"I put it on Ambuscade."
He turned right round now staring at her, frowning. He did not understand.
"Ambuscade started at a hundred to one." Ruby was laughing now. She moved toward him unsteadily.
"Don't play the fool," he said unsteadily. "It's no use trying to—hoodwink me."
"I put the five pounds on Ambuscade at a hundred to one. I didn't dare tell you, dear—in fact, when the news of the objection came I couldn't realise it. I've—I've got the ticket in my purse."
The frown on Rupert's face deepened. "I saw you draw some money—you had it in your purse."
"I put a couple of my own sovereigns on Paulus. I backed Ambuscade with Barrett. They have an office in Piccadilly, London. If I go down to-morrow morning they'll pay me five hundred pounds."
Rupert rose and tottered towards her. His legs gave way at the knees like a drunken man.
"Five hundred pounds!"
He kept muttering to himself over and over again. "Five hundred pounds!" He poured himself out a glass of water from the sideboard and tossed it down his throat. Then he seized Ruby roughly by the shoulders.