‘He seems to have been equally fortunate,’ said Shield dryly.
Ludovic cocked an intelligent eyebrow. ‘Now what might you mean by that?’ he inquired.
‘Not quite equally,’ said Miss Thane, with a smile.
‘No,’ admitted Shield. ‘He did underrate me a trifle.’
Ludovic perched on the edge of the table, swinging one leg. ‘Oh, so you think it’s a trap, do you? Nonsense! Why should you? He can never have had more than a suspicion of my being here, and you may depend upon it we have convinced him that he was mistaken.’
‘I do not depend upon anything of the kind,’ replied Shield. ‘In fact, I am astonished at the crudity of this trap. Consider a moment, Ludovic! He has told me that he will be in London to-night, that he has given the servants leave of absence, and that the bolt is off one of the library windows. If you are fool enough to swallow that, at least give me credit for having more common sense!’
‘Oh well!’ said Ludovic airily. ‘One must take a risk now and again, after all. Basil daren’t lay a trap for me in his own house. Damn it, man, he can’t take me prisoner and hand me over to the Law! It wouldn’t look well at all.’
‘Certainly not,’ answered Sir Tristram. ‘I have no fear of Basil himself coming into the open, but you are forgetting that he has a very able deputy in the shape of that valet of his. If his servants were to catch you in the Dower House, and hand you over to the Law as a common thief, you would be identified, and beyond any man’s help while Basil was still discreetly in London. He would dispose of you without incurring the least censure from anyone.’
‘Well, they may try and take me prisoner if they like,’ said Ludovic. ‘It’ll go hard with them if they do.’
Miss Thane regarded him in some amusement. ‘Yes, Ludovic, but it will make everything very awkward if you are to leave a trail of corpses in your wake,’ she pointed out. ‘I cannot help feeling that Sir Tristram is right. He is one of those disagreeable people who nearly always are.’
Ludovic thrust out his chin a little. ‘I’m going to take a look in that priest’s hole if I die for it!’ he said.
‘If you go, you’ll go alone, Ludovic,’ said Sir Tristram.
Ludovic’s eyes flashed. ‘Ratting, eh? I’ll get Clem in your stead.’
‘You may take it from me that Clem won’t go with you on this venture,’ replied Sir Tristram.
‘Oh, you’ve been working on him, have you? Damn you, Tristram, I must find the ring!’
‘You won’t do it that way. It’s to run your head into a noose. You’ve a better hope than this slender chance of finding the ring in a priest’s hole.’
‘What is it?’ Ludovic said impatiently.
‘Basil’s valet,’ replied Shield. ‘He lodged the information against you. I judge him to be fairly deep in Basil’s confidence. How deep I don’t know, but I’m doing what I can to find out.’
‘I dare say he is, but what’s the odds? Depend upon it, he’s paid to keep the Beau’s secrets. Slimy rogue,’ Ludovic added gloomily.
‘No doubt,’ agreed Shield. ‘So I have set Kettering to work on him. If he knows anything, you may outbid Basil.’
‘Who is Kettering?’ interrupted Miss Thane. ‘I must have everything made clear.’
‘Kettering is the head groom at the Court, and one of Ludovic’s adherents. His son works for the Beau, and he is on good terms with the servants at the Dower House. If he can put it into Gregg’s head that I am collecting evidence that will make things look ugly for Basil, we may find it quite an easy matter to induce the fellow to talk. Have patience, Ludovic!’
‘Oh, you’re as cautious as any old woman!’ said Ludovic. ‘Only let me set foot in the Dower House –’
‘You may believe that I am too much your friend to let you do anything of the kind,’ said Sir Tristram, with finality.
Eleven
Ludovic, knowing his cousin too well to attempt to argue with him once his mind was made up, said no more in support of his own plan, but left Miss Thane to entertain Shield while he went off to try his powers of persuasion upon the hapless Clem. Quite forgetting that he must not run the risk of being seen by any stranger, he walked into the tap-room, saying: ‘Clem, are you here? I want you!’
Clem was nowhere to be seen, but just as Ludovic was about to go away again, the door on to the road opened, and a thick-set man in a suit of fustian walked into the inn. Ludovic took one look at him, and ejaculated: ‘Abel!’
Mr Bundy shut the door behind him, and nodded. ‘I had word you was here,’ he remarked.
Ludovic cast a quick glance towards the door leading to the kitchen quarters, where he judged Clem to be, and grasped Bundy by one wrist. ‘Does Nye know you’re here?’ he asked softly.
‘No,’ replied Bundy. ‘Not yet he don’t, but I’m wishful to have a word with him.’