“Hmm. Very good. Perhaps I wasn’t a fool,” he was thinking.
“Do you know Mr. Curtis?” he demanded.
“Yes, sir.” This came very shortly.
“Should you call him—er, a hard man?” asked Nicholas smoothly.
Again amazement fell on Jessop’s soul, revealing itself momentarily in his features. And again the amazement was concealed.
“He’s a good business man, sir,” came the cautious reply.
“You mean—?” suggested Nicholas.
“A good business man isn’t ordinarily what you’d call tender-like,” said Jessop grimly.
Nicholas flashed a glance of amusement at him.
“I suppose not,” he replied dryly.