'That's what I said.'
There was a pause while Pratt looked slowly round the table, first at me, then at the three women, each in turn. He seemed to be reminding us that we were witnesses to the offer.
'Mike!' Mrs Schofield said. 'Mike, why don't we stop this nonsense and eat our food. It's getting cold.'
'But it isn't nonsense,' Pratt told her calmly. 'We're making a little bet.'
I noticed the servant standing at the back of the room, holding a dish of vegetables, wondering whether to come forward with them or not.
'All right, then,' Pratt said. 'I'll tell you what I want you to bet.' 'Tell me then,' Mike said. 'I don't care what it is. I'll bet.' Again the little smile moved the corners of Pratt's lips, and
then, quite slowly, looking at Mike all the time, he said, 'I want you to bet me the hand of your daughter in marriage.'
Louise Schofield gave a jump. 'Hey!' she cried. 'No! That's not funny! Look here, Daddy, that's not funny at all.'
'No, dear,' her mother said. 'They're only joking.'
'I'm not joking,' Richard Pratt said.
'It's stupid,' Mike said. Once again, he was not in control of the
situation.
'You said you'd bet anything I liked.'
'I meant money.'
'You didn't say money.'
'That's what I meant.'
'Then it's a pity you didn't say it. But, if you wish to take back
your offer, that's quite all right with me.'
'It's not a question of taking back my offer, old man. It's not a
proper bet because you haven't got a daughter to offer me in case you lose. And if you had, I wouldn't want to marry her.'
'I'm glad of that, dear,' his wife said.
'I'll offer anything you like,' Pratt announced. 'My house, for
'That's what I said.'There was a pause while Pratt looked slowly round the table, first at me, then at the three women, each in turn. He seemed to be reminding us that we were witnesses to the offer.'Mike!' Mrs Schofield said. 'Mike, why don't we stop this nonsense and eat our food. It's getting cold.''But it isn't nonsense,' Pratt told her calmly. 'We're making a little bet.'I noticed the servant standing at the back of the room, holding a dish of vegetables, wondering whether to come forward with them or not.'All right, then,' Pratt said. 'I'll tell you what I want you to bet.' 'Tell me then,' Mike said. 'I don't care what it is. I'll bet.' Again the little smile moved the corners of Pratt's lips, andthen, quite slowly, looking at Mike all the time, he said, 'I want you to bet me the hand of your daughter in marriage.'Louise Schofield gave a jump. 'Hey!' she cried. 'No! That's not funny! Look here, Daddy, that's not funny at all.''No, dear,' her mother said. 'They're only joking.''I'm not joking,' Richard Pratt said.'It's stupid,' Mike said. Once again, he was not in control of thesituation.'You said you'd bet anything I liked.''I meant money.''You didn't say money.''That's what I meant.''Then it's a pity you didn't say it. But, if you wish to take backyour offer, that's quite all right with me.''It's not a question of taking back my offer, old man. It's not aproper bet because you haven't got a daughter to offer me in case you lose. And if you had, I wouldn't want to marry her.''I'm glad of that, dear,' his wife said.'I'll offer anything you like,' Pratt announced. 'My house, for
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