“I knew as I spoke from the expression on Jacob’s face that he only half-believed me, but he had no wish to refuse to do what the Earl wanted. He sent the groom away, telling him to come back for an answer in two hours’ time and then he said to me, ‘you’ve got two hours to fix it all up.’”
“‘I’ll fix it,’ I said, ‘but now I want to know how much you are soaking his Lordship for.’
‘“That’s my business!’ Jacobs said, ‘But I’ll make it worth your while and the girl’s. I’ll give you fifty pounds all in. You pay the girl what she wants for her services and I’ll keep the rest.’”
D’Arcy Archer sighed.
“I knew that ‘the rest’ would be a jolly heavy amount, but I was not disposed to argue. I knew that Lucille would not come cheap, but I also happened to know that she was hard up at the moment,
