You may vivisect me to your heart's content. But
don't ask me to be an in-patient, for it can't be done. There are
reasons."
Jim frowned at him. "Do you know what will happen if you don't take
care of yourself?" he said brusquely. "You'll die."
Nick burst into a laugh, and lay back on the cushions. "I was driven
out of India by that threat," he said. "It's getting a bit stale.
You needn't be afraid. I'm not going to die at present. I'll take
reasonable precautions to prevent it. But I won't stay here, that's
flat. I tell you, man, I can't."
He glanced again at Jim, and, finding the latter closely watching him,
abruptly shut his eyes.
"I'm going to open Redlands," he said, "and I will have Olga to come
and keep house for me. It'll be good practice for her. I'll take her
back with me to-morrow, if you have no objection."
"Fine mischief you'll get up to, the pair of you," grumbled Jim.
"Very likely," said Nick cheerily. "But we shan't come to any harm,
either of us. To begin with, I shall make her wait on me, hand and
foot. She'll like that, and so shall I."
"Yes, you'll spoil her thoroughly." said Jim. "And I shall have the
pleasure of breaking her in afterwards."
Nick laughed again. "What an old tyrant you are! But you needn't be
afraid of that. I'll make her do as she's told.
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