Dangerous Inheritance Read Free Page B

see. But what about the hols? Surely you let up a bit then?’
    He shrugged. ‘Winters we go down to our old home in the South. It’s a lovely place but miles from the nearest town, and I spend most of my time riding or fishing. Summers we spend at Cape Cod, and there’s plenty doing there. The sailing and bathing are super.’
    Fleur gave him a puzzled look. He was six foot two of splendid young manhood, broad-shouldered, slim-hipped, bronzed-skinned. His brown eyes held humour and intelligence; his very ugliness was of the kind that invariably attracts women. Suddenly she exclaimed:
    â€˜For heaven’s sake, Truss, don’t tell me you’re a queer!’
    His dark head went back and his big mouth opened wide in a great guffaw. ‘Heavens no! Whatever gave you that idea? Just my not going whoring in Madrid? No, I’m as normal as they come, thank God.’
    â€˜But you don’t seem the least interested in girls.’
    â€˜Oh, I wouldn’t say that. But I don’t get to know many except when we’re at the Cape. There, of course, I dance every night, and I’m good enough at it to get more or less my pick of partners. I’ve nothing against necking either, for that matter. But being the heir to a mint of money has its liabilities. If I went too far with any of them they’d surely try to fix me, and I’ve no mind to get myself tied up yet. When the pace gets too hot Igive them the polite brush-off. There’s always plenty more to choose from.’
    â€˜So that’s the form, and you really haven’t got anyone in the States that you care about?’
    â€˜No. Keep it light is my motto, then there are no entanglements and no regrets. Naturally there have been three or four I got pretty smitten with, and several times I darn’ near got seduced. But what with stacks of work and lots of vigorous play one can do without that sort of thing. And, after all, I’m only just on twenty-one, so I’ve lots of time ahead of me for leching.’
    â€˜Leching,’ Fleur repeated. ‘What a nice old-fashioned word. And, of course, I see your point of view. But it’s very unusual these days. I mean, well, from what you’ve said I suppose you are still a virgin?’
    â€˜I am,’ he nodded. ‘And I see no reason to be ashamed of it.’
    â€˜No. Oh no, of course not.’
    â€˜Fine. And now let’s hear about you.’
    She shook her head rather sadly. ‘I’m afraid you wouldn’t approve, Truss. I’m not. But what girl is at twenty-four? As a matter of fact I lost it when I was seventeen, during my season. The first time I hated it and for quite a time it wasn’t much fun, but I was madly in love with the chap so I let him go on; then I came to like it. But after a few months he was posted abroad. When he’d been gone for some time I began to crave for it. The tiger who’s tasted blood, sort of thing, you know. But buried in the country down at Cardinal’s Folly no-one I liked enough came along. That Christmas you spent with us, if you hadn’t been such an innocent you could have had me if you’d wanted, but we got no further than my teaching you how to kiss. Soon afterwards a friend of Daddy’s made a pass at me and I’m afraid I didn’t take much seducing; but it was a rather trying hole-in-the-corner affaire. We used to slip away from the hunt and have jollies in barns, which isn’t a very satisfactory way of doing that sort of thing. Then I went to London U., and shared a flat with three other girls in the Cromwell Road. They were all as hot as mustard and the place was little better than a brothel. Perhaps that’s an exaggeration and, of course, wedidn’t get money for it; but some of the parties we threw were pretty hectic, and we had to pay the old caretaker in the basement to keep her mouth shut.
    â€˜After a while I got sick of having to fight