
 how things are going ; and, as there must 
 be no cheques passing between us, it may 
 be necessary for you to come at times for 
 such money as you may need. Excuse 
 me one moment," she said, rising, and cross- 
 ing towards a davenport in the corner of 
 the room. 
 
 Mrs. Richeton quietly unlocked one of 
 the drawers with a gold key attached to
 
 THE PACT. 277 
 
 her watch, and taking a roll of notes from 
 within, held them out to Holt. " You will 
 find three hundred there. Give me a 
 satisfactor}^ account of your stew^ardship 
 this day three months, and you will find 
 two hundred more at your disposal." 
 
 " I will do my best," replied Berkley 
 with that exhilaration of spirits which the 
 acquirement of ready money invariably pro- 
 duces in adventurers like himself. " Give 
 me but money, and Harold Luxmoore 
 shall never marry, nor win the Derby, 
 till I'm in my coffin," he cried, exultingly. 
 " But one thing more, Mrs. Richeton, the 
 lady's name ; it is imperative, you know, 
 that I should have that." 
 
 '' Of course ; — Grace Layton," replied 
 Theodora, as she quietly resumed her seat. 
 
 " Grace La}1:on," observed Berkley. 
 " This facilitates matters greatly. I wasn't 
 aware that Luxmoore knew much of the 
 Laytons, though, now I come to think of 
 it, I recollect having seen him riding with
 
 278 BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 them occasionally in the park. What I 
 mean Is this : you see I have an entree Into 
 that house, which Is a pull, and the chances 
 were that Harold's fiancee was of a family 
 I had no acquaintance with." 
 
 Theodora winced. The jealous, pas- 
 sionate woman could hardly endure to hear 
 the tool she had purchased call Luxmoore 
 by his Christian name, connections though 
 the two were. 
 
 " I think, Mrs. RIcheton, there Is nothing 
 more to be settled between us at present. 
 I shall bear well in mind all you have said. 
 Grace Layton being the young lady, puts 
 trumps Into my hand that I never reckoned 
 on, and, though I don't quite see my way 
 just now, I think I can guarantee. If there 
 is to be no meeting between the lovers for 
 the next six months, that their engage- 
 ment shall be broken off. You could not 
 ascertain that for me, I suppose." 
 
 " I dare say I might, but I could not say 
 for certain," replied Theodora.
 
 THE PACT. 279 
 
 '' Quite unnecessary, quite unnecessary," 
 rejoined Holt, triumphantly. " Dick Lay- 
 ton is my intimate friend, destined to be 
 particularly intimate henceforth, and there 
 will be very little go on in the Layton 
 menage that I shall not be acquainted with 
 from this out." 
 
 '' I will give you one bit of advice 
 before we say good-bye, Mr. Holt," said 
 Theodora, indolently. " I wouldn't strive 
 to be too intimate with the family if I were 
 you. An acquaintance not unduly pressed, 
 remember, is very difficult to shake off. 
 You have established yourself, but they 
 may hear reports to your detriment if you 
 are not careful." 
 
 Berkley bit his lips angrily, but was too 
 much a man of the world not to see the 
 drift of Mrs. Richeton's speech. If he 
 thrust himself overmuch on the Laytons he 
 ran the risk of meeting Laceby and others 
 of Luxmoore's set, certain to treat him 
 with studied coolness, and the ladies of the
 
 28o BOUND TO WIN. 
 
 house would be quick to notice such cold 
 shouldering-, and were scarce likely to side 
 with him on the occasion. 
 
 He made no reply, but seizing his hat 
 bade Mrs. RIcheton adieu, with commend- 
 able brevity. 
 
 As he strode homewards, Berkley re- 
 flected, In philosophical spirit, that If he 
 had not found his dreams realized yet, 
 his visit had been eminently profitable, and 
 promised to be still more so. Impossible, 
 he thought, to say how much this little 
 conspiracy might be worth to him In the 
 long run ; and, with a firm determination to 
 work out this new mine of wealth to the 
 uttermost farthing, Berkley summoned a 
 hansom, an expense which he conceived 
 his prospects thoroughly warranted. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 PRINTED AT THE CAXTON PRESS, BECCLES.