"Yes, but I'm afraid I shan't." Alexandra felt faint.
"I don't think we shall either. It's my belief we've been done. Did he give you lessons?"
"Five."
"I had five, too," nodded the girl. "Two pounds I paid the blighter. He said I'd suit Mr. Haines a treat. Read me a letter saying he wanted a fair girl with a good figure and contralto voice— What's that? It was a 'tall and dark' to you! My hat! What did you pay?"
"I gave him a pearl ring."
"O-oh!" Her eyes went round. "I saw it on his finger. Then you were hard up?"
"I had the ring, but not the money to pay him."
"And I had the money. And I haven't got it now."
One of the girls who had gone to make enquiries below came up again.
"Thought I'd come and tell you," she panted. "It's true. He's gone, right enough. The piano was hired and it's been fetched away. He's done seventeen of us, the beast! His name isn't Norburton at all, but Easton or Weston, I forget which. If the real Mr. Norburton or Maurice Haines heard what he'd been up to they'd prosecute him. He's just been using their names to cod us. Oh, I'd like to—to—" The unspoken threat tailed off in a resigned sigh. "Well, there's a voice-trial at Daly's at 11.30. I'm off."