"I know. Everyone is very kind, but I can't get rid of it. It's with me all the time like a dirty shadow."
"We'll chase it away. No place like Sark for getting rid of bogeys and worries."
"How things will come out it's impossible to say. I made special enquiries into Margaret's affairs, and it's quite certain he's tampered with her money, but they could not say yet to what extent. On the other hand, certain of her securities are intact, so everything is not gone. But what I wanted to say was this. I am determined that Margaret shall not suffer, whatever may have happened. Any deficiency I shall make good myself."
"My dear fellow, she would never hear of it."
"That's why I'm talking to you."
"Well, I won't hear of it either. As I told you before, it was a trouble to me when I heard she had any money. Whatever she had I settled on herself, and we can get on very well without it."
"All the same I'm not going to have her lose anything through my—through him. Neither you nor she can stop me doing what I like with my own money."
"We can refuse to touch it."
"That would be nonsense."
"Not half as bad as you crippling yourself for life to make good what you'd never made away with."