Mr. Ventnor reached for the Madeira.
“So she's a relative of old Heythorp's,” he said. “He's a very old friend of your father's. He ought to go bankrupt, you know.”
To Bob Pillin, glowing with passion and Madeira, the idea of bankruptcy seemed discreditable in connection with a relative of Phyllis. Besides, the old boy was far from that! Had he not just made this settlement on Mrs. Larne? And he said:
“I think you're mistaken. That's of the past.”
Mr. Ventnor smiled.
“Will you bet?” he said.
Bob Pillin also smiled. “I should be bettin' on a certainty.”
Mr. Ventnor passed his hand over his whiskered face. “Don't you believe it; he hasn't a mag to his name. Fill your glass.”
Bob Pillin said, with a certain resentment:
“Well, I happen to know he's just made a settlement of five or six thousand pounds. Don't know if you call that being bankrupt.”