A High Price to Pay Read Free Page A

been used as security. It belongs to a bank, doesn't it?'
    'Not as such.' Uncle Hugh looked more uncomfortable than ever.
    'Your father had trouble in raising the money he wanted. It was felt, I
    think, that his proposition wasn't a good risk—as indeed it proved.
    The eventual loan was a— private arrangement, although perfectly
    legal, of course,' he added hastily.
    Alison's nails scored the palms of her hands. She said unsteadily,
    'It's—Nicholas Bristow, isn't it?'
    Uncle Hugh nodded wretchedly, 'Yes.'

    She whispered, 'Oh, God. So that's why . ..'
    She couldn't say any more. She turned away, fighting her emotions,
    struggling to retain some rags of self-control as the full force of
    everything that had happened broke on her.
    Crazily, a line from Shakespeare kept echoing and re-echoing in her
    head: 'One woe doth tread upon another's heels, so fast they follow.'
    And the upshot was that Ophelia was drowned, and she was drowning
    too, in anger and outrage and bewilderment.
    At last she said brokenly, 'How could Daddy? How could
    he—mortgage our home to a stranger?'
    'Because he was a gambler,' her uncle returned sombrely. 'Oh, not
    with cards or horses—that might have been easier to deal with. But he
    liked to take risks in business—unnecessary risks, like investing in
    these new machines without any guarantees from the Chinese that
    they'd ever be needed. I don't think the possibility of losing his
    gamble ever occurred to him. And give him his due, if Mortimers had
    won that contract, it would have been just the boost the works needed.
    He'd have been able to pay off the loan too, and neither your mother
    nor you and Melanie would ever have been any the wiser.'
    'Only it didn't work out like that,' said Alison with a small mirthless
    smile. 'The problem now is—how do we break the news to Mother?
    How do we tell her she's not only penniless, but homeless too? And at
    the hands of a man she doesn't like. Or has Mr Bristow come to serve
    his notice to quit in person?'
    'On the contrary.' Uncle Hugh looked almost affronted. 'You're doing
    him an injustice, Ally. He is most concerned.'

    'How kind of him!' She pushed her hair back from her face with a
    shaking hand. 'But it doesn't change anything. He's not going to give
    us back our home," is he?'
    'You have to be realistic, my dear.' Her uncle looked horrified. 'No
    one could be expected simply to write off a debt of that magnitude.
    No, I'm afraid your poor father knew what he was risking when he
    entered into the arrangement— much against Alec Liddell's advice, I
    may say.'
    'Bravo, Mr Liddell,' Alison said wearily. 'He'll be here soon, I
    suppose.'
    'In about half an hour.' He nodded in affirmation. 'The others should
    be leaving by then. I thought we could all have a quiet chat—a family
    conclave, to decide what's best to be done.'
    'And do you now count Nicholas Bristow as part of the family?'
    There was an edge to her voice, and her uncle frowned rather
    reprovingly as he answered, 'No, of course not, child. But I'm sure it
    would be better for all concerned if matters were conducted on
    as—amicable a basis as possible. I know he's anxious to reassure your
    mother that he has no immediate plans to take possession.'
    She winced. 'Don't!'
    He shook his head. 'I'm sorry, Ally, but it's something you're going to
    have to come to terms with. Ladymead belongs to Nicholas Bristow
    now.'
    She said softly, fiercely, 'Over my dead body.'
    As she got to the study door, she heard Melanie's voice, and groaned
    inwardly. She turned the handle and went in. Melanie, flushed and

    bright-eyed, was draped decoratively across the arm of one of the big
    chairs, clearly in the middle of some anecdote which Nicholas
    Bristow was receiving with amused appreciation.
    Alison said clearly and precisely, 'Would you go up to your room,
    Melanie, please. I have something I wish to say to Mr Bristow.'
    For once Melanie didn't stop to argue. She tookone look at Alison's
    stormy