Count The Stars

Chapter Six-1

Chapter SixFor a second the Vicar stared at the Duke as if he thought he could not have heard aright. Then he said in a quavering voice,

“Did you – say two hundred – pounds, sir?”

“Two hundred,” the Duke repeated, “and if you are in a hurry, so am I.”

He thought the Parson was hesitating and he drew from his pocket a piece of paper which Valora, who was standing beside him too stunned to speak, realised it was something she had seen before.

Almost as if the Parson had asked the question, the Duke said,

“I have here a Special Licence and let me give you the two hundred pounds immediately.”

He put his hands deep into his breeches pocket, which was where he had placed some of the notes of high denomination that Mr. Dunham had given him.

He had hoped that if a highwayman made him produc