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"Playing at commerce," I remarked, "has become rather a hobby with men of leisure lately." "And women, too," Blenavon assented. "Rather an ugly hobby, I call it." A servant entered and addressed Blenavon. "The carriage is at the door, your Lordship," he announced. Blenavon glanced at his watch and rose. "I shall have to ask you to excuse me, Ducaine," he said.
He looked away from me into the fire. "It is a very difficult position," he declared, "very difficult indeed. The Prince has been more than a friend to Blenavon. He has been his benefactor. Of course he will deny this thing with contempt. Let me think it out, Ducaine." "By all means, your Grace," I answered, a little nettled at his undecided air.
I will see that you do not suffer later on. But what in Heaven's name is the meaning of this last abstraction' from the safe?" I shook my head. "The woman could never have guessed the word!" I said. "Impossible!" he agreed. "Ducaine, do you know why Lord Blenavon left England so suddenly?" "Colonel Ray knows, sir," I answered. "Ask him!" Lord Chelsford became very thoughtful.
"Lady Angela," I said slowly, "would it not be possible for you and Colonel Ray to persuade Lord Blenavon to go abroad?" She swayed for a moment as though she would have fallen, and her eyes looked at me full of fear. "You think that it would be better?" "I do." "It would break my father's heart," she murmured, "if ever he could be brought to believe it."
It was not altogether a cheerful party. Lady Angela left us the moment Blenavon produced his cigarette-case. "Do not stay too long, Mr. Ducaine," she said, as I held the door open for her. "I want a lesson at billiards." I bowed and returned to my seat. Blenavon was leaning back in his chair, smoking thoughtfully.
It is always worth while to play a little to the gallery, isn't it? Well, facts, then. The boy is warned against you, and from to-day this house is watched by picked detectives. Blenavon can avail you nothing, for he knows nothing. Such clumsy schemes as last night's are foredoomed to failure, and will only get you into trouble. You will waste your time here. Take my advice, and go!"
"I have seen them together several times." "Here?" the Duke asked sharply. "Yes, I have seen them riding on the sands, and Blenavon dined there on the night Mr. Ducaine has been speaking of." "Blenavon is a fool!" the Duke said. "This is to my mind convincing proof that he was ignorant of the woman's antecedents. At the worst he probably regarded her as an ordinary adventuress.
Then the door opened, and Blenavon entered. His arm and head were bandaged, and he walked with a limp. He was deathly pale, and apparently very nervous. He attempted a casual greeting with Ray, but it was a poor pretence. Ray, for his part, had evidently no mind to beat about the bush. "Lord Blenavon," he said, "this house is no fit place for your father's son.
"I suppose you brought some men with you?" "Half a dozen," Lord Blenavon answered, "including his Royal Highness." The Duke thrust all his letters into his drawer, and locked them up with a little exclamation of relief. "I will come down with you," he said. "Mr. Ducaine, you will join us."
I told him the plain truth, and he told me that I was a liar." "I thought that he would be difficult to convince," I remarked. "He has all the magnificent pig-headedness of his race," Ray answered. "Blenavon is Blenavon, and he can do no wrong. He would summon him home again, but fortunately the young man himself is no fool. He will not come. You told Lady Angela?" "Everything."
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