Pray For Love Read online

  “It is this or closing down at Newmarket!”

  “We cannot do that!” exclaimed Galina. “Our Papa would turn in his grave.”

  “I know and that is why I have to save them for my son, if I ever have one.”

  Galina did not speak and he carried on,

  “It’s quite obvious I cannot afford to get married at the moment, nor do I intend to do so. If I did have a wife, I would ask her to help me, but I don’t think she would be as clever about it as you would be.”

  Galina made a helpless gesture with her hands.

  She knew when her brother talked to her like this that she could refuse him nothing.

  “Very well,” she conceded. “I agree, but when will you be going to America?”

  “Tomorrow or the next day.”

  “You must be joking, Georgie.”

  “What have I to wait for? I have told Farlow he can move into Ranmore House immediately. In fact I think he intends to do so today. I want you to return to London and make yourself pleasant. Also, as the hostess, you can make certain the letters and telegrams that arrive go to the right guests staying in the house!”

  Galina rose from the table.

  “I think you are asking too much of me, Georgie, and I am afraid, desperately afraid, that something will go wrong.”

  “It’s an even chance one way or the other. If it all goes wrong you know what we have to do, but if all it goes right, we shall be happy and comfortable for a long time.”

  As she had nothing further to say, Galina made a helpless gesture and walked out of the dining room.

  She walked down the passage into the study where they usually sat when they were alone.

  Georgie was just behind her and when they entered the room, he closed the door.

  “I don’t want you to be upset, dearest sister, but we have to face facts that we have overspent and whilst you have been a huge success in London, it costs money.”

  “I know, I know, Georgie, perhaps I should not to have gone to London?”

  “That would have been incredibly stupid, and would certainly have upset Mama and Papa if they had been alive. I just want you to help me to find a few oil wells. Heaven knows there are thousands of them being discovered in all parts of the world!”

  He paused to look at Galina.

  “I could of course go to Romania, Burma, Sumatra or Persia, but that will take time and I know no one in those countries. If I go to Pennsylvania to start with, I am certain I shall find quite a number of friends or enemies of Farlow, who will be only too pleased to meet me.”

  He walked towards the window before he added,

  “Quite frankly I believe they will help me. No man becomes as rich as Farlow without having those who envy him and who actually hate him for being so successful. If I am tactful I shall enlist their help.”

  Galina knew this to be true.

  She always found that her brother had a beguiling way of making people do what he wanted.

  He would never shout at anyone and was seldom disagreeable – actually he charmed them.

  She had seen both men and women who would do nothing for anyone else become weak in his hands when he asked for their assistance.

  She gave a deep sigh.

  “Well, if you must, do go, Georgie, and I admit we must do everything in our power to save the horses, then I will help you.”

  “I thought that you would. You have always been a sport and that is more than I can say of most women.”

  “Now let’s go over it very carefully, because I must not make a mistake. Have you any idea exactly what Mr. Farlow has in the telegrams he receives from those he calls the wildcatters?”

  “He explained it all to me last night. He uses a very simple code that does not in any way refer to oil. It varies, I gather, from a telegram reading,

  “Have found the shawl you wanted for mother in a small village in Pennsylvania.”

  To something like,

  “Have found comfortable lodgings in the outskirts of Ohio.”

  “Oh, I see. The wildcatters are moving about.”

  “There are a good number of them, I gather, and when they receive Farlow’s permission they drill in a place wherever they are. So he telegraphs them saying,

  “Thank you, do buy the shawl.”

  “But how will you find out exactly where they are?” Galina asked. “There must be a great number of wildcatters in every place where they have already found oil?”

  “That is a good question, but as we have already said, Americans talk. Those who work for Farlow, having been very successful already, will undoubtedly be known to their unsuccessful neighbours. I would be very surprised if they did not boast of their own cleverness.”

  Galina thought that he had a point and after a little silence, she could only say,

  “If I am not to fail you or make a mistake, please find out everything you can before you leave.”

  Then, as she suddenly thought of it, she added,

  “Don’t be away too long.”

  “I shall be content at the moment with just one oil well, but, of course, it depends how much it brings me. It does not take as long as it used to, now there are the new steamers sailing backwards and forwards to America.”

  Galina knew he was right, but she felt nervous of being in London without her brother when the house would be filled with Mr. Farlow and his guests.

  In a rather small voice she insisted,

  “If you must go, Georgie, please, please come back as quickly as possible. I shall be so worried until you do.”

  “I promise you,” her brother answered, “I will not wait one moment after I realise I am a millionaire!”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Thanks to Galina’s pleading they stayed at home the next day.

  They rode the horses and looked at the acres of land that joined theirs that they wished to buy.

  As she rode back home, Galina began to feel assured that she was doing the right thing in helping her brother find an oil well.

  “You must give me time to meet Mr. Farlow,” she suggested. “Because the idea scares me, as you know.”

  “You will manage it, Galina, if you can conquer the Social world of London, you can certainly conquer just one American!”

  “I can only hope your prediction comes true, but it’s not going to be easy.”

  They drove off again for London with a new team, but they did not beat the record this time as there seemed to be more traffic.

  When her brother drew up with a flourish outside Ranmore House in Park Lane, Galina clapped her hands.

  “That was a wonderful drive,” she enthused, “and I congratulate you. If we finally lose all our money, you can always get a job as a coachman!”

  Leaving the horses with a groom, they walked into the house.

  The butler bowed to them and the Earl asked him,

  “Is Mr. Farlow here?”

  “He’s in the study, my Lord.”

  The Earl gave his sister a quick glance.

  She guessed he was thinking that Mr. Farlow might be either reading important letters or perhaps making out the telegrams he wanted to send.

  The butler opened the study door and they entered.

  Galina was not quite certain what she expected Mr. Farlow to look like.

  But from a first glance, there was no doubt that he was an American businessman from the top of his head to the soles of his feet.

  As he rose from an armchair to meet them, she saw he was not very tall and rather sparingly built.

  He was the type of man who would walk quickly as his brain was working quickly.

  “I was just wondering when you’d get back,” Mr. Farlow addressed the Earl.

  “I promised you that I would not be long and I have brought my sister, who is going to look after you with me. So you will be even more comfortable than you are at the moment.”

  “That would be quite impossible,” Mr. Farlow said genially.

  He shook hands w
ith Galina saying,

  “It’s a real pleasure to meet you, Lady Ranmore.”

  Galina looked at her brother, who remarked,

  “I must explain to you, Craig, that my sister is Lady Galina More. She is not allowed to use the whole of our name.”

  The American laughed.

  “You’ll have to teach me all the pros and cons now I’m in England. As we don’t have any titles in America, I’m very ignorant of them I can assure you.”

  “Well, as you are so good in the business world, we just cannot expect you to know all the ridiculous rules that exist in the Social one. But I assure you my sister will put you and your daughter right, so that you will not make any mistakes.”

  “Is that a promise?” enquired Mr. Farlow.

  “Of course it is,” Galina assured him. “And don’t worry about the English titles. They are very complicated and everyone coming from foreign parts makes mistakes at first. The only thing I can say is that we are not as bad as the Russians!”

  Mr. Farlow threw up his hands.

  “There I can agree with you,” he chuckled, “but I hear there’s oil in the Caucasus, so perhaps I’ll be going over there sooner or later.”

  Galina smiled at him.

  “My brother, Georgie, has been telling me just how successful you are in America. It’s very interesting to us as we have no oil in England so far and I understand you only found yours a few years ago.”

  “That’s very true and now there’s too many people drilling for oil and I’m only glad that I got in more or less at the beginning.”

  “I think that was very astute of you,” Galina said flatteringly.

  Mr. Farlow was still telling her how clever he had been when the door opened and his daughter came in.

  He jumped up.

  “Oh, here you are,” he called out, “and now you can meet our hostess, Lady Galina, who is the Earl’s sister.”

  He took his daughter by her right hand and drew her towards Galina who had also risen.

  Ellie-May Farlow was not particularly exciting at first glance and she was dressed in a rather ugly manner.

  Her hair was dark like her father’s, but it was not arranged in what in London was considered the most up-to-date style.

  She had blue eyes and a not especially clear skin.

  Whenever she smiled, however, she took on quite a fascinating expression that more or less altered her face.

  Galina shook her by the hand saying,

  “I am delighted you are staying here and I hope you will enjoy London.”

  “Papa is very anxious for me to do so,” she replied.

  Her accent was not so pronounced as her father’s.

  As she smiled, Galina felt she could be very much more attractive than she appeared.

  While they were talking, the butler announced that tea was ready in the drawing room and they went upstairs.

  Mr. Farlow explained that while he and Ellie-May were staying in the house, the men he had brought with him were not. They were busy during the day carrying out his instructions, but they would be in for dinner.

  Because Mr. Farlow wished to attend to some of his business, he went back to the study when tea was finished.

  Galina chose her words carefully, but equally she thought that what she had to say would be what Mr. Farlow would expect from her.

  “I think,” she said to Ellie-May, “that you and I must go shopping tomorrow.”

  Galina expected she might have to explain why, but Ellie-May replied,

  “Papa told me you would help me when you arrived here. I realise that I need some different clothes. I bought these in America and I know I don’t look right.”

  “If you are going to attend balls and parties here, you will find that most of the model dresses we wear come from Paris. I will take you to the very best shops in Bond Street that bring in all their prettiest gowns from France.”

  “That’ll be fun, Lady Galina, and I’d like to look as smart as you if it’s at all possible.”

  “It’s just a question of your father paying the bills!”

  “Oh, he’ll do that all right! He’s got pots of money, as I expect he’s already told you. I want all the prettiest dresses you can buy me, so that I don’t feel like a stranger if we go to any parties.”

  “Of course we are going to parties, Ellie-May! Tomorrow I’m going to send for London’s best hairdresser. He is expensive, but he will make you look very smart.”

  Ellie-May clapped her hands together.

  “This is real nice of you and it’s the sort of thing I hoped would happen to me when I came to London.”

  “Now what is important,” insisted Galina, “is that you make a good impression from the moment you appear anywhere. So, we will do our shopping first thing tomorrow and only when you are fashionable and looking your very best must you appear at any function.”

  “That’s just what I would love and as I said it’s real kind of you to take the trouble over me.”

  Ellie-May gave a little sigh.

  “Having no mother makes things very difficult. If I travel with Papa, we move so quickly from place to place that I never have time to visit a shop.”

  “Well, we shall make the time now you are here. Oh, I tell you what we will do – I’ll suggest to my brother that he arranges a dinner party for tomorrow evening before we take you to whichever ball we are attending. There is sure to be one. But you must be transformed by that time!”

  She knew as she spoke it would all be a rush.

  But if Georgie was talking of going to America, she had to make him start the ball rolling before he left.

  When she accompanied Ellie-May upstairs to dress for dinner, she went to her brother’s room.

  He was, of course, sleeping where all his ancestors had slept in the Master Suite.

  It was a very imposing room with a four-poster bed surrounded by red velvet curtains and with the family Coat of Arms embroidered over the headboard.

  Georgie had, in fact, just finished his bath and was talking to his valet when Galina appeared in the room. The valet discreetly bowed and went outside.

  “I have done what you told me to do, Georgie,” she began, “and I am taking Ellie-May to the shops tomorrow. But I thought that if you are going away, we had better have a dinner party tomorrow to include everyone who might be useful to them. You know far more people than I do.”

  “I had not thought of that, but you are right.”

  “I think too, though I have not had time to ask your secretary, that we have been asked to a ball tomorrow.”

  “You are so right again, Galina, and I will ask the Duchess if I can bring the Farlows.”

  “You don’t think she will mind us pushing in?”

  “Not when she realises how rich Farlow is. Already people are talking about him. You will have no difficulty in introducing him to almost everyone in the Beau Monde and naturally when you give parties, they will all come with alacrity and doubtless with their hands open.”

  “They can hardly think they are going to get money from him!” exclaimed Galina.

  Her brother laughed.

  “There are plenty of ways and means. There are always people who have something to sell, whether it’s a horse, a picture or a piece of jewellery which belonged to their great-grandmother!”

  Galina giggled.

  “I am sure you are right, Georgie.”

  “I expect Farlow is quite used to it and I bet that he never goes through an evening without someone trying to extort a few thousands from him.”

  “That makes me feel uncomfortable, but equally I hope we don’t have to pay for the parties he gives here.”

  “Don’t be silly. You don’t suppose they are staying here for nothing.”

  “I thought they were – your guests.”

  “They are extremely grateful to me for letting them rent one of the most outstanding houses in Mayfair. But of course they are paying for the privilege and for the servants who wait o
n them.”

  Galina gave a little cry.

  “Oh, Georgie, that is clever of you and I must say it takes some of the weight off my shoulders.”

  “I am going to see it is all removed,” he answered. “But don’t forget all you have to do and I think I shall have to leave for America on Friday at the latest.”

  “I think that is far too soon.”

  “Only from your point of view, my dear Galina. It is absolutely essential I should be there when you send me a telegram.”

  “But surely, Georgie, you are not going to tell Mr. Farlow where you are going?”

  “I’m not a fool. As far as he is concerned, I have got to run across to Paris at the request of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. I shall be very apologetic, but it is an obligation I cannot refuse.”

  “You are too sharp for words, but be careful you don’t cut yourself!”

  Galina walked towards the door.

  “I suppose it does not matter how much I spend on making Ellie-May look her best?”

  “It’s not going to be easy, as far as I can see, she is a rather plain American miss”

  “That is the challenge and I will try to make you eat your words tomorrow night, Georgie!”

  She left the room before her brother could answer, but she heard him laugh as she walked down the corridor to her own room.

  Dinner that evening was rather dull, she thought.

  The two young Americans who were working for Mr. Farlow came to dinner and they were not the least shy and talked volubly all through the meal.

  It was all about their impressions of England and they thought that the businessmen in London were rather slow compared to those in America.

  “We are an old country,” Galina said to them, “so you really cannot expect us to rush about like you do. But nevertheless you will have to admit for a small island we have done pretty well!”

  She was thinking as she spoke that over a quarter of the world now belonged to the British Empire and flew the Union Jack.

  But she could not help reflecting that it was a pity we had lost America, especially with the revelations about all the oil found there.

  Equally she had to admire the progress that the country had made on its own.