“Oh, you wouldn’t refuse a lady. I’m sure you wouldn’t.”
“Well, since you feel so sure, Miss Braddon, go ahead with your question.”
Belle drew nearer to him, and said, with a rather sinister gleam in her lifted eyes:
“Why did you take such pains to have me fired out of my job at the Milmore Trust?”
Nick already began to suspect her of having some design that had not yet appeared on the surface, and he decided to learn of what it consisted by leading her on a little.
“It strikes me, my dear girl,” said he, smiling, “that that is a needless question.”
“Why needless, my dear Mr. Carter?” queried Belle, in bantering tones.
“Because you already know why I did it.”
“I do?”
“Yes,” nodded Nick. “Think it all over and it will probably come to you.”