The Main Chance Read Online Free
Matterhorn. He was so hypnotized by the spectacle he stood gazing at it until Crystal plucked at his arm.
`Maybe we ought to get back downstairs now. Any longer and that so-and-so Marshal will start wondering. Considering his way of life.'
`You're right.'
As they made their way back to the staircase and down it Crystal began talking in the same calm tone.
`Apparently, umpteen years ago a man called Pike owned the land that strange thing is on. Hence it came to be called Pike's Peak. The best hotel in Gladworth carries its name.'
`Gladworth?'
She sat down on a carpeted tread and Tweed sat beside her. He reached to her back, tucked her top into her jeans.
`Thanks,' she said. 'That wouldn't have looked good. Now, Gladworth. Motor down our drive. Get to the gates and you turn left . First place you come to is Gladworth, a very pretty village.'
`I think we'd better get back to the library,' Tweed said, standing up.
They were all there, still gathered round the antique table. In front of Marshal on the table was a bottle of whisky. He had a half-full glass in his hands and he drank the rest as they settled round the table. Paula smiled at Crystal, who smiled back. Tweed began to speak.
"The view was extraordinary. Magnificent and startling – this grim mountain-like rock appearing above the trees.'
`I was telling Mr Tweed its history. How a man called Pike—'
`She's always gabbling on about something.' The insult came from a tall heavily built youth who had just entered. In his early twenties, he had thick fair hair and a longish face with a sneering mouth. He was sloppily dressed in a white pullover half inside and half outside his baggy jeans. His manner had bully written all over it. Tweed glanced at Lavinia, was for the first time aware of the deep blue of her large eyes, as blue as the Mediterranean sea in summer. She raised her thick eyebrows.
`Go get me a chair, Crystal,' the youth ordered. Crystal stood up, hands on her hips, glaring at him grimly.
`Everybody,' she said, her voice harsh, 'meet my beloved brother, Leo. Only seven years younger than me and hardly out of his nappies. Get your own chair!' she rasped, walking towards him. He raised a large hand to hit her.
A pair of hands descended on his shoulders from behind. A middle-aged man, shorter than Marshal but more heavily built, he had fair hair, a strong face and an air of self-control. At the first moment he saw him Tweed liked what he saw. Turning Leo round to face him, the man spoke quietly but with an air of authority. `You will now go upstairs. Change into some decent clothes. I'll have a word with you later.'
Leo obediently walked towards the door. When he thought his father wasn't looking he turned, put his tongue out at Crystal.
`Before you go, Leo, apologize to your sister,' the heavily built man said as he walked towards the table.
`Sorry, Crystal. I must be in a bad mood today.'
He left the room as his father was shown to her chair by his daughter. She wheeled another chair close to him. Seated, her father smiled at Tweed.
`An honour to meet you. I am Warner Chance, a managing director.'
Tweed immediately spotted the difference between the two men. Marshal had said the , whereas Warner contented himself with a . It confirmed to him their clashing characters. Warner wore a neat leather jacket, a cravat at his throat and smart blue trousers. Marshal offered his guest a drink of Scotch, which Tweed refused, then refilled his own glass.
`Here's to Mr Tweed taking up residence with us.'
`That would be wonderful,' Crystal said, leaning on her father's shoulder. 'Then we'd have someone to protect us.'
Tweed said nothing and at that moment Snape appeared, erect as a soldier. He paused.
`If I'm not interrupting...'
`Oh, get on with it, man,' Marshal barked.
`Mr Tweed,' Snape said politely, 'and Miss Grey, Mrs Bella sends her apologies and is ready to receive you at your convenience.'
3
Tweed, with Paula on one side and Lavinia on
`Maybe we ought to get back downstairs now. Any longer and that so-and-so Marshal will start wondering. Considering his way of life.'
`You're right.'
As they made their way back to the staircase and down it Crystal began talking in the same calm tone.
`Apparently, umpteen years ago a man called Pike owned the land that strange thing is on. Hence it came to be called Pike's Peak. The best hotel in Gladworth carries its name.'
`Gladworth?'
She sat down on a carpeted tread and Tweed sat beside her. He reached to her back, tucked her top into her jeans.
`Thanks,' she said. 'That wouldn't have looked good. Now, Gladworth. Motor down our drive. Get to the gates and you turn left . First place you come to is Gladworth, a very pretty village.'
`I think we'd better get back to the library,' Tweed said, standing up.
They were all there, still gathered round the antique table. In front of Marshal on the table was a bottle of whisky. He had a half-full glass in his hands and he drank the rest as they settled round the table. Paula smiled at Crystal, who smiled back. Tweed began to speak.
"The view was extraordinary. Magnificent and startling – this grim mountain-like rock appearing above the trees.'
`I was telling Mr Tweed its history. How a man called Pike—'
`She's always gabbling on about something.' The insult came from a tall heavily built youth who had just entered. In his early twenties, he had thick fair hair and a longish face with a sneering mouth. He was sloppily dressed in a white pullover half inside and half outside his baggy jeans. His manner had bully written all over it. Tweed glanced at Lavinia, was for the first time aware of the deep blue of her large eyes, as blue as the Mediterranean sea in summer. She raised her thick eyebrows.
`Go get me a chair, Crystal,' the youth ordered. Crystal stood up, hands on her hips, glaring at him grimly.
`Everybody,' she said, her voice harsh, 'meet my beloved brother, Leo. Only seven years younger than me and hardly out of his nappies. Get your own chair!' she rasped, walking towards him. He raised a large hand to hit her.
A pair of hands descended on his shoulders from behind. A middle-aged man, shorter than Marshal but more heavily built, he had fair hair, a strong face and an air of self-control. At the first moment he saw him Tweed liked what he saw. Turning Leo round to face him, the man spoke quietly but with an air of authority. `You will now go upstairs. Change into some decent clothes. I'll have a word with you later.'
Leo obediently walked towards the door. When he thought his father wasn't looking he turned, put his tongue out at Crystal.
`Before you go, Leo, apologize to your sister,' the heavily built man said as he walked towards the table.
`Sorry, Crystal. I must be in a bad mood today.'
He left the room as his father was shown to her chair by his daughter. She wheeled another chair close to him. Seated, her father smiled at Tweed.
`An honour to meet you. I am Warner Chance, a managing director.'
Tweed immediately spotted the difference between the two men. Marshal had said the , whereas Warner contented himself with a . It confirmed to him their clashing characters. Warner wore a neat leather jacket, a cravat at his throat and smart blue trousers. Marshal offered his guest a drink of Scotch, which Tweed refused, then refilled his own glass.
`Here's to Mr Tweed taking up residence with us.'
`That would be wonderful,' Crystal said, leaning on her father's shoulder. 'Then we'd have someone to protect us.'
Tweed said nothing and at that moment Snape appeared, erect as a soldier. He paused.
`If I'm not interrupting...'
`Oh, get on with it, man,' Marshal barked.
`Mr Tweed,' Snape said politely, 'and Miss Grey, Mrs Bella sends her apologies and is ready to receive you at your convenience.'
3
Tweed, with Paula on one side and Lavinia on
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