I have been--what do you men call it?--log-rolling for
weeks. It is I who have found out what is wanted by the people who can
help us. And it is generally, always, in fact, money. Always money! I
get 'tips' from Sir Stephen and my father, and whisper them to the
lords and ladies who have influence in the political drawing-rooms and
clubs."
"And Sir Stephen?"
She laughed.
"His task is much simpler and easier than mine. He just goes down to
his political club and subscribes so many thousand pounds towards the
party expenses. The other night he gave them--but I must not tell the
secrets of the Tories even to you, Mr. Howard. But it was a very large
sum. It is always done that way, isn't it?"
"I suppose so," he assented. "It must be; for, come to think of it, a
man isn't made a peer simply because he brews good beer; and a great
many of our peers were and are good brewers, you see. Oh, it's all
right, it pans out very satisfactorily, as the miners say. And so
Stafford will be the future Earl of--"
"Earl of Highcliffe," she said. "He has declined anything less than an
earldom. He has given so much.
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