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"I'll go with you as far as the gate." He began to talk of Lucilla directly. I surprised him by returning abruptly to the subject of his position at Browndown. "Do you think it's wise," I asked, "to be all by yourself at night in such a lonely house as yours? Why don't you have a manservant?" "I detest strange servants," he answered. "I infinitely prefer being by myself."
When he said "I will remain at Browndown," I felt he was lying. "Why not do what Oscar asks of you?" I went on. "If you are absent, you may as well be in one place as in another. There is plenty of time still to leave Dimchurch." He looked up as suddenly as he had looked down. "Do you and Oscar think me a stock or a stone?" he burst out angrily. "What do you mean?"
"At a moment," I added, "when her temper had got the better of her and when mine had got the better of me." "Advance the hour a little," he went on, "to the time when she followed you to Browndown. Was she still out of temper, when she made her excuses to you?" "No." "Did she interfere, when Nugent took advantage of your blindness to make you believe you were talking to me?" "No."
A moment more and, just as my mind has seized it, the fair figure melts and merges into the miserable apparition of Oscar; hovering and hesitating between Browndown and the rectory; painfully conscious of the new complications introduced into his position towards Lucilla by the new state of things; and yet not man enough, even yet, to seize the opportunity, and set himself right.
For the present, no more of my new friend until we meet at Browndown. 'Special reason to congratulate ourselves on making his acquaintance." repeated Oscar, folding up the letter. "Nugent never writes in that way without a reason for it. Who can the German gentleman be?" Mr. Finch suddenly lifted his head, and looked at Oscar with a certain appearance of alarm.
Never was there a more complete investigation and never was a poorer result achieved. Substantially, nothing was discovered beyond what I had already found out for myself. Though we had none of us noticed them at the rectory, it was ascertained that the thieves had been at Dimchurch on the day when the unlucky plates were first delivered at Browndown.
"Do you happen to have seen anything of Mr. Nugent Dubourg?" I asked. "I saw him not five minutes since, ma'am." "Where?" "Going into Browndown." I started up, as if I had been struck or shot. Worthy Mr. Gootheridge stared. I wished him good-day, and went on as fast as my feet would take me, straight to Browndown. Had the brothers met in the house?
I could only wonder whether I was waking or sleeping; fit to be put into an asylum, or fit to go at large? "Come!" he said. "I will see you as far as the rectory gate. "You can't go to-night," I answered. "The last train has left hours since." "I can! I can walk to Brighton, and get a bed there, and leave for London to-morrow morning. Nothing will induce me to pass another night at Browndown.
They are on the footing of strangers from that moment, and must stand on ceremony. Delicate minds will understand why I accepted the check she had administered to me, and said no more. I went into the village alone. Managing matters so as to excite no surprise, I contrived to have a little gossip about Nugent with Gootheridge at the inn, and with the servant at Browndown.
Failing to find them, I strolled back by way of Browndown. Nugent was sitting alone on the low wall in front of the house, smoking a cigar. He rose and came to meet me, with his finger placed mysteriously on his lips. "You mustn't come in," he said; "you mustn't speak loud enough to be heard."
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