just wouldn't understand. Seeing the tattered girl had caused him to look deep within himself for just a moment. "It's just that I couldn't help thinking that if not for all the greed in the world , there needn't be people in such dire circumstances."
"Greed!" Oliver threw back his head and laughed. "You're a fine one to talk. To you money is everything , Gar. Sun, moon, and stars. I can't see you giving up your share to the paupers of London." He sniffed disdainfully, his words coming out with his sneeze, "And neither would I. Neither would anyone of right mind, I dare say. Poverty is the way of the world, but luckily so is riches."
"I suppose it is impossible to right the injustices in the world." Garrick clutched at his pencil." In his own callous way Oliver was right. Since man's expulsion from the Garden of Eden there had been those who had and those who needed. "But perhaps at least I can make it a more beautiful place in which to live." Work was his escape. It made him feel valuable and needed. Oliver didn't understand : more than money, creating beautiful things was his driving need. "Now if you'll excuse me, Ollie, I have a deadline to meet..."
Oliver looked at Garrick in silent mirth, then broke out in laughter again. "That's the old Garrick Seton I know so well. Which leads me to the point of this visit." Toying with his cravat he avoided Garrick's eyes. "Will you be a good sport, old boy, and do me a favor?" Before Garrick could answer , he put up his hand. "Business, I assure you. Something for the good of our partnership."
"Such as...?" Garrick prepared himself for what was coming. Oliver had incurred a gambling debt again and wanted him to loan him money until he could convince his parents to come to his rescue. Oliver was always piling up such liabi lities. "How much this time?"
Oliver stiffened, making great show of being offended. "Why, Gar, you wound me to the quick. I don't want money. All I want is a bit of your time."
"My time?" A commodity n early as valuable as money.
"I made an appointment at the waterfront tonight to meet with that tiresome cloth merchant who has it in mind to build a palace. Something else came up and..."
"If you made an appointment, by God you will keep it." Garrick's irritation was fueled. "I won't be as foolishly manipulated as your mother and father are, Ollie. I have my own customers to please. If you're off to lose at cards or dally with some bit of fluff, I won't save your butt for you." He pressed so hard on his pencil that he broke the lead and swore angrily. "Besides, the waterfront is dangerous. If he wants to meet, have him come here ."
"Ah, he claims to be a busy man. He has to see to the unloading of some silks from China. I can appreciate his predicament. What with so many ships in the harbor it takes so long to unload them that thievary is rampant. He claims he's lost a fortune, and I find myself believing him. It's not the first time I've heard such a story."
"I'm just as busy a man as he is." Garrick emphasized his declaration by slamming his fist down on the table. Truly Oliver could be annoying. "I repeat. If you made the app ointment, go yourself!"
"It's M other's birthday. I forgot that I promised to attend the little gathering she's having tonight. Please, Gar, you know how sensitive she is." A smile trembled at the corners of Oliver's mouth, knowing already that he had won. Garrick was too much the gentleman to risk disappointing a lady. "Would you want me to break her heart? Nor can we risk losing the coinage that rich old client can bring in." He shrugged his shoulders helplessly, watching the emotions that flitted over his friend's face. From anger to resignation. "It won't take you very much time. Please...."
Garrick knew he had lost the argument. He did not want to lose the merchant's business or take
"Greed!" Oliver threw back his head and laughed. "You're a fine one to talk. To you money is everything , Gar. Sun, moon, and stars. I can't see you giving up your share to the paupers of London." He sniffed disdainfully, his words coming out with his sneeze, "And neither would I. Neither would anyone of right mind, I dare say. Poverty is the way of the world, but luckily so is riches."
"I suppose it is impossible to right the injustices in the world." Garrick clutched at his pencil." In his own callous way Oliver was right. Since man's expulsion from the Garden of Eden there had been those who had and those who needed. "But perhaps at least I can make it a more beautiful place in which to live." Work was his escape. It made him feel valuable and needed. Oliver didn't understand : more than money, creating beautiful things was his driving need. "Now if you'll excuse me, Ollie, I have a deadline to meet..."
Oliver looked at Garrick in silent mirth, then broke out in laughter again. "That's the old Garrick Seton I know so well. Which leads me to the point of this visit." Toying with his cravat he avoided Garrick's eyes. "Will you be a good sport, old boy, and do me a favor?" Before Garrick could answer , he put up his hand. "Business, I assure you. Something for the good of our partnership."
"Such as...?" Garrick prepared himself for what was coming. Oliver had incurred a gambling debt again and wanted him to loan him money until he could convince his parents to come to his rescue. Oliver was always piling up such liabi lities. "How much this time?"
Oliver stiffened, making great show of being offended. "Why, Gar, you wound me to the quick. I don't want money. All I want is a bit of your time."
"My time?" A commodity n early as valuable as money.
"I made an appointment at the waterfront tonight to meet with that tiresome cloth merchant who has it in mind to build a palace. Something else came up and..."
"If you made an appointment, by God you will keep it." Garrick's irritation was fueled. "I won't be as foolishly manipulated as your mother and father are, Ollie. I have my own customers to please. If you're off to lose at cards or dally with some bit of fluff, I won't save your butt for you." He pressed so hard on his pencil that he broke the lead and swore angrily. "Besides, the waterfront is dangerous. If he wants to meet, have him come here ."
"Ah, he claims to be a busy man. He has to see to the unloading of some silks from China. I can appreciate his predicament. What with so many ships in the harbor it takes so long to unload them that thievary is rampant. He claims he's lost a fortune, and I find myself believing him. It's not the first time I've heard such a story."
"I'm just as busy a man as he is." Garrick emphasized his declaration by slamming his fist down on the table. Truly Oliver could be annoying. "I repeat. If you made the app ointment, go yourself!"
"It's M other's birthday. I forgot that I promised to attend the little gathering she's having tonight. Please, Gar, you know how sensitive she is." A smile trembled at the corners of Oliver's mouth, knowing already that he had won. Garrick was too much the gentleman to risk disappointing a lady. "Would you want me to break her heart? Nor can we risk losing the coinage that rich old client can bring in." He shrugged his shoulders helplessly, watching the emotions that flitted over his friend's face. From anger to resignation. "It won't take you very much time. Please...."
Garrick knew he had lost the argument. He did not want to lose the merchant's business or take
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