Page:Herbert Jenkins - The Rain Girl.djvu/105

 "You are my sister's only son."

He recognised the grim note of duty in his aunt's voice. As he did not reply she continued:

"And it is my duty to"

"Couldn't we leave duty out of the question," he suggested, "at least for the present?"

"I demand an explanation, Richard," continued Lady Drewitt inexorably.

"There's very little to tell," said he. "I started out on my adventure, and at the end of the first day I got pneumonia. That meant five weeks spent at 'The Two Dragons,' with a sort of musical-comedy doctor and an insane nurse. Incidentally it cost me well over fifty pounds. I then decided that the country was too exciting for me, so I came back to town for a rest."

"But why are you staying at the Ritz-Carlton?"

"It does as well as any other place," was the response, "although I must confess that in poaching eggs they are not inspired, but then I never liked eggs; still, their bisque à l'écrevisse leaves little room for criticism."

"What does it cost you there?"

"I really haven't been into the financial aspect of the affair," said Beresford. "I should say roughly from twenty-five to thirty pounds a week. It's really quite moderate as things are."

Lady Drewitt gasped; but recovered herself instantly.

"And you have about two hundred pounds left," she said, making a swift mental calculation.