He was surprised, and again perhaps a trifle amused.
"You don"t suppose I should have come of my own accord? I hate coming."
"Oh, don"t say that! We"re always friends, always friends. But suppose you do insist on "hating" to come--well, why have you come?"
She looked at him now.
"I couldn"t help it. I refused at first, but I--I had no reason to give if I"d gone on refusing. He"d have--suspected."
"Ah!" The explanation drew an understanding nod from him.
"So I came. He"s sent me to borrow money from you."
"To borrow money? What, is John----?"
"Yes, he"s in great difficulties. He wants a lot of money at once."
"But why didn"t he come himself? It"s rather odd to----"
"I suppose he hated it too. He has done it once. I mean, he"s been to Grantley Imason. And--and he thought--you"d be more likely to do it if I asked."
"Did he? Does that mean----?"
"No, no, not in the least. He only thought you were--that you liked pretty women." She held out a piece of paper. "He"s put it all down there. I think I"d better give it to you. It says what he wants, and when he must have it, and how he"ll pay it back. I promised to tell you all that, but you"d better read it for yourself."
He took the paper from her and studied it. She looked round the room, which she had known very well. It was quite unchanged. Then she watched him while he read. He had grown older, but he had not lost his attractiveness. For a moment or two she forgot the present state of things.
"Fifteen thousand! It"s a bit of money!" This remark recalled Christine"s thoughts. "Has Imason lent him that?"
"Yes, on the same terms that he suggests there."
"Well, Imason"s a good fellow, but he"s a banker, and--well, I should think he expects to get it back. I say, John"s been having a bit of a plunge, eh? Consequently he"s in deep water now? Is he very much cut up?"
"Terribly! It means ruin, and the loss of his reputation, and--oh, I don"t know what besides!"
"Poor old John! He"s a good chap, isn"t he?"
She made no answer to that, and he muttered:
"Fifteen thousand!"
"Frank," she said, "I"ve done what I had to do, what I promised to. I"ve shown you the paper; I"ve told you how much this money means to us; I"ve told you it means avoiding ruin and bankruptcy and all that disgrace.
That"s what John made me promise to tell you, and its all I have to tell you from him. I"ve done what I said I would on his behalf."
"Yes, yes, that"s all right. Don"t distress yourself, Christine. I just want to have another look at this paper, and to think it over a little.
It is a goodish bit of money, you know. But then old John"s always been a good friend of mine, and if times weren"t so uncommon bad----"
He wrinkled his brow over the paper again.
"And now I have to speak on my own account. Frank, you must find some good, some plausible, reason for refusing. You mustn"t lend John the money."
"Hallo?"
He looked up from the paper in great surprise.
"You see, John doesn"t know the truth," she answered.
He rose and stood by the fire, looking down on her thoughtfully.
"No, of course he doesn"t, or--or you wouldn"t be here," he said after a pause.
Then he fell into thought again.
"And if he did know, he"d never ask you for the money," she said.
Caylesham made a wry little grimace. That might be true of John, but he would hesitate to say the same about every fellow. Christine, however, did not see the grimace.
"And you don"t want me to lend it--not though it means all this to John?"
"I don"t want you to lend it, whatever it means. Pray don"t lend it, Frank!"
"Is that---- Well, I don"t quite know how to put it. I mean, is that on John"s account or on your own?"
"I can"t give you reasons; I can"t put them in words. It"s just terribly hateful to me."
He was puzzled by the point of view, and still more by finding it in her. Perhaps the last six years had made a difference in her way of looking at things; they had made none in his.
"And if I do as you wish, what are you going to say to John? Are you going to say to him that in the end you told me not to lend the money?"
"Of course not. I shall say that you said you couldn"t; you"ll have to give me the reasons."
He looked discontented.
"It"ll look rather shabby," he suggested.
"Oh, no! It"s a large sum. It would be quite likely that it wouldn"t be convenient to you."
"Is he expecting to get it?"
"I don"t think that has anything to do with it. I suppose--well, drowning men catch at straws."
She smiled dolefully.
The phrase was unlucky for her purpose. It stirred Caylesham"s pity.
"Poor old John!" he murmured again. "What"ll he do if he doesn"t get it?"
"I don"t know--I told you I didn"t know."