Marriage At A Price. Miranda Lee

said happily enough. ‘Or an investment broker, if you prefer that label. At the moment, I’m a gentleman of leisure.’

      ‘You mean you’re unemployed.’

      ‘Courtney!’ Lois broke in. ‘For heaven’s sake.’

      ‘It’s perfectly all right, Lois,’ Jack said. ‘I don’t mind. If by unemployed you mean I don’t work for wages, then you’re absolutely right. I am unemployed in that sense. But I’m not broke. And I’m not on the dole. Currently, I am a man of independent means.’

      Which meant he was looking for work and living on his savings.

      ‘Would you two excuse me for a few minutes?’ Lois interrupted. ‘I’ve just spotted the owners of my horse in the second race. Jack, darling, look after Courtney for me, will you? Take her inside, up into the bar overlooking the track. Get her a drink. I’ll find you when I’m finished down here.’

      Courtney was not displeased at being left alone with the dishy Jack. But, as Lois walked off, he looked momentarily disconcerted.

      ‘You don’t mind, do you?’ she said straight away.

      His eyes cleared of the cloud that had momentarily muddied them to a bleak grey. ‘Why should I mind?’

      ‘Maybe you want to go place a bet on the first race,’ she said. ‘Or maybe you have other friends here that you feel you should be getting back to.’

      ‘No. Not at all.’

      ‘What about the other part-owner of Big Brutus?’

      ‘He’s in Bolivia. I now own all of Big Brutus.’

      ‘Oh! I didn’t realise Lois meant that partner. I wasn’t listening properly.’ She’d been too busy ogling Jack. ‘Owning a racehorse all by yourself is very expensive, you know. Can you afford it?’

      ‘I will be able to, after today. Lois is confident Big Brutus is going to win.’

      ‘Lois is always confident her horses are going to win, especially when there’s a cup or a prize at stake.’

      Jack smiled a lazy smile. ‘She is, isn’t she?’

      ‘Still, often enough she’s right. She does love those trophies. My mother thought her quite wonderful.’

      ‘Thought?’

      Courtney swallowed. ‘My mum passed away recently.’ It still hurt, but the urge to cry whenever she thought about, or talked of her mother was gradually lessening. In a dozen years or so, she might actually get over losing her mentor, and champion.

      ‘I’m sorry,’ Jack said gently. ‘Had she been ill? She couldn’t have been very old. Unless you’re the youngest in the family.’

      ‘Actually, she was quite old. Seventy. I was her only child, born when she was forty-five.’

      ‘Goodness. And your father?’

      ‘My father is not a part of my life,’ she said with an indifferent shrug. ‘I never knew him, you see, and Mum rarely spoke of him, except in general and not very flattering terms. But gossip put him a good deal younger than her. A gypsy seducer, I gleaned from my classmates at school. And others over the years.’

      ‘Ah. Good old gossip. It never lets the truth get in the way of a good story. He was possibly a very nice man.’

      Somehow, Courtney doubted that. A very nice man would not have made her mother so bitter. But his absence had never hurt her. She’d rather relished the freedom of not having some male hand controlling her up-bringing. People said her mother had let her run wild. That wasn’t entirely true. The wildness, Courtney believed, she’d been born with.

      ‘But let’s not dwell on sadness,’ Jack said, hooking his right arm through her left. ‘Let’s go and have that drink Lois suggested.’

      ‘Yes, let’s,’ Courtney agreed, delighted to have the company of this very stimulating man.

      The table he steered her to in the upstairs bar had a perfect view of the track. She could see the horses trotting out for the first race. But she didn’t watch them for long. Her eyes were all on Jack as he went over to get the drinks himself rather than wait to be served at the table.

      ‘Will you be going back into the investment business again?’ was her first question when he returned with two glasses of champagne.

      ‘Possibly.’

      ‘I might be in need of an investment broker soon,’ she said.

      ‘Why would that be?’ Jack asked, frowning.

      ‘To find me a silent partner. For my stud farm. Not that I like the idea. Unfortunately, it’s a necessity.’

      ‘You have a money problem?’

      Courtney rolled her eyes. ‘Do I have a money problem?’

      ‘Tell me about it.’

      Courtney could see no reason why she shouldn’t tell him. If Lois didn’t come through with someone, she just might give him a call. Besides, she fancied him rotten and there was interest in his eyes.

      So she told him. Everything. All her mother’s mistakes and misfortunes over the last few years. Even the amount of money she now owed and needed to find.

      ‘Lois thinks she’ll find some suitably mega-rich businessman from amongst her wealthy racing contacts,’ she finished up. ‘And she probably will, knowing Lois. But I’m not so sure it’s a good idea to take on a partner who’s mad about racing and who might develop some private fantasies about becoming a hands-on breeder himself. I’d prefer someone who just looks on this as a financial deal.’

      ‘Fair enough. Have you told Lois that?’

      ‘I’ve only just starting thinking that way. It’s difficult to think straight when you’re desperate.’

      ‘Never be desperate, Courtney. Being desperate is the way to disaster. People know when you’re desperate and take advantage of you. Always be cool. Never show fear. I’m sure you’d be very good at that.’

      Courtney was impressed. It was the sort of advice her mother would have given her.

      ‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘There’s no need to panic. The bank hasn’t actually foreclosed as yet. So what do you suggest I do?’ she asked.

      ‘Take your time in finding just the right person. If the bank hasn’t sent out any warning or threatening letters, then desperation hour has not yet arrived. Don’t rush into anything. Scout around. I could give you the names of some very good investment brokerages here in Sydney. Ring them up and go see them.’

      ‘How long will that take?’

      ‘How long have you got?’

      ‘I really have to get back to Crosswinds as quickly as I can. It’s foaling time and I’m short-staffed. My accountant says this is more important, but he just doesn’t understand.’

      ‘It would take at least a week to line up appointments and do the rounds,’ Jack said.

      ‘Would you help me? I mean…a personal introduction would be much better than my just ringing up these people out of the blue.’

      He seemed a little taken aback by her request.

      ‘You did say you were a gentleman of leisure,’ Courtney pointed out with a decidedly flirtatious smile.

      He smiled back, if a little ruefully. ‘You have a hide, Ms Cross. Has anyone ever told you that?’

      ‘Several people, actually.’

      ‘I’m not surprised. But, okay, I guess I could do worse things with my time than squire a beautiful young woman around town. Have you been down to Sydney before? Or is this your first visit?’

      ‘Lord,