"Is that your latest American? I wish you'd find native slang; we used in my day; but I'll tell you why. It's because she's keeping him on till she sees what Eugene'll do. She's treating Eugene shamefully."
"Oh, stow all that! Eugene is not so remarkably strict, you know." And Lord Rickmansworth winked.
"Well, we'll leave that out," said Ayre smiling. "Tell him it's treating him shamefully."
"That's more the ticket. But what if she says 'No'?"
"If she says 'No' right out, I'm done," said Ayre. "But will she?"
"The devil only knows!" said Lord Rickmansworth.
"Do you think you won't bungle it?"
"Do you take me for an ass? I'll make him move, Ayre; he shall give her a chaste salute before the day's out. Old Eugene's no better than he should be, but I'll see him through."
Ayre thought privately that his companion had perhaps other motives than love for Eugene: perhaps family feelings, generally dormant, had asserted themselves; but he had the wisdom not to hint at this.
"If you can frighten him, he'll press it on."