She laughed.
"You are always refreshing," she said, "because you are so very frank. Does it pay?"
"Well, you must do one of two things," said he. "You must be absolutely enigmatical or quite transparent. I am quite transparent. I want other people's money."
"Shall I draw you a small cheque?"
"No, thanks; small cheques would be no good. By the way, I have heard something about Jim Spencer.... Isn't he a friend of Marie Alston?"
Lady Brereton could not help smiling, and her inward anger licked its lips.
"Ah! you have heard that too," she said. "But who cares?"
"Any one may do precisely what they please, so far as I am concerned," said Silly Billy, "so long as it doesn't personally annoy me. So it's true, is it?"
"Dear Marie!" observed Mildred. "You see, they were engaged years and years ago. Marie told me so herself."