Masters shook his head.
“It won’t pay you so well as iron, Master Christopher. My offer is still open.”
Christopher was so surprised that he nearly swerved into an unfenced pond they were passing.
“It was very kind of you to make it again,” Christopher managed to stammer out, adding with a bluntness worthy of Masters himself, “I never could understand why you made it at all.”
“Neither do I,” returned Peter Masters with a laugh, “and I generally know what I’m at. Perhaps I thought it would please Aymer. As I told you just now, we were friends before his accident. I suppose you’ve heard all about that?”
For a brief moment Christopher felt temptation grip him. He was convinced the man beside him knew the untold story, and at this juncture in his life he would give much to understand all those things he 199 had never questioned or ventured to consider. Then recognising disloyalty in the very thought, he hastened to escape the pitfall. It was no use to take half measures with this man, however, so he lied again boldly.
“Of course I know,” and went back again to safer ground. “Whatever your reasons, it was good of you to think of me and kinder still to renew your offer. I expect you will think me a silly fool of a boy to refuse it again.”
“Not exactly; but a boy brought up by an Aymer Aston the second.”
“That is sufficient luck for one boy to grab out of life.”
Peter Masters chuckled. “I take it, young man, you’d rather be fathered by Aymer than by me, eh?”