"It's all settled about you, Auntiekins. I'm paying your debts, which aren't so terrific, only foolish, and giving you five hundred pounds to go on with. That, with your own income, will be all right if only you will live in the country instead of hanging on to the edge of a society which doesn't want you. Still, you do exactly as you like, dear, only remember that I shall only have just enough to live on when I've got through the thousand pounds, and don't run up any more debts."
"Why not invest the thousand, Leonie, sensibly." Susan Hetth's voice was dull, choked doubtlessly by the dust of her castle ruins.
"I've got to go to India!"
"Why, for goodness sake?"
"I don't know, Auntie, I've simply got to go!"
"How silly," said Auntie, as she forced a cigarette inartistically into a holder, adding abruptly, as her commonplace mind jumped at a commonplace loop-hole, "Where is Jan Cuxson? I should think——"
Leonie answered quickly, breaking her aunt's words.
"I have no idea! I haven't heard from him since he left England."
"Huh!" said Susan Hetth, putting up an absolute smoke screen, "and what will you do after the money is spent, pray?"
Leonie stared wide-eyed into the tobacco haze. "That," she said slowly, "is on the knees of the gods!"