He paused.
Elaine remained silent, but Larssen's vivid metaphor went home to her.
"I used to admire Matheson as a financier," pursued the shipowner. "Now I respect him as a man. He's put up the fists to me over what he believes to be his duty to the British public, and I like him all the better for it."
"You threatened Mr Matheson that you would have me dragged into a divorce court if he didn't sign agreement to your prospectus."
It was a definite statement and not a question, and from it Larssen judged that the financier had told her everything from start to finish.
"I did, and there's where my mistake lay. One mustn't threaten a man of Matheson's calibre. Please understand this, Miss Verney, all question of divorce is dead."
"It would make no difference to me."
"It was fine of you to say so to Mrs Matheson. You've pluck."
"Then you've been talking matters over with Mrs Matheson?"
"Certainly. I want to arrive at a final settlement for all of us."