Page 231 of The Armor of Light
‘I’ll go,’ said Kit. They had a housekeeper, but she had finished for the day. He ran down the stairs and opened the door.
The caller was Sport Culliver, wearing a red top hat. He said abruptly: ‘I need to talk to Roger.’
‘And good evening to you, too, Sport,’ said Kit sarcastically.
‘Never mind the courtesies.’
Kit turned and shouted: ‘Are you in to Sport Culliver?’
Roger replied: ‘You’d better let him in.’
Kit said: ‘He will be delighted to see you.’ He closed the door and led Sport up the stairs.
Keeping his hat on, Sport sat down without being asked, choosing a chair opposite Roger. ‘Time’s up, Roger,’ he said.
‘I haven’t got any money,’ Roger said. ‘Why are you wearing that stupid hat?’
Kit said: ‘Oh, Lord save us. Have you been gambling with borrowed money?’
Roger looked shamefaced and did not answer.
Sport said: ‘Yes, he has, and he was supposed to pay me yesterday.’
Kit had long suspected that Roger might be breaking his promise, so the revelation was not as much of a shock as it might have been. He refrained from saying anything about the promise now: Roger was already miserable enough. ‘Oh, Rodge,’ he said. ‘How much do you owe?’
Sport answered the question. ‘Ninety-four pounds, six shillings and eight pence.’
Now Kit was shocked. ‘We haven’t got that much!’ he said.
Sport said: ‘How much have you got?’
Kit was about to tell him, but Roger spoke first. ‘Never mind that,’ he said. ‘You’ll get your money, Sport. I’ll pay you tomorrow.’
Kit was sure he was bluffing.
Sport suspected the same. ‘I’ll give you until tomorrow,’ he said. ‘But if you fail again, you’ll have to have a meeting with Frogeye and Bull.’
Kit said: ‘Who are they?’
Roger answered the question. ‘They work for him, throwing drunks out and beating up men who owe him money.’
‘What’s the point of that?’ said Kit. ‘If someone hasn’t got the money, he still won’t have it after he’s been beaten.’
Sport said: ‘But other people will be scared of trying to cheat me.’ He stood up. ‘See me tomorrow, or see Frogeye and Bull the day after.’
He left the room. Kit followed him down the stairs. Sport opened the door himself and walked away without speaking. Kit closed it and went back up the stairs.
Roger did not meet his eye but said: ‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’ve let you down.’
Kit put his arm around Roger and said: ‘Never mind that. What are we going to do?’
‘It’s not your problem. You’re not involved, you’ve never gambled.’
‘What do you think I’m going to do, wait for the men with funny names to come here and beat you?’
‘I’ll be gone before they get here. I’ll have to leave tomorrow.’
Kit was hurt. How could Roger talk about leaving him? He said: ‘But where would you go? What would you do?’
