Читать книгу Payment Deferred. Psychological Thriller онлайн

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Just for a brief space Mr Marble regained full control over himself, and he made a brief and unavailing struggle against the inevitable which a stronger power within him was forcing upon him. He began to talk again on the subject of Medland’s money—the subject on which his lack of decent reticence had already annoyed his guest.

‘So you’re quite a well-off young man now, it seems?’ he said, with exasperating joviality.

‘I suppose so,’ was the curt reply.

‘A good bit to spare for investments, I suppose?’

It was a blundering way of putting it, and it failed. Even on the voyage over more than one man had come to Medland with get-rich-quick schemes, and he had contrived to see through them. And so many people had borrowed money from him that the process was both familiar and annoying to him. Medland determined to stop this attempt once and for all. It might be awkward for a bit, but it would save endless trouble in the future. He looked straight into Marble’s eyes.

‘No,’ he said, ‘I haven’t any to invest. I’m quite satisfied with the arrangement that my father made before he died. I’ve got just enough, and no more. And I put up with it.’