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〃Excellent;〃 approved the other。 〃Good morning; Goby。〃
〃Good morning; Mr Van Aldin。〃
〃That's a very useful man;〃 said the millionaire as Goby went out and his secretary came in。 〃In his own line he's a specialist。〃
〃What is his line?〃
〃Information。 Give him twenty…four hours and he would lay the private life of the Archbishop of Canterbury bare for you。〃
〃A useful sort of chap;〃 said Knighton; with a smile。
〃He has been useful to me once or twice;〃 said Van Aldin。 〃Now then; Knighton; I'm ready for work。〃
The next few hours saw a vast quantity of business rapidly transacted。 It was half…past twelve when the telephone bell rang; and Mr Van Aldin was informed that Mr Kettering had called。 Knighton looked at Van Aldin; and interpreted his brief nod。
〃Ask Mr Kettering to e up; please。〃
The secretary gathered up his papers and departed。 He and the visitor passed each other in the doorway; and Derek Kettering stood aside to let the other go out。 Then he came in; shutting the door behind him。
〃Good morning; sir。 You are very anxious to see me; I hear。〃
The lazy voice with its slightly ironic inflection roused memories in Van Aldin。
There was charm in it … there had always been charm in it。 He looked piercingly at his son…in…law。 Derek Kettering was thirty…four; lean of build; with a dark; narrow face; which had even now something indescribabiy boyish in it。
〃e in;〃 said Van Aldin curtly。 〃Sit down。〃
Kettering flung himself lightly into an armchair。 He looked at his father…in…law with a kind of tolerant amusement。
〃Not seen you for a long time; sir;〃 he remarked pleasantly。 〃About two years; I should say。 Seen Ruth yet?〃
〃I saw her last night;〃 said Van Aldin。
〃Looking very fit; isn't she?〃 said the other lightly。
〃I didn't know you had had much opportunity of judging;〃 said Van Aldin drily。
Derek Kettering raised his eyebrows。
〃Oh; we sometimes meet at the same night club; you know;〃 he said airily。
〃I am not going to beat about the bush;〃 Van Aldin said curtly。 〃I have advised Ruth to file a petition for divorce。〃
Derek Kettering seemed unmoved。
〃How drastic!〃 he murmured。 〃Do you mind if I smoke; sir?〃
He lit a cigarette; and puffed out a cloud of smoke as he added nonchalantly:
〃And what did Ruth say?〃
〃Ruth proposes to take my advice;〃 said her father。
〃Does she really?〃
〃Is that all you have got to say?〃 demanded Van Aldin sharply。
Kettering flicked his ash into the grate。
〃I think; you know;〃 he said; with a detached air; 〃that she's making a great mistake。〃
〃From your point of view she doubtless is;〃 said Van Aldin grimly。
〃Oh; e now;〃 said the other; 〃don't let's be personal。 I really wasn't thinking of myself at the moment。 I was thinking of Ruth。 You know my poor old Governor really can't last much longer; all the doctors say so。 Ruth had better give it a couple more years; then I shall be Lord Leconbury; and she can be chatelaine of Leconbury; which is what she married me for。〃
〃I won't have any of your darned impudence;〃 roared Van Aldin。
Derek Kettering smiled at him quite unmoved。
〃I agree with you。 It's an obsolete idea;〃 he said。 〃There's nothing in a title nowadays。 Still; Leconbury is a very fine old place; and; after all; we are one of the oldest families in England。 It will be very annoying for Ruth if she divorces me to find me marrying again; and some other woman queening it at Leconbury instead of her。〃
〃I am serious; young man;〃 said Van Aldin。
〃Oh; so am I;〃 said Kettering。 〃I am in very low water financially; it will put me in a nasty hole if Ruth divorces me; and; after all; if she has stood it for ten years; why not stand it a little longer? I give you my word of honour that the old man can't possibly last out another eighteen months; and; as I said before; it's a pity Ruth shouldn't get what she married me for。〃
〃You suggest that my daughter married you for your title and position?〃
Derek Kettering laughed a laugh that was not all amusement。
〃You don't think it atch?〃 he asked。
〃I know;〃 said Van Aldin slowly; 〃that you spoke very differently in Paris ten years ago。〃
〃Did I? Perhaps I did。 Ruth was very beautiful; you know … rather like an angel or a saint; or something that had stepped down from a niche in a church。 I had fine ideas; I remember; of turning over a new leaf; of settling down and living up to the highest traditions of English home…life with a beautiful wife who loved me。〃
He laughed again; rather more discordantly。
〃But you don't believe that; I suppose?〃 he said。
〃I have no doubt at all that you married Ruth for her money;〃 said Van Aldin unemotionally。
〃And that she married me for love?〃 asked the other ironically。
〃Certainly;〃 said Van Aldin。
Derek Kettering stared at him for a minute or two; then he nodded reflectively。
〃I see you believe that;〃 he said。 〃So did I at the time。 I can assure you; my dear father…in…law; I was very soon undeceived。〃
〃I don't know what you are getting at;〃 said Van Aldin; 〃and I don't care。 You have treated Ruth darned badly。〃
〃Oh; I have;〃 agreed Kettering lightly; 〃but she's tough; you know。 She's your daughter。 Underneath the pink…and…white softness of her she's as hard as granite。 You have always been known as a hard man; so I have been told; but Ruth is harder than you are。 You; at any rate; love one person better than yourself。 Ruth never has and never will。〃
〃That is enough;〃 said Van Aldin。 〃I asked you here so that I could tell you fair and square what I meant to do。 My girl has got to have some happiness; and remember this; I am behind her。〃
Derek Kettering got up and stood by the mantelpiece。 He tossed away his cigarette。 When he spoke; his voice was very quiet。
〃What exactly do you mean by that; I wonder?〃 he said。
〃I mean;〃 said Van Aldin; 〃that you had better not try to defend the case。〃
〃Oh;〃 said Kettering。 〃Is that a threat?〃
〃You can take it any way you please;〃 said Van Aldin。
Kettering drew a chair up to the table。 He sat down fronting the millionaire。
〃And supposing;〃 he said softly; 〃that; just for argument's sake; I did defend the case?〃
Van Aldin shrugged his shoulders。
〃You have not got a leg to stand upon; you young fool。 Ask your solicitors; they will soon tell you。 Your conduct has been notorious; the talk of London。〃
〃Ruth has been kicking up a row about Mirelle; I suppose。 Very foolish of her。 I don't interfere with her friends。〃
〃What do you mean?〃 said Van Aldin sharply。
Derek Kettering laughed。
〃I see you don't know everything; sir;〃 he said。 〃You are; perhaps naturally; prejudiced。〃
He took up his hat and stick and moved towards the door。
〃Giving advice is not much in my line。〃 He delivered his final thrust。 〃But; in this case; I should advise most strongly perfect frankness between father and daughter。〃
He passed quickly out of the room and shut the door behind him just as the millionaire sprang up。
〃Now; what the hell did he mean by that?〃 said Van Aldin as he sank back into his chair again。
All his uneasiness returned in full force。
There was so