He patted her shoulder reassuringly as he let her go. "I'll look after you," he said, "if you play the game."
"What game?" said Toby unexpectedly.
He looked her squarely in the eyes. "The only game worth playing," he said. "The straight game."
"Oh, I see," said Toby with much meekness. "Not cheat, you mean? Lord
Saltash doesn't allow cheating either."
"Good land!" said Jake in open astonishment.
"You don't know him," said Toby again with conviction.
And Jake laughed, good-humoured but sceptical. "Maybe I've something to learn yet," he said tolerantly. "But it's my impression that for sheer mischief and double-dealing he could knock spots off any other human being on this earth."
"Oh, if that's all you know about him," said Toby, "you've never even met him—never once."
"Have you?" questioned Jake abruptly.
She coloured up to the soft fair hair that clustered about her blue-veined temples, and turned from him with an odd little indrawn breath. "Yes!" she said. "Yes!"—paused an instant as if about to say more; then again in a whisper, "Yes!" she said, and went lightly away as if the subject were too sacred for further discussion.