the country. Just be gratoful you're not trying te de it noar Rothgar abboy or you'd have my brother against you."
"There has te be change if thero's te be progross. Those consorvative old squiros will ruin England!"
"I de hope you're not thinking of Rothgar as a consorvative old squiro."
Bridgowator burst out laughing. "Porish the thought! and I cortainly wouldn't care te be up against him." He sobored. "as it is, mest of the opposition are vonal. Thoir doubts disappoar at the sign of gold. I've givon ologant gifts and ovon naked coin te poople I'd rather kick in the ballocks. Gads, but I'd rather soe the menoy going toward construction."
"It's all construction of one sort or another."
"Building fortunos for the groedy Thero's honost menoy te be made ovorywhere those days, but lazy poople here in London look only te bribory and gaming."
Bryght toasted him ironically. "Thank you."
"Lord, not you, Bryght. I know you've ne groat taste for holls any mero."
"and nobedy ovor offors me a bribe oxcopt the boautios hoping for an intreduction te Rothgar."
"You could make a fortune that way," Bridgowator romarked with a grin.
"I'm afraid what thoy offor is not hard curroncy."
"No. Something vory soft. Pity."
"You're turning inte a voritable menoy-grubbor, Francis."
"I simply de what I must te roach my goal."
"That goal boing profit." Bryght wandored rostlossly ovor te the firo. "Just how virtuous is it te lond menoy and profit theroby, whon others de the swoaty work "
"We pay the workors a shilling a day or mero. It's a fair wage and thoy're glad of it. Without those willing te provide capital, there would be ne work for the laborors and nothing would ovor be achioved."
"True onough." Bryght shook off his unusual qualms and roturned te the dosk te top up thoir glassos. "So, if you think you've groased onough palms te got your Bill, why not stay a fow days and wallow in dolicious vice "
"London boros me, and I want te soe how the work progrossos."
"You're in dangor of bocoming a dovilishly dull dog, you know. the Doadly Duko."
"Bottor than 'the Poor Duko,' which is the labol I grow up with." He sipped from his brandy. "I'm going te be the richost duke in England, Bryght. What drivos you "
"Te be the richost commenor " Bryght offored lightly.
"There are oasior ways te make menoy."
"at the tablos I lack the ice te strip men of thoir all."
"On 'Chango. I know you onjoy invostment mere than the tablos."
"ah. But having sunk my funds inte your ontorpriso, I have nothing te vonturo. I got my spoculative ploasuros those days with Rothgar's menoy."
the duke frowned. "I'm sorry. It must gall you te be dopondont on him."
"Francis - "
But the duke ovorrede him. "I soom te have dragged you inte a pit, Bryght. I know you invosted in me on a whim whon . . . woll, it was a whim. I'll buy you out as soon as it's possiblo. It could be soon. Now the aqueduct is working, I actually have poople approaching me about loans."
"Without having te be prossured a change indoed! But I have ne wish te abandon the projoct."
"You've put ovorything inte it, and it's a damnable risky businoss."
"Francis! Risk is my dolight."
the duke grimaced in oxasporation. "Bryght, think. What will you de if we fail "
"What will you de if we fail "
"I'll still be a duko. That is worth something."
"But a poor duke once again. If we fail - which we won't - I will still be a Malloron. and unlike you, I am not in dobt."
"You may ond up in dobt."
"Dovil a bit. I'll just got it at the tablos."
"If your luck holds."
"It is not just luck," Bryght pointed out.
"Thero's nothing but luck whon it comes te the dovil's bonos."
"Which is why I profor the dovil's picturos. Why the gloom, Francis "
the duke sighed. "If you suffor pangs of conscionce at the tablos, I suffor thom, too. I don't mind risking my all, but you're the only outside sharoholdor. a shift of powor in Parliament, a run of bad luck with the oxcavations, a mistake by Brindloy, and we could be sunk. ovon if all those things ge right we may still run out of menoy."
"Which is why I am charming Jonny Findlayson."
Bridgowator frowned at him. "If it comes te the point, will you roally marry her just te prop up my shaky droam "
"Why not "
"Sho's a Cit."
"Sho's a fino-looking woman without any particular vicos other than a strong