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Then he seized the candle which he had himself blown out, lighted it from the candle at the far end of the table and held it up above his head so that the light fell clearly upon Faversham's face. He stood looking at Faversham for an appreciable time. Then he said quietly, "I will not fight you to-night."
Owing to the great thickness of the walls, the distance of Faversham's room from the scene of action, and the vigilance of his nurse, who would allow no traffic whatever through the front hall, the patient was protected from the noise of workmen in the house, and practically knew nothing of the operations going on. Melrose appeared every evening as usual, and gave no hint.
Captain Plessy leaned back in his chair and filled his glass. Lieutenant Faversham's tone was not that of a man inviting confidence. But the Captain's brains were more than a little fuddled, he repeated the name over to himself once or twice with the chuckle which asks for questions, and since the questions did not come, he must needs proceed of his own accord.
But this thing's brought me up sharp. One may think as one likes of Faversham's conduct but you knew and I know that he's not the man to pay another man to commit murder!" "And that's what they'll say?" The colour had rushed back into her cheeks. "That's what some fool might say, because of the grudge against him. Well, now, we've got to find the murderer!"
But at the end of it the two men were each secretly conscious that the other jarred upon him; and in spite of the tacit appeal made by Faversham's physical weakness and evident depression to Tatham's boundless good-nature, there had arisen between them at the end an incipient antagonism which a touch might develop.
Mackworth that was the old boy's name was lecturing, and Faversham came down to help him show his cases. Faversham's own ring was supposed to be something special, and Mackworth talked no end about it. Goodness! so that's the man. Of course I must go and see him! ask after him anyway." But the tone had grown suddenly dubious. Lady Tatham's eyebrows rose slightly. "Go to Threlfall, Harry?"
"I am expecting Phoebe," she answered. "Mark has taken some rooms in Weymouth Street and we are invited to inspect them to-day." Colonel Faversham chuckled as she left the house. Nothing could suit his purpose better! She would never, he felt certain, be content to stay at home under the new Mrs. Faversham's regime, and her own marriage would prove an admirable solution of the difficulty.
Then he turned an intent and evil eye on Faversham. "I have now something of a quite different nature to say to you. You have, I imagine, expected it. You will, perhaps, guess at it. And I cannot imagine for one moment that you will make any difficulty about it." Faversham's pulse began to race. He suspended his cigarette. "What is it?"
"I wish you wouldn't be so dreadfully mysterious," she answered. "Now, why can't you tell me what it is all about?" He could not see his way to gratify her. Bridget had insisted that the engagement had remained a secret at Colonel Faversham's wish, and Jimmy had no wish to make things unpleasant for him at home.
He reported in his morning letter that he had passed some of the night in conversation with Faversham, and wished immediately to pass on certain facts learnt from it, first of all to Tatham, and then to any friend of Faversham's they might concern. He told, accordingly, the full story of the gems, leading up to the quarrel between the two men, as Faversham had told it to him.
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