get the police to chuck me out if you
like. You would be quite in your rights. But I imagine the effect on the
aristocratic nerves of Berkeley Square would be amusing. However--"

He looked round him--

"As Carlyle said to the old Queen, 'I'm getting old, madam, and with your
leave I'll take a chair--'"

He pushed an arm-chair forward.

"And let me make up the fire. It's beginning to freeze outside."

Lady Winton moved quickly to the fireplace, holding out a prohibiting
hand.

"There is quite enough fire, thank you. I am going out presently."

Delane sat down, and extended a pair of still shapely feet to the slender
flame in the grate.

"Dick's boots!" he said, tapping them with his cane, and looking round at
his sister. "What a lot of wear I've got out of them since he threw them
away! His overcoat, too. And now that it's the thing to be shabby, Dick's
clothes are really a godsend. I defraud Jones. But I have no doubt that
Jones gets a good deal more than is good for him."

"Look here, Roger!--suppose you stop talking this nonsense and come to
business," said Marianne Winton, in pale exasperation. "I've sent Jones
out with a note--but he'll be back directly. And I've got an appointment.
What are you doing? Have you got any work to do?"

She took a seat not far from her brother, who perceived from her tone
that he had perhaps gone as far as was prudent.

"Oh, dear, no, I've got no work to do," he said, smiling. "That's not a
commodity that comes my way. But I must somehow manage to keep a roof
over Anita and the child. So what can I do but count on your assistance,
my dear? My father left you a great deal of money which in equity
belonged to me--and I am bound to remind you of it."

"You know very well why he left you so little!" said Lady Winton. "We
needn't go into that old story. I ask you again, what do you want?" She
took out her watch. "I have just ten minutes."

"What do I want?" He looked at her with a slow, whimsical laugh. "Money,
my dear, money! Money means everything that I must have--food, coals,
clothes, doctor, chemist, buses--decent houseroom for Anita and myself--"

A shiver of revulsion ran through his sister.

"Have you married that woman?"

He laughed.

"As you seemed to think it desirable, Anita and I did take a trip to a
Registry Office about a month ago. It's all lawful now--except for our
abominable English law that doesn't legitimize the children. But"--he
sprang to his feet