“I don't—I don't know anything at all. I never—-”
Phyllis looked up at him. “Don't tell fibs; you know mother's borrowing money from you, and it's hateful!”
A desire to lie roundly, a sense of the cheque in his pocket, a feeling of injustice, the emotion of pity, and a confused and black astonishment about Ventnor, caused Bob Pillin to stammer:
“Well, I'm d—-d!” and to miss the look which Phyllis gave him through her lashes—a look saying:
“Ah! that's better!”
“I am d—-d! Look here! D'you mean to say that Ventnor came here about my lending money? I never said a word to him—-”
“There you see—you are lending!”
He clutched his hair.
“We've got to have this out,” he added.
“Not by the roots! Oh! you do look funny. I've never seen you with your hair untidy. Oh! oh!”