“Mangane. Permangane. What play does that remind me of? Oh, I know: Potash and Perlmutter.”
Mangane laughed and rose to his feet.
“You’ve been studying Mr. Pelman,” he said. “Well, I must go and earn my keep. Thank you so much, Miss Fratten.”
When he had gone, Inez turned to her brother.
“Anything the matter?” she asked.
He was silent for a minute, staring at the fire. He looked very slim and young in his well-cut blue suit, but there were dark shadows under his eyes and his skin did not look healthy.
“Why do you ask that?” he said at last.
“Why are you dining here tonight?”
“Is it as bad as all that?—Do I only dine here when something’s the matter?”
She nodded.