"I'll give you no advance, remember," she said quickly, for she had seen the swift glitter of joy in his eyes, at the first mention of money, and she knew full well that she could not count on the most elementary feelings of honesty on the part of this unscrupulous gambler.
"Then I can do nothing," he concluded decisively.
"What do you mean?"
"Only this, fair Cousin, that putting aside the question—a somewhat humiliating one for me, you must admit—that your refusal to place certain funds in advance in my hands, implies a singular and—if I may say so—an ill-considered want of trust on your part; putting this question aside, I say, you must understand that nothing in this present world can be accomplished without money, and I am reduced to my last shilling."
"Have I not said that £10,000 shall be yours the day that my marriage with Lord Stowmaries is irrevocably settled?"
"£12,000," he corrected suavely.
"Very well, then, £12,000. We'll have the bond duly writ out and signed."
"And you, fair Cousin, will immediately place in my hands a first instalment of £2,000."
"Failing which?"
"As I have had the honour to tell you, I can do nothing. This is my last word, fair Cousin," he added, seeing that Mistress Julia still seemed inclined to hesitate.