"What lady?"
"A Miss Lambert. He told her she had been to the Zoological Gardens with——"
Hancock raised his hand. "Don't go on," he said, "I know it all."
"You know it all?"
"Yes, and I have given Bridgewater a right good dressing down—meddling old stupid!"
Leavesley was greatly taken back at this.
"It's not his fault," continued Hancock. "It's your aunt's fault; she put him on to spy. However, it's rather a delicate subject, and we won't pursue it, but"—suddenly and in a friendly tone—"I take it very kindly of you to come round and tell me this."
"I thought I'd better come," said the young man; "besides, the thing put me in such a wax. Of course, if he was egged on by aunt, it's not so much his fault."
"I take it very kindly of you, and we'll say no more about it." He lapsed into meditation, and Leavesley sat filled with a vague feeling of surprise.