Beggar’s Choice Read Online Free PDF Page A

suddenly.
    The sheer, bright daring of her glance was like light flashing on water—blue shallow water. It flickered across his face, dwelt a moment, and was gone.
    â€œFive hundred pounds?” said Car.
    This time he got a nod, quite cool and steady.
    â€œWhat for?”
    â€œTo pick up the bits.”
    â€œWhat bits?”
    Fay put her forehead against the edge of the mantelpiece. She spoke down into the dusty grate.
    â€œI, told you I’d got into a hole. It’ll take five hundred pounds to get me out of it. That’s all.”
    â€œOh, that’s all?”
    â€œYes. Car, what a beast you are!”
    â€œI don’t mean to be a beast—but you’ve got to do the talking. What have you been doing?”
    Fay was silent; and when she was silent, the whole room was silent too. She and Car might have been dead; or she might have been dead, and Car as far away as Peter. She wondered with a curious prick of anger whether Car would care if she were dead, and in a moment the anger mounted and loosened her tongue.
    â€œAll right, I’ll talk. But you won’t like it.” She flung up her head and looked straight in front of her. “I took some money.”
    There was a pause before Car said, “Yes? Who from?”
    â€œMy beastly shop, of course. Delphine asks for it, she’s so careless. She leaves checks lying about for days. Days? Weeks—months is more like it. Well, I took one and cashed it. They know me at the bank, and it wasn’t crossed—some of her customers are as careless as she is. And then, as luck would have it, there was a row, and I only just got off by the skin of my teeth.”
    Car’s hand came down on her shoulder.
    â€œWhat are you talking about? You’re not—in earnest?”
    She pulled away from him with a jerk.
    â€œOf course I am. You don’t suppose I think this is amusing, do you? I was very nearly for it, and I’ve never been less amused in my life.”
    His hand fell to his side.
    â€œAnd you’ve got to find the money—five hundred pounds?”
    â€œNot exactly. That’s only the beginning of it.”
    â€œOh—that’s only the beginning?”
    She stamped her foot.
    â€œI said so! Don’t look at me like that!”
    Car didn’t want to look at her at all. He said,
    â€œGo on.”
    â€œI got the money all right.”
    â€œMay I ask how?”
    â€œYes—that’s the point—I got it from a man.”
    â€œWhat sort of man?”
    â€œA man called Fosicker. I—met him——”
    Car raised his eyebrows. He said with cold conviction,
    â€œYou met him. You mean you picked him up?”
    Just for a moment Fay looked around at him. He wondered if she was going to strike him, but the look was all the blow he got. Then, as she turned away, he heard her say in a confused, choking voice,
    â€œYou never—took me—out.”
    He felt utterly bewildered. What did she mean? They were talking about money.… He got back to it with a determined effort.
    â€œThis man lent you money?”
    â€œHe gave it to me”—with a toss of the head.
    â€œFor nothing?” said Car with bitter irony.
    â€œNo—of course not. I’m not a fool. I didn’t expect him to. But I can look after myself. It wasn’t what you think.”
    â€œWhat was it?” said Car gravely. This was Peter’s wife.
    â€œIt was a business arrangement.” Fay’s tone had hardened. The worst was over. She let go of the mantelpiece and began to light another cigarette. The bit about the check was the worst. Men fussed so about things like that, and Car——
    Car was speaking:
    â€œWill you go on?”
    â€œWell, he let me have the money, and I said—that is I—agreed—I—it’s rather difficult to explain.”
    â€œIt seems to be. But I think you’d better try.”
    â€œWell, he had a