“I only wanted to know if you had. You have got a very tell-tale face, and now I can see for myself. Was it Eileen!”
“Are you going through this cross-examination with all your partners?” with a touch of sarcasm.
“It wouldn’t be necessary. You are the only one likely to use me as a makeshift.”
“You are in a beastly temper this morning.”
“Oh no, I’m not,” good-naturedly. “I only had reasons of my own for wanting to know. I suppose Eileen was already promised to Lawrence Blake!”
“It was like his impudence,” savagely.
“I don’t see that. ‘First come, first served,’ is a perfectly fair rule. You should have been sharper and got there before him. You see you’re too late in this quarter also.”
“What! Have you promised too?”
“Yes; yesterday.”
Jack bit his lip and felt furious with himself and all the world.