Read No Time For Love (Bantam Series No. 40) for Free Online

out a sound that was like the roar of a lion. “Is that all you have to say?” he stormed. “Do you not understand what this will mean to me? This is dynamite, Wynstan! Dynamite to my cause and to the election!”
    His voice seemed to ring round the room as he continued:
    “You know as well as I do that my whole campaign is based on the cries: ‘Clean up America!’ ‘Keep out of Foreign Affairs!’ ‘Strengthen and support family life which is the foundation of our great Nation!’ ”
    Carried away Harvey declaimed the words and Wynstan gave a little laugh.
    “Stop tub-thumping, Harvey!” Wynstan said. “Let us talk sensibly!”
    “That is just what I am trying to do,” Harvey replied.
    “It does not sound to me as if this girl, whoever she may be, is trying to threaten your position. She addresses herself to Elvin and pleads with him to come to her.”
    “Well, he cannot do that!” Harvey snapped. “And what do you think she wants from him except money?”
    Wynstan looked at the telegram again.
    “Perhaps you have missed that sentence about the letters,” Harvey suggested. “ ‘My only comfort your letters.’ What does that mean except that she damned-well thinks she can put a big price on them!”
    “It is possible that that is what she intended,” Wynstan admitted. “At the same time she says: ‘Please keep your promise’. Now what promise could Elvin have made to her?”
    “I suppose that he would marry her if she had a child,” Gary interposed.
    “He cannot do that either!” Harvey said harshly.
    “That is true!” Wynstan agreed. “But if she is having Elvin’s child, she may have some claim on his Estate.”
    “My God!” Harvey ejaculated. “I had not thought of that! Do you know what Elvin is worth?”
    “I have a vague idea,” Wynstan replied. “Father left his fortune, which we all know was considerable, divided between the four of us, after Tracy had been provided for.”
    “The money does not really matter,” Harvey said quickly with an effort. “What is absolutely essential is that there should be no scandal, such as would be inevitable if Elvin’s illegitimate child pops up from nowhere and asks to be taken into the bosom of the family!”
    “I can see the complications,” Wynstan said quietly.
    “Well, if you can see that, do something about it!” Harvey shouted.
    Wynstan looked at him in surprise.
    “Why me?”
    “Because this blasted woman is English and you are always messing about in that country. You ought to know how to keep her quiet.”
    Harvey stopped speaking and gave an exclamation. “That’s it! That’s it exactly!” he said. “You must keep her quiet at any rate until the election is over. Then we can fight her every inch of the way.”
    “A very noble sentiment,” Wynstan remarked.
    “Now don’t come the gentleman over me!” Harvey said angrily. “This is a situation where we have to take off our kid-gloves to fight a blackmailer.”
    “Who said she was a blackmailer?” Wynstan enquired.
    “I say she is one, and that is what she damned-well is!” Harvey answered.
    “I did point out,” Gary said, “that she addresses the cable to Mr. Farren. If she had known Elvin’s real name, do you not think she would have used it?”
    “That is a very good point, Gary,” Wynstan said.
    “It does not matter what she calls him,” Harvey said impatiently. “If she is having Elvin’s child, or pretends she is — for personally I do not believe he was capable of producing one—then she will fleece us down to the last cent. You can be certain of that!”
    “I think you have overlooked one thing,” Wynstan said in a quiet voice.
    “What?” his brother asked.
    “Knowing Elvin as I did, and perhaps I knew him better than either of you, I do not believe he would have been interested in the type of woman you are describing.”
    There was silence for a moment then Harvey said: “That’s all very well. We know what women are like when they