He waved his hand with a gesture of insolent indifference that arrested her words.
“You will not be called upon to repeat the dismissal conveyed in your letter,” said he. “I may ask you to reverse your decision, but it will be a matter of business between us, in which inclination will have no part.”
“Sir,” she replied, shrinking back before his stern look, “I—I fear I do not understand you!”
“Be seated,” he requested, “and I will explain.”
She obeyed silently, with a partial recovery of her self-control. Strange as the Egyptian’s words proved, they were, after all, more bearable than his endearing protestations would have been, and in her ignorance she welcomed any topic but love.
Kāra spoke with brutal frankness.
“The scandal caused by your father’s dishonesty is too recent for you to have yet escaped its contamination,” he began. “Lord Consinor has left Cairo owing me money, a matter of some ten thousand pounds. That you may have no cause to doubt my word, please to examine this note of hand. It is witnessed by two respectable gentlemen residing in this city.”
He handed her the paper and she took it mechanically, wondering what it meant.
“According to our laws,” he resumed, “I can bring an action to recover this money against any member of Consinor’s family. I am assured such an action would ruin Lord Roane completely.”
She was afraid of him now, but drew herself up proudly.