He laughed softly—an unpleasant way he had in situations where most people would consider it only decent to keep grave.
"He has left me something. A bad debt."
"What have you got to do with his bad debts? Nobody can come down on you to pay them." She paused. A horrible thought had struck her. "Can they? You don't mean to say they can?"
He shook his head and struggled with his monstrous mirth.
"Keith! What 'ave you done? You surely haven't been backing any bills?"
He laughed outright this time, for the sheer misery of the thing.
"No, oh dear me, no. Not in your sense at least."
"There isn't any other sense. Either you did or you didn't; and I think you might tell me which."
"It's not quite so simple, dear. I didn't back his bills, d'you see, but I backed him.'
"Can they make you responsible? Have they got it down in black and white?"