Flying finish / Бурный финиш. Книга для чтения на английском языке

The fact that for some months now I had not felt in the least like that inside was confusing, and getting more so.

I looked up into the blue gold-washed sky. Only there, I thought with a fleeting inward smile, only there am I my own man. And perhaps in steeplechases[16 - steeplechases – лошадиные бега по пересеченной местности (с препятствиями)]. Perhaps there too, sometimes.

She had been waiting for me as usual at breakfast, her face fresh from her early walk with the dogs.

I had seen little of her over the week end: I’d been racing on Saturday, and on Sunday I’d left home before breakfast and gone back late.

�Where did you go yesterday?’ she asked.

I poured some coffee and didn’t answer. She was used to that, however. �Mother wanted to speak to you.’

�What about?’

�She has asked the Filyhoughs to lunch next Sunday.’

I tidily ate my bacon and egg. I said calmly, �That coy spotty Angela. It’s a waste of time.

I won’t be here anyway.’

�Angela will inherit half a million,’ she said earnestly.

�And we have beetles in the roof,’ I agreed dryly.

�Mother wants to see you married.’

�Only to a very rich girl.’

My sister acknowledged that this was true, but saw nothing particularly wrong in it. The family fortunes were waning: as my parents saw it, the swop of a future title for a future fortune was a suitable bargain. They didn’t seem to realise that a rich girl nowadays had more sense than to hand over her wealth to her husband, and could leave with it intact if she felt like it.

�Mother told Angela you would be here.’

�That was silly of her.’

�Henry!’

�I do not like Angela,’ I said coldly. �I do not intend to be here for lunch next Sunday. Is that quite clear?’

�But you must… you can’t leave me to deal with them all alone.’

�You’ll just have to restrain Mother from issuing these stupid invitations.

Angela is the umpteenth unattractive heiress she’s invited this year. I’m fed up with it.[17 - I’m fed up with it. – (разг.) Я сыт по горло.]’

�We need…’

�I am not,’ I said stifly, �a prostitute.’

She stood up, bitterly offended. �That’s unkind.’

�And while we are at it[18 - while we are at it – (зд.) раз уж мы об этом заговорили], I wish the beetles good luck.