'Cousin--your cousin? I shall never be a cousin of yours.'
'No? That's hard on Guy. He's counting on the money.'
'You despicable creature!' She turned away, presenting him with a good view of her back, and put a question to Miss Bewicke. 'What is he doing here? Surely you don't allow him in your rooms?'
Mr Burton took upon himself to answer for the lady.
'I'll tell you what I'm doing here; she can't. I'm now for the first time going to tell her also. It'll be giving her a little piece of information which I know she'll value. Miss Bewicke, I've come here in search of a quarter of million of money.'
'Is that so? You really are too modest! It was surely scarcely worth your while to come for such a trifle! I need hardly say that you will find several little sums of that amount lying loose about the premises!'
'Indeed? Well, I want one; that's all.'
'Mr Burton, will you be so good as to leave my rooms?'
'I'll leave them on the wings of the wind, whatever that may be, when I have my uncle's ruby.'
'When you have what?'