--AND THE LADY
And this was the extraordinary chain of events which brought young
Merriton into Mr. Narkom's office that day while Cleek was sitting there,
and on being introduced as "Mr. Headland" heard the story from Sir
Nigel's lips.
As he came to the last "And no trace of either body has ever been found,"
Cleek suddenly switched round in his chair and exclaimed:
"An extraordinary rigmarole altogether!" Meeting Merriton's astonished
eyes with his own keen ones, he went on: "The flames, of course, are a
plant of some sort. That goes without saying. But the thing to find out
is what they're there for to hide. When you've discovered that, you'll
have got half way to the truth, and the rest will follow as a matter of
course.... What's that, Mr. Narkom? Yes, I'll take the case, Sir Nigel.
My name's Cleek--Hamilton Cleek, at your service. Now let's hear the
thing all over again, please. I've one or two questions I'd like to ask."
Merriton left Scotland Yard an hour later, lighter in heart than he
had been for some time--ever since, in fact, Dacre Wynne's tragic
disappearance had cast such a gloom over his life's happiness. He had
unburdened his soul to Cleek--absolutely. And Cleek had treated the
confession with a decent sort of respect which was enough to win any chap
over to him. Merriton in fact had found in Cleek a friend as well as a
detective. He had been a little astonished at his general get-up and
appearance, but Merriton had heard of his peculiar birthright, and felt
that the man himself was capable of almost anything. Certainly he proved
full of sympathetic understanding.
Cleek understood the ground upon which he stood with regard to his
friendship with Dacre Wynne. He had, with a wonderful intuition, sensed
the peculiar influence of the man upon Nigel--this by look and gesture
rather than by use of tongue and speech. And Cleek had already drawn his
own conclusions. He heard of Nigel's engagement to Antoinette Brellier,
and of how Dacre Wynne had taken it, heard indeed all the little personal
things which Merriton had never told to any man, and certainly hadn't
intended telling to this one.
But that was Cleek's way. He secured a man's confidence and by that
method got at the truth. A bond of friendship had sprung up between them,
and Cleek and Mr. Narkom had promised that before a couple of days were
over, they would put in an appearance at Fetchworth, and look into things
more closely. It was agreed that they were to pose as friends of Sir
Nigel, since Cleek felt that in that way he could pursue his
investigations unsuspected, and make more headway in the case.
But there was but one thing Nigel hadn't spoken of, and that was the very
foolish and ridiculous action of his upon that fateful evening of the
dinner party. Only he and Doctor Bartholomew--who was as close-mouthed
as the devil himself over some things--knew of the incident of the
pistol-shooting, so far as Merriton was aware. And the young man was too
ashamed of the whole futile affair and what it very apparently proved to
the listener--that he had certainly drunk more than was good for him--to
wish any one else to share in the absurd little secret. It could have no
bearing upon the affair, and if 'Toinette got to hear of it, well, he'd
look all sorts of a fool, and possibly be treated to a sermon--a prospect
which he did not relish in the slightest.
As he left the Yard and turned into the keen autumn sunshine, he lifted
his face to the skies and thanked the stars that he had come to London
after all and placed things in proper hands. There was nothing now for
him to do but to go back to Merriton Towers and as expeditiously as
possible make up for the day lost from 'Toinette.
So, after a visit to a big confectioners in Regent Street, and another to
a little jeweller in Piccadilly, Merriton got into the train at Waterloo,
carrying his parcels with a happy heart. He got out at Fetchworth station
three hours later, hailed the only hack that stood there--for he had
forgotten to apprise any one at the Towers of his quick return--and drove
straightway to Withersby Hall.
'Toinette was at the window as he swung open the great gate. When she saw
him she darted away and came flying down the drive to meet him.
The contents of the various packages made her happy as a child, and it
was some time after they reached the house that Nigel asked some question
concerning her uncle.
Her face clouded ever so little, and for the first time Nigel noticed
that she was pale.
"Uncle has gone away for a few days," she replied. "He said it was
business--what would you? But I told him I should be lonesome in this
great house, and I--I am so frightened at those horrible little flames
that twinkle twinkle all night long. I cannot sleep when I am alone,
Nigel. I am a baby I know, but I cannot help it. It makes me feel so
afraid!"
As was usual in moments of emotion with 'Toinette, her accent became more
pronounced. He stroked her hair with a gentle hand, as though she were in
very truth the child she tried not to be.
"Poor little one! I wish I could come across and put up here for the
night. Hang conventions, anyway! And then too I have to make ready for
some visitors who will be down to-morrow or the next day."
"Visitors, Nigel?"
"Yes, dear. I've a couple of--friends coming to spend a short time with
me. Chaps I met in London to-day."
"What did you go up for, Nigel--really?"
He coloured a little, and was thankful that she turned away at that
moment to straighten the collar of her blouse. He didn't like lying to
the woman he was going to marry. But he had given his word to Cleek.
"Oh," he said off-handedly, "I--I went to my tailor's. And then stepped
in to buy you that little trinket and your precious chocs, and came
along home again. Met these fellows on my way across town. Rather nice
chaps--one of 'em, anyhow. Used to know some friends of friends of his,
girl called Ailsa Lorne. And the other one happened to be there so I
asked him, too. They won't worry you much, 'Toinette. They're frightfully
keen about the country, and will be sure to go out shootin' and snuffin'
round like these town johnnies always do when they get in places like
this.... Well, as Mr. Brellier isn't here I suppose I'd better be making
my way home again. Wish we were married, 'Toinette. There'd be no more of
these everlasting separations then. No more nightmares for you, little
one. Only happiness and joy, and--and heaps of other rippin' things.
Never mind, we'll make it soon, won't we?"
She raised her face suddenly and her eyes met his. There was a haunted
look in them that made him draw closer, his own face anxious.
"What is it, dear?" he said in a low, worried tone.
"Only--Dacre Wynne. Always Dacre Wynne these days," she replied
unsteadily. "Do you know, Nigel, I am a silly girl, I know, but somehow I
dare not think of marriage with you until--everything is finally cleared
up, and his death or disappearance, or whatever the dreadful affair was,
discovered. I feel in some inexplicable way responsible. It is as if his
spirit were standing between us and our happiness. Tell me I am foolish,
please."
"You are more than foolish," said Nigel obediently, and laughed
carelessly to show her how he treated the thing. But in his heart he knew
her feelings, knew them and fully understood. It was exactly as he had
felt about it also. The bond that bound Dacre Wynne's life to his had not
yet been snapped, the mystery of his disappearance seemed only to
strengthen it. He wondered dully when he would ever feel free again, and
then laughed inwardly at himself for making a farce of the whole thing,
for building a mountain out of a stupid little molehill. And 'Toinette
was helping him. They were both unutterably foolish. Anyhow, Cleek was
coming soon to clear matters up. He wished with all his heart that he
might tell 'Toinette, and thus relieve the tension of her mind, but he
had given his word to Cleek, and with a man of his type his word was
sacred.
So he kissed her good-bye and laughed, and went back to Merriton Towers
to prepare for their coming. But the cloud had dropped across his horizon
again, and the sun was once more obscured. There was no smile upon his
lips as he clanged the great front door to behind him.