“I understand all that, Nicholas—”
“Call me Nick. I ain’t stuck up if I am most a man. Call me pet names, dearest.”
And Nicholas laughed loudly at his witty quotation.
“Just as you prefer. Nick, then, I understand your object. But what made you think I wanted to sell the violin?”
It was Nick’s turn to be surprised.
“Ain’t there goin’ to be an auction of your father’s things?” he said.
“Yes; but the violin is mine, and I am not going to sell it.”
“You’ll have to,” said Nick.
“What do you mean by that, Nicholas Holden?” said Philip quickly.
“Because you’ll have to sell everything to pay your father’s debt. My father said so this very morning.”