"Still, you made conditions?"
"No. I made—a mental reservation."
"She seems to be aware of the circumstances that influenced you. She thinks you've gone back on your word."
"I have gone back on nothing. My word's sacred. The woman lies."
"She sticks to it that the promise was made, that on the strength of it she invested a certain sum of money through her solicitors, that they advanced the money on that security and you advised the investment."
"I did not advise it. I advised her to give it up. I wrote to her. You took down the letter…. No, you didn't. I copied that one myself."
"Have you got it? I'd better show it her."
"Yes. It's—it's—confound it, it's in my private drawer."
"Can't I find it?"
He hesitated. He didn't like the idea of anybody, even little Barbara, rummaging in his private drawer, but he had to choose the lesser of two evils, and that letter would put the matter beyond a doubt.