He was moderate—far more moderate than Birnie had expected. He took £500, certainly, but he came for no more. All the favours he asked from the doctor after that were quite remote from financial ones.
Birnie hated Marston, because he felt he was dangerous. He was a link with a time Birnie would much rather forget. Further, Marston was unscrupulous, and he never knew to what extent he might not trade on the secrets of the past.
Old Heckett was another of his bètes noires, but he was civil to him for the sake of peace. Now and again, during the years that had elapsed since Ralph’s death, Heckett had come for a loan, pretending he was hard up, and he had had it; but the old man had been given pretty plainly to understand that if he took liberties things might be made uncomfortable for him.
The balance of power was certainly on Birnie’s side in Heckett’s case. The relative position of the men left the one completely master of the other.
But, with regard to Marston, Birnie knew positively nothing, except that he had left the country in a hurry and gone to America, where it was fondly hoped he had broken his neck long ago.
When, at the interview in which he requested an introduction to Grigg and Limpet, Marston mentioned his intention of looking up Egerton, Birnie was vexed. He had very good reasons for wishing to keep Egerton away from Marston’s influence if he wanted to retain his own.
More than that, he feared that Marston might have designs upon Egerton’s banking account, and he determined, if possible, to stop the meeting.
Marston, however, had been too quick for him. He had seen Gurth, and had a long chat with him before Birnie arrived.
The doctor was agreeably surprised to find that no money had been asked for. On the contrary, Marston had informed his former comrade that he had been remarkably lucky, was doing well, and hoped to permanently establish himself in this country. His ambition was to make a fortune as financier, and eventually enter Parliament and shine in the political world.
When Egerton told Birnie this the latter was honestly astonished.