A waiter was passing.
"Bring me a brandy," he said hoarsely, "a double brandy."
Christina had only wanted water.
VII
"What flabbergasts me is Ronnie's willingness to go against Steppe," said the doctor, just before he dropped Sir John at his chambers.
He had done most of the talking since they left Vivaldi's and Maxton had been content that he should.
"I can only suppose that Ronnie has had a row with Jan."
"Tell me this, Merville," said Sir John, leaning his arms on the edge of the door and speaking into the car, "if you believe that Steppe is the rascal I pretty well know him to be, why are you allowing Beryl to marry him?"
An awkward question for the doctor.