Page:The Painted Veil - Maugham - 1925.djvu/88

 you that. Our line is to deny everything, and if he threatens to bring an action we’ll tell him to go to hell and we’ll fight it.”

“I couldn’t go into court, Charlie.”

“Why on earth not? I’m afraid you’ll have to. God knows, I don’t want a row, but we can’t take it lying down.”

“Why need we defend it?”

“What a question to ask! After all, it’s not only you that are concerned, I’m concerned too. But as a matter of fact I don’t think you need be afraid of that. We shall be able to square your husband somehow. The only thing that worries me is the best way to set about it.”

It looked as though an idea occurred to him, for he turned towards her with his charming smile and his tone, a moment before abrupt and business-like, became ingratiating.

“I’m afraid you’ve been awfully upset, poor little woman. It’s too bad.” He stretched out his hand and took hers. “It’s a scrape we’ve got into, but we shall get out of it. It’s not ” He stopped and Kitty had a suspicion that he had been about to say that it was not the first he had got out of. “The great thing is to keep our heads. You know I shall never let you down.”

“I’m not frightened. I don’t care what he does.”

He smiled still, but perhaps his smile was a trifle forced.

“If the worst comes to the worst I shall have to tell the Governor. He’ll curse me like hell, but he’s a good fellow and a man of the world. He’ll