‘I’m sorry I called him a cad,’ she said. ‘He’s only a cad in his office perhaps. My dear, did you see the crocodile holding a tray for cards? What an awful house.’
‘Nice books,’ said Charles.
‘Very. He’s worthy of them too: he really likes them. Perhaps they’ll civilise him. Do you know, I feel rather a brute for having gone there.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I don’t like him. But he’s kind; and that makes it worse. What does he think about apart from his books? Just money, I suppose. I won’t go there again anyhow.’
‘Until he gets the Leonardo book.’
She sighed.
‘I shall have to then, if he asks me,’ she said. ‘Or couldn’t you manage to steal it?’
Charles made no definite promise on this point, and they walked on for a little in silence.
‘I’m not even quite certain if I do dislike him,’ she said.