With an effort I mastered my impatience.
"Will you tell me where he is? Or, if he's gone, find out——"
"I don't think 'e's gorn," said Mr. Holly, looking round. "I 'alf think——There 'e is," he cried, suddenly, nodding over my shoulder. "That's 'im on the stairs, with the lady in blue."
Excitedly I swung round, to see my brother-in-law languidly descending the staircase, with Miss Childe by his side.
"Hullo," he said. "Do you mind not asking me why I'm here?"
"It's not my practice," said I, "to ask a question, the answer to which I already know." I turned to Mr. Holly and took out a one pound note. "I'm much obliged for your trouble. 'Not a bid after twenty-five pounds,' I think you said." I handed him the note, which he accepted with protests of gratitude. "You did better than you know," I added.
"May I ask," said Berry unsteadily, "if this gentleman and you are in collusion?"
"We were," said I. "At least, I instructed him to purchase some furniture for me. Unfortunately we were outbid. But it's of no consequence."
Berry raised his eyes to heaven and groaned/
"Subtraction," he said, "is not my strongest point, but I make it eighty pounds. Is that right?"