Jimmy had known what the answer would be; but it was scarcely less of a shock for that reason.
“Miss McEachern?” he echoed.
Lord Dreever nodded a sombre nod.
“You’re engaged to her?”
Another sombre nod.
“I don’t believe it,” said Jimmy.
“I wish I didn’t,” said his lordship wistfully, ignoring the slight rudeness of the remark. “But worse luck, it’s true.”
For the first time since the disclosure of the name Jimmy’s attention was directed to the remarkable demeanour of his successful rival.
“You don’t seem over-pleased,” he said.
“Pleased! Have a fiver each way on ‘pleased’! No, I’m not exactly leaping with joy.”