He paused before he added,
“Of course he might think that there are a great number of pictures here and in my country house, which could easily be changed for a fake without anyone being aware of it.”
Alvita gave a cry of horror.
“Please, please you must – stop him!”
“I am thinking that is what I should do,” he replied. “But I am not quite certain how I can do it without making a major scene.”
He sighed as he carried on,
“After all everybody in London knows that we have precious things to sell in this house and I have no wish for there to be any suspicions about them or doubts on what belongs to me.”
“Of course not,” Alvita agreed. “I never thought for a moment that Nicholas was not – completely straight-forward and honest.”
“I was stupid enough too,” Charles said. “Except now I
