"Like?”
"Well," said the other, whose first impulse on feeling pleased was to give something to somebody, "what about my car with fifty gallons of best Black Market petrol? Or your choice from the gun-racks? Or I've got the finest book of telephone-num…no, you won't want telephone-numbers if you're going to get married. Neither will I." He pondered. "You know — by the way — what's your first name?"
"Martin."
"Right! Ricky here.' Again he pondered, "You know, if we plan this carefully, I'm damn sure we can wangle it". " 'Plan carefully? What have we got to plan?" "You don't know what you're up against," Ricky said quietly. "No, wait! You think you do; but you don’t "Family opposition?"
"You say that fairly contemptuously. Maybe Jenny hasn't told you everything." Ricky brushed the palms of his hands together; then gripped them in sinewy fingers. "I don't suppose you've ever played chess with Grandmother Brayle? I have. She ought to have been a man. She wants money, and she means to get it"
Though the sun was sinking, the many little panes of the second-parlour window were still tinged with gold. With both doors and windows closed, the room was hot and stuffy. Ricky went over to the window and stared out unseeingly.
"My mother," he continued, "is wonderful. But Grandmother Brayle has got mother" — he put his thumb in the palm of his left hand, and twisted it—"like that And Dr. Laurier has more influence than anybody knows. As for Jenny…" He broke off. "Great Scott, there is Jenny!"
Martin hurried to his side.
In front of the Dragon's Rest, a slope of sun-glowing grass stretched down to the road. Across the road, beyond a short strip of grass, ran the low stone boundary-wall of Fleet House's park. Near the wall stood Jenny and Ruth Callice, apparently in casual conversation.
They made a contrast, against the trees and, somewhat towards the left, the white, square solidity of the house. Ruth wore a silk frock as though she were in London; her light-brown hair was done in some new upsweep style, with earrings. Jenny, in her white blouse and white shorts, lifted one shoulder as she spoke.