"I lost a bit at Monte," he admitted. "I was winning pots of money at
first, and then all at once my luck turned and I lost the lot."
"And more, too, I suppose?" suggested Ann rather wearily.
He nodded.
"I shall get it all back at cards, though," he assured her.
"Have you got any of it back yet?" she asked pointedly.
"No, But it stands to reason my run of bad luck must turn sooner or later.
Come on back to the ball-room and let's dance this, Ann--don't lecture me
any more, there's a dear."
She yielded to those persuasive, long-lashed eyes of his, and they
returned to the ball-room and finished the remainder of the dance. But her
conversation with Tony had added to the oppression of her spirits. She felt
sure, from the way he shirked the subject, that he was getting himself
into financial difficulties again, and if the matter came to Sir Philip's
ears she was afraid that this time it might end in an irreparable cleavage
between uncle and nephew. The former had paid Tony's debts so often, and
on the last occasion he had warned him very definitely that he would never
do so again. And Ann was fain to acknowledge that one could hardly blame
the old man if by this time he had really reached the limits of his
patience--and his purse.
Pages:
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400