Mr Holland resolved to plunge.
'He says you have a ruby ring of his.'
'He says?--who says?'
'My uncle--in his will.'
Miss Bewicke laid down her knife and fork. 'Mr Holland, do I understand that you intend to suggest that I have in my possession another person's property?'
'It's like this. He had a ruby ring, I know it very well. In his will he says you have it. He may have given it to you for all I know; he did queer things--'
'Thank you.'
'I don't mean that.'
'It doesn't matter. Go on.'
'Anyhow, it's a condition of his will that I'm to get it back from you, and if I don't get it back within three months of his death I'm to lose his money.'