She was silent, Inwardly writhing under the lash of his tongue. She wondered if Tony would ever know or guess all that this interview had cost her.
“I know I did,” she acknowledged at last in a low voice.
Brett appeared to meditate a moment. Suddenly he looked across at her with eyes that sparkled dangerously.
“I won’t take Coventry’s money,” he said deliberately. “But I tell you what I will do—I’ll let you liquidate the debt.”
“I?” She glanced at him swiftly. “I? How can I?”
“It’s quite simple. Come and have supper with me—alone—to-morrow night on board the Sphinx, and in return I’ll give you back those notes I hold of Brabazon’s—every one of them.”
“Oh, I couldn’t!” Ann drew away from him instinctively. “You know I couldn’t do that, Brett.”
He shrugged his shoulders.
“Very well, then, Tony must pay up—or go under,” he answered nonchalantly.
“No, no!” She made a quick step forward. “Brett, it isn’t fair—to ask me to do such a thing.”