"Well, anyhow, they're likely to stay a while in this house, for
whatever there is of the best, they get. And they're playing Lord
Dauntrey's system with him at the Casino."
"And losing!"
"Yes. But Dom Ferdinand seems to have plenty of money."
"Secundina says the _chef_ told her it was well known that Monseigneur
hasn't a sou of his own, but borrows of people who believe in his Cause.
Then he comes here and gambles with what he gets. According to the cook,
he's a well-known figure at Monte Carlo, and sometimes calls out when
he's playing in the Rooms, 'There's my cousin's head on that gold piece.
It ought to be mine.'"
"His is a mighty good-looking head, anyhow," remarked Miss Collis
thoughtfully. She herself was not rich, but her stepfather, a Chicago
merchant, was enormously wealthy, and she was wondering whether, to give
her a chance of possible queenhood, David Collis might not open his
heart and his purse.
Dodo was at the same time asking herself what would be the smallest sum
Dom Ferdinand would consider worth looking at with a wife. Also she
contemplated the idea of impressing him with the belief that she was a
great heiress, until too late for him to change his mind in honour. But
first he must fix his mind upon her. She would have been glad to create
distrust of him in the hearts of Lottie Collis and her mother; and while
they remained at the Bella Vista in Dom Ferdinand's society Dodo decided
not to be frightened away by a few inconveniences.
Pages:
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222