But Colonel Staveley once again avoided a responsibility, for chance
made me the solver of the problem.
The very next morning, as it happens, I had a letter from my old friend
Marrable Leigh.
Marrable Leigh was one of those men who move amiably and quietly about
on Tom Tiddler's ground picking up gold and silver. He was in no
business and he was in all. He was on a Board here and a Board there,
and he had a complimentary pass on every railway in the country: a
privilege that is extended only to those who can afford to pay for it.
To the rich shall be given, and Marrable Leigh was permitted as seldom
as possible to pay for anything. Even his wine merchant implored his
acceptance of a dozen, just to try, and theatrical managers were always
sending him boxes. But he deserved his good luck, for he was a benign
and philanthropic creature, and he had the softest white hair I ever
saw.
"I wonder," he wrote, "if you know of a nice young man who could
manage a county club. There's a very fine house and estate in Surrey
going for a song, and I think it would be fun to make a residential
place of it, with plenty of lawn-tennis courts and a golf links,
billiard-rooms, and so forth. A young athletic man with brains, and
plenty of friends, but not necessarily experience. The amateur is often
best for this kind of thing. My idea is perhaps to live there myself
and make a hobby of it as well as a home. You may come in on the ground
floor if you like."
Following the line of least resistance, I took this letter at once to
"The Beck and Call."
Ben read it and her excitement was intense. I never saw her look so
animated and indeed beautiful: her colour was brilliant.
"Oh, dear!" she said, with a sigh that was sheer relief and content,
"how amazing! And to come to-day too!"
She took the telephone and called for a number.
"Is that you, Price?" she asked. "Miss Ben speaking. Is Mr. Toby
down yet? He's having breakfast. Well, tell him to come instantly to
Motcombe Street. Very important. Call a taxi for him."
"Oh, dear, how happy I am!" she said. And then she told me about Toby
and his affairs.
"Of course Toby's exactly what is wanted," she said. "He has heaps of
friends at Oxford, and there are father's club friends, too. He's very
good at games. He's mad to throw himself into something and prove that
he isn't just a dud. And there's this love trouble to incite him to do
more than his best. Don't you agree?"
"Well," I said, "it wouldn't matter if I didn't. Having come here for
advice I shall take it. But, as it happens, I do agree. I think Toby
ought to be splendid, and it is like Marrable Leigh's instinct to
fasten on that type."
When Toby came in he took fire at once. "Of course I can do it," he
said. "I'm used to managing. Although no one knew it I deputized for
our bursar lots of times, behind the scenes. And I know of a ripping
butler out of a job at this moment, at the Carterets' at Hurley, you
know," he explained to his sister. "They're giving up their house. He's
a nailer!"
Ben looked proudly at me.
"And if the governor was allowed to take a few shares it would be all
to the good," Toby continued. "It would interest him in it."
Ben looked still more proud. "Not such a fool as you thought him, this
boy," her expression seemed to say. And how true it is that opportunity
so often makes the man!
"Couldn't we see Mr. Marrable Leigh now?" Toby asked.
"I think we might ring up," I said; and we did so and made an
appointment.
Let it suffice to say that we spent a most amusing day motoring to
Fairmile Towers, exploring the house and grounds, and motoring back.
That evening Toby dined with Marrable Leigh; and the next day Miss
Marquand was again--under the rose--wearing his ring.