shall see to it that Summers is behind bars soon. I haven't liked him from the start," Montague said.
"Don't act hastily, gentlemen. I'm sure this can easily be explained," Bea said calmly.
Bond removed his hat, raked his fingers through his hair, then put his hat back on. "Let's just find Sara before we decide on what action to take."
"Yes, you're absolutely right, Bond. You go ahead with Bea. I can look for Sara on my own."
# # #
Montague Fordice waited until they both had disappeared from view, then he checked his watch again as he hurried to the verandah. He would have been back at the casino by now if the silly, little fool hadn't disappeared.
He supposed that Sara Peterson was pretty enough, but his tastes ran to the more experienced women of the world.
Yes, this day had been absolutely horrible. First, he was punched and embarrassed by that insipid, muscle-bound gorilla. Then he had lost three thousand dollars at Richard Canfield's Casino just before dinner. That was why he had been late. He had been trying to get some of his money back, but he wasn't lucky, and Canfield was ready to shut off his credit.
His horse, Bravo Joe had to win the Travers. Otherwise, he would be ruined and would have to marry Sara Peterson for her money. He might even have to go to work for her father.
He supposed he could tolerate marriage to the girl. He would simply ignore her and never be home. He would still have his mistresses on the side.
But work?
Montague Fordice never worked. People worked for him. And he didn't intend to start working now.
Instead of looking for Sara, he headed toward Canfield's Casino.
CHAPTER 3
"I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you." Aunt Trixie stirred the cream into her tea with more enthusiasm than necessary. The silver spoon clinked against the fine English bone china until Sara thought it would shatter.
"I am perfectly fine and Jack was a perfect gentleman, Aunt Trixie. He left when Clara came. I was so excited to see her, but she couldn't sit on the piazza because she was wearing her maid's uniform, so we went to the cottage."
Sara stared down at her cereal and plump strawberries remembering how Jack left so abruptly last night. "That's where you found us. It's as simple as that. I wish you wouldn't worry about me–either of you."
Bond shook his head. "Well, daughter, we know very little about Mr. Summers, and we shouldn't have left you alone with him. I realize that social barriers are more relaxed here, and that's one of the reasons I'm fond of Saratoga, but we still have to be careful. The Springs does attract some riffraff this time of year."
Suddenly, she lost her appetite as the chops, fish and omelets were served. "Are you saying that because Jack is a groom, I cannot associate with him?"
"No...not exactly," Bond mumbled, then frowned and reached for his coffee. "But I don't understand all this talk about Jack Summers any way. Have you forgotten your engagement to Montague?"
Sara sighed. "No, I haven't. I think of it constantly."
"Good!" her father punched the air with a fist. "That's the way it should be."
Aunt Trixie picked up her napkin and dabbed at the corners of her mouth. "Now, Bond, Mr. Summers is completely honorable in this...this mix-up. He simply left when Clara came so the girls could talk."
"I suppose that's true, but let's not forget that Summers is my employee and–"
"Excuse me, Bond, would you pass the current jelly?" Bea asked.
"Certainly, my dear. Now what was I saying?"
Bea took the silver bowl of jelly that he had passed. "We just started to tell you that after breakfast we are going to take the carriage and go to Congress Springs for our daily drink of the waters. Then we are off to the mineral baths."
"That's a fine plan," Bond said.
Sara hid a smile at her aunt's cleverness. "What will you be doing, father?"
"I have some business to talk over with Morgan and Rockefeller, then I will probably attend the morning
"Don't act hastily, gentlemen. I'm sure this can easily be explained," Bea said calmly.
Bond removed his hat, raked his fingers through his hair, then put his hat back on. "Let's just find Sara before we decide on what action to take."
"Yes, you're absolutely right, Bond. You go ahead with Bea. I can look for Sara on my own."
# # #
Montague Fordice waited until they both had disappeared from view, then he checked his watch again as he hurried to the verandah. He would have been back at the casino by now if the silly, little fool hadn't disappeared.
He supposed that Sara Peterson was pretty enough, but his tastes ran to the more experienced women of the world.
Yes, this day had been absolutely horrible. First, he was punched and embarrassed by that insipid, muscle-bound gorilla. Then he had lost three thousand dollars at Richard Canfield's Casino just before dinner. That was why he had been late. He had been trying to get some of his money back, but he wasn't lucky, and Canfield was ready to shut off his credit.
His horse, Bravo Joe had to win the Travers. Otherwise, he would be ruined and would have to marry Sara Peterson for her money. He might even have to go to work for her father.
He supposed he could tolerate marriage to the girl. He would simply ignore her and never be home. He would still have his mistresses on the side.
But work?
Montague Fordice never worked. People worked for him. And he didn't intend to start working now.
Instead of looking for Sara, he headed toward Canfield's Casino.
CHAPTER 3
"I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you." Aunt Trixie stirred the cream into her tea with more enthusiasm than necessary. The silver spoon clinked against the fine English bone china until Sara thought it would shatter.
"I am perfectly fine and Jack was a perfect gentleman, Aunt Trixie. He left when Clara came. I was so excited to see her, but she couldn't sit on the piazza because she was wearing her maid's uniform, so we went to the cottage."
Sara stared down at her cereal and plump strawberries remembering how Jack left so abruptly last night. "That's where you found us. It's as simple as that. I wish you wouldn't worry about me–either of you."
Bond shook his head. "Well, daughter, we know very little about Mr. Summers, and we shouldn't have left you alone with him. I realize that social barriers are more relaxed here, and that's one of the reasons I'm fond of Saratoga, but we still have to be careful. The Springs does attract some riffraff this time of year."
Suddenly, she lost her appetite as the chops, fish and omelets were served. "Are you saying that because Jack is a groom, I cannot associate with him?"
"No...not exactly," Bond mumbled, then frowned and reached for his coffee. "But I don't understand all this talk about Jack Summers any way. Have you forgotten your engagement to Montague?"
Sara sighed. "No, I haven't. I think of it constantly."
"Good!" her father punched the air with a fist. "That's the way it should be."
Aunt Trixie picked up her napkin and dabbed at the corners of her mouth. "Now, Bond, Mr. Summers is completely honorable in this...this mix-up. He simply left when Clara came so the girls could talk."
"I suppose that's true, but let's not forget that Summers is my employee and–"
"Excuse me, Bond, would you pass the current jelly?" Bea asked.
"Certainly, my dear. Now what was I saying?"
Bea took the silver bowl of jelly that he had passed. "We just started to tell you that after breakfast we are going to take the carriage and go to Congress Springs for our daily drink of the waters. Then we are off to the mineral baths."
"That's a fine plan," Bond said.
Sara hid a smile at her aunt's cleverness. "What will you be doing, father?"
"I have some business to talk over with Morgan and Rockefeller, then I will probably attend the morning
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