Rodd accepted the soundness of this rudimentary ethic.
'He wanted half and half, but it's my own money. I signed a paper for it, and I'm not going back on my word. He wants me to. He wants me to go into the Imperium so that he can get on to some of the swells....'
The Imperium? Rodd determined that he would have the whole story out. He left her for a moment and locked the door. Then he lifted her into a chair—it was a flashy furniture-on-the-hire-system room—gave her a dose of brandy and began to ply her with questions,—
'Do you feel better?'
'Much better. I like being with you. You're so quiet. You'd understand a girl, you would. I've often wanted to come and tell you.... It fair knocked me silly when I saw you with her.'
'With whom?'
'Charley's girl.'
'Whose?'
'Charley's. Charley Mann's. He's my husband.'
Rodd was silent for some moments while he took this in.