“A suvran!” He cackled with a crafty air. “More than double that!”
“More than two sovereigns?” said Jinny in tones of ingenuous admiration.
“More than double that!”
“More than four sovereigns?” Enthusiasm shone in her eyes through the dusk.
He hurried towards the stairs.
“You’re not going to bed?” she called with mock anxiety. “You haven’t had supper!”
“We’ll have plenty o’ supper now. He, he!” His gleeful cackle descended from the winding staircase. Before he returned, chuckling still, she had lit the lamp and put out some cold rabbit-pie and a jug of beer on the tiger-painted tray.
“A foiver!” he cried, waving it.
She snatched at the note and tore it in two and let the pieces flutter away.
“Help! Thieves! She’s robbed me,” screamed the Gaffer. He scrambled on his knees after the fragments.