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At last there came a discreet knock at the door, and an elderly clean-shaven person with the manners of a retired butler appeared noiselessly upon the threshold. He bowed slightly to us both. "Lord Lammersfield wishes to see you, gentlemen. If you will be good enough to follow me, I will conduct you to his presence."
Charming as it was to think of George in the affectionate clutch of a policeman, I could almost have wept at the idea of being robbed of my own little interview with him, to which I had been looking forward for so long. It was Lammersfield who broke in on my disappointment. "I should imagine," he said considerately, "that you two, as well as Latimer, must be half starving.
He entered the room in an energetic, fussy sort of manner, and came bustling across to Lord Lammersfield, who had risen from the table to meet him. He was followed by a grey-haired, middle-aged man, who strolled in quietly, looked across at Latimer, and then threw a sharp penetrating glance at Tommy and me. It was Lammersfield who spoke first.
Lammersfield smiled tolerantly: "You have been busy, Mr. Lyndon, and some of the more important facts of modern history have possibly escaped you. McCurdy resigned from the Government nearly three months ago." "But Sir George Frinton!" I exclaimed. "Why, I know the old boy; I have a standing invitation to go and look him up."
For a moment Sir George stared at me in a puzzled sort of fashion. "Very well," he said; "I think it might be arranged. As you say, she was of considerable assistance to us, even if it was unintentionally. That is a point in her favour a distinct point." "How about our friend Mr. Marwood?" put in Lammersfield pleasantly.
Lyndon," he said, "as a member of the Government, and one who is therefore more or less responsible for the law's asinine blunders, I am absolutely ashamed to look you in the face. I wonder if you add generosity to your other unusual gifts." For the second time we exchanged grips. "I have common gratitude at all events, Lord Lammersfield," I said.
"I understand," said the Home Secretary, "that this man Lyndon is actually here." With a graceful gesture Lord Lammersfield indicated where I was standing. "Let me introduce you to each other," he said. "Mr. Neil Lyndon Sir George Frinton." I bowed respectfully, and when I raised my head again I saw that the Home Secretary was contemplating me with a puzzled stare.
"Lord Lammersfield used to be at the Home Office once, so of course his influence would count for a great deal. Well, he did all that was possible for me, but about six months ago he told me that there was no chance of your being let out for another three years. It was then that I made up my mind to get to know George." I thrust my hand in my pocket and pulled out my cigarette case.
We followed him down a short narrow passage to another corridor, where he unlocked and opened a door on the left, ushering us into a small room comfortably fitted up as an office. "This is my own private den," he said; "so no one will disturb you. I will go and see if Casement has come. If so, he is probably upstairs with Lammersfield.
"I was sorry to bother you, Frinton," he said pleasantly, "but the matter has so much to do with your department I thought you ought to be present." Sir George waved away the apology. "You were perfectly right, Lord Lammersfield perfectly right. I should have come over in any case. It is an astounding story. I have been amazed positively amazed at Mr. Casement's revelations.
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