“There’s a man come to see Mr. Downes.”
“What does he want?”
“He’s from the newspaper.”
“Tell him to come back to-morrow.”
But Jason had overheard. He rose with the napkin still tucked into the fawn-colored vest. “No, Essie.... Tell him I’ll speak to him now.”
“But, Jason....”
“Yes, Em.... I might as well get it over.”
There was no holding him now; but Emma succeeded in thrusting forward a word of advice.
“Remember, Jason, what the newspapers are like. Don’t tell them too much.”
A shadow crossed her face, and Philip thought suddenly, “Ma knows he’s lying too, and she’s afraid he’ll overdo it.” And then a more fantastic thought occurred to him—that she knew for a good reason that he was lying, that perhaps she had planned the lie to cover up an earlier one.