It was nearly half an hour before Giles came back. He smelt of brandy and it was obvious that he had already been drinking. He set two bottles down on the table with exaggerated care in case they should upset.
“Now I want to talk to you, Celesta,” he suggested.
She guessed that the brandy had for the moment cleared his brain and his voice sounded less slurred than when they had first arrived.
“You know that I want to help you, Giles,” Celesta answered. “But please – don’t drink so much of those horrible spirits. They will only make you feel – worse.”
“What else is there for me to do in this ghastly place?” Giles asked.
“The most important thing,” Celesta answered, “is to think of how we can get you out of it. Tell me – how much do you owe?”
There was a moment’s pause and then Giles s
