This was a subject on which he could not speak with normal politeness.
“Does it matter what she says? Bobbie, do you know what Diana tried to do? And this reveals an undreamt-of indelicacy of mind. She tried to give us the same room! A wretched little servants’ room at the top of the house. She says that Heloise is my accomplice.... It’s no laughing matter!” Bobbie was rolling helplessly in his chair. “Diana is treating me like a dog.”
Bobbie surveyed his relative critically.
“And you look a bit of a dog too in those clothes,” he said. “Where did you dig up that suit? Gordon, I’ve seen a judge send down a man for five years for wearing a suit like that. He said it revealed his criminal psychology.”
“Now, Bobbie, you’ve got to help me.” Gordon was not amused. “I’m going to get away. Once I can get to the hotel to my bag, or even if I could get to Scotland—which wouldn’t be a bad move—I’m safe. But I haven’t a penny! She made me turn out my pockets at the point of a pistol. She is the most thorough woman I have ever met. Swore that I had been trying to get at the safe and searched me for skeleton keys!”
Bobbie felt in his pockets. The trip to Ostend had exhausted most of the spare cash—and it was Sunday.
“I’m afraid I’ve no money with me,” he said. “I can get a cheque cashed at the club for a tenner——”
“That doesn’t matter,” interrupted Gordon. “I’ll tell you what I want you to do—a very simple service that you can render and will save all bother. When Diana comes——”
Here, Bobbie thought the solution was a very simple one.
“When she comes I’ll just tell her that you’re really Gordon Selsbury,” he said, and Gordon leapt up from the chair where he had been sitting.