"So she said nothing of the annuity from Lord Derrington?"
"No. It wasn't to her interest to do so. She could hold her tongue when she liked. We very often quarreled, but on the whole we were as good friends as two women well could be who had loved the same man."
George rose to go. "Thank you for telling me so much, Miss Bull," he said. "What was the name of the woman who loved my father?"
"Oh, she was a common woman who kept a shop. Velez was the name."
"Velez," cried George; and added to himself: "So that is how Lola knows."
CHAPTER XIX
[THE INQUIRY AGENT]
As George stepped out of the front door he came face to face with Bawdsey, who was mounting the steps. The man seemed excited, and carried a carelessly folded newspaper which he had apparently been reading. He did not seemed pleased to meet Brendon, and looked at him in a suspicious manner.
"I didn't expect to see you here!" he said, with a certain degree of roughness.
"I did not know that this house was interdicted to me," replied Brendon, sharply. He liked neither the tone nor the peremptory manner of Bawdsey, and, moreover, was not prepossessed in his favor by the report which Lord Derrington had made of the man's duplicity. "I am glad to meet you, however," continued George, "as I wish to have a few words."