The River Cup Papers
Chapter 2: A Wager is Struck
For a period of several years, Tully and MacLeitch enjoyed a period of relative comfort, living off the proceeds of the loan as well as the measly stipend earned each week at the bank where he toiled. His banking career, however, failed to improve and soon the cost of maintaining Castle MacLeitch as well as the cost of his continuing wagering forced MacLeitch to begin paying off the loan from the principal originally extended. One could foresee the consequences: he soon was unable to meet his payments and Langdon anticipated taking possession of the security. Gaelyn as well looked forward to the acquisition of a third family home, which she could furnish to her liking and to which she could repair during the searing heat of the London summers. Langdon called upon one of the solicitors with whom he golfed to institute foreclosure, and being of a somewhat heartless soul himself the solicitor issued the evil papers shortly thereafter.
Upon receipt of the papers, MacLeitch was disconsolate. He feared mightily the loss of the clan Castle. He knew, though, of Langdon's wagering propensities and in them he espied an opportunity to escape his unfortunate predicament. Believing it more likely his beautiful wife could convince Langdon to enter into the appropriate wager than could he, he dispatched the seductive Tully to London to meet with him.
When they first met, Langdon could not help but remark at the beauty of his debtor's wife. Though faithful to Gaelyn, herself a catch for any man, he allowed himself an occasional lapse into the thought of other women, though always returning to the knowledge that in Gaelyn he had all he could ever desire. Tully knew intuitively that her beauty had struck a responsive chord in her husband's lender, but gave little thought to it at the time.
She raised with Langdon the nature of her bidding, proposing a golf match between her husband and Langdon, with the winner to take possession of the note secured by Castle MacLeitch. But though he enjoyed a sporting wager, he saw in this no possible gain for himself and thus refused the engagement.
Forlorn at the rejection of the proposal, Tully returned to her lodging to consider her next step. She felt she had little hope of arranging a wager, as her husband had little which could be offered to entice Langdon into a bet which might save the Castle. Lying awake late into the night, a thought struck her which she at first rejected but which she later determined, though against her desires, to be the only chance at salvation.
The next morning she returned to Langdon's city flat to make her proposal. He escorted her in and again gazed upon the lovely apparition before him. When asked the purpose of her return visit, Tully gathered her courage and proposed a new wager: if her husband could defeat him in a golfing match, Langdon would turn over the note; but if MacLeitch was defeated, Castle MacLeitch was Langdon's without further legal proceedings and, further, she would agree to spend an evening of pleasure with Langdon. Devoted as she was to her husband, Tully was willing to wager even her honor on his behalf since she feared Langdon would consent to no other terms. She hoped the impression she had made upon Langdon was sufficient to entice him to undertake the bet.
Having been unfailingly true to Gaelyn despite many opportunities for straying during the course of his travels, Langdon hesitated for a period considering these intriguing terms. He at first resisted his urges, but in a moment of weakness determined such an opportunity was one he could not let pass. Thus, a wager was struck. Tully determined to withhold from her husband the cost at which the wager would come as he would most certainly refuse to put his bride at risk of such a fate were it known to him.
Langdon appointed his trusted sheepherder, Sinkler, the responsibility of corresponding with MacLeitch to establish the terms by which the competition would be staged. After much haggling, it was determined the match would be played on Langdon's Thames greensward after the harvest time. Sinkler, scrupulously seeking to make the match equally fair to both sides, convinced Langdon to advance funds to MacLeitch to purchase new equipment with which to play the match thus improving his chances of success on an unfamiliar site. Sinkler established the match at seven holes only, once out over the holes laid out. The winner of the greater number of the seven holes played would be declared winner and take possession of the note secured by Castle MacLeitch. (Sinkler, too, was unaware of the true terms of the wager, else he would certainly have taken steps to avoid the indignity to the fair Tully should MacLeitch lose the match.) In the event neither party won a majority of the holes played, the match would be declared a draw and Langdon would take immediate possession of Castle MacLeitch.
Chapter 2: A Wager is Struck
Chapter 3: Preparations
Chapter 4: The Competition is Joined
Chapter 5: The Match is Decided
Chapter 6: Salvation
Chapter 7: The River Cup