‘How, my child? We see the bon papa with all the papers. The real viscount is dead, of course! How else could Robert have the papers?’
‘Good God, ma’am, do you put it above the old gentleman to steal them from a live man?’
‘There’s more to it than that.’ Prudence’s calm voice broke in. ‘A counterfeit for a day, a week, a month is very well, but even the old gentleman can’t maintain it for ever. Rensley won’t be satisfied with a few documents. There’ll be traps set, and others of no one’s setting into which he is bound to fall. Consider, ma’am, what it means suddenly to become an English peer with estates, and a large fortune! The thing’s not so easily done, I believe.’
‘There’s also the little matter of the late fracas in the North,’ said Robin. ‘Certain, he discards the black wig, and the French accent, but there must be information out against him.’
‘My children, I have faith in him!’ her ladyship declared. ‘He is as I have said – magnifique !’
Eleven
My Lord Barham in Arlington Street
When the black page announced my Lord Barham next morning both Mr and Miss Merriot were with my lady in the morning-room. My lord was ushered in, very point-de-vice, with laced gloves, and a muff of miniver, and a long beribboned cane. The muff and the cane were given into the page’s charge; the door closed behind this diminutive person, and my lord spread wide his arms. ‘My children!’ he exclaimed. ‘Behold me returned to you!’
His children maintained an admirable composure. ‘Like Jonah cast up out of the whale’s belly,’ said Robin.
My lord was not in the least put out of countenance by this coolness. ‘My son!’ He swooped upon Robin. ‘Perfect! To the last detail! My Prudence!’
Prudence submitted to a fervent embrace. ‘Well, sir, how do you do?’ she said, smiling. ‘We perceive you are returned to us, but we don’t understand the manner of it.’
He struck an attitude. ‘But do you not know? I am Tremaine. Tremaine of Barham!’
‘Lud!’ said Robin. ‘You don’t say so, sir!’
He was hurt. ‘Ah, you do not believe in me! You doubt me, in effect!’
‘Well, sir’ – Prudence sat on the arm of Robin’s chair, and gently swung one booted leg to and fro – ‘We’ve seen you as Mr Colney; we’ve seen you as Mr Daughtry; we’ve even seen you as the Prince Vanilov. You cannot altogether blame us.’
My lord abandoned his attitude, and took snuff. ‘I shall show you,’ he promised. ‘Do not doubt that this time I surpass myself.’
‘We don’t doubt that, sir.’
My lady said on a gurgling laugh: ‘But what will you be at, mon cher ? What madness?’
‘I am Tremaine of Barham,’ reiterated his lordship, with dignity. ‘Almost I had forgot it, but I come now into my own. You must have known’ – he addressed the room at large – ‘you who have watched me, that there was more to me than a mere wandering gamester!’
‘Faith, we thought it just devil
ry, sir,’ Prudence chuckled.
‘You do not appreciate me,’ said my lord sadly, and sat him down by the table. ‘You lack soul, my children. Yes, you lack soul.’
‘I concede you all my admiration, sir,’ said Prudence.
‘You shall concede me more still. You shall recognise a master mind in me, my Prudence. We come to the end of our travels.’
‘Tyburn way,’ said Robin, and laughed. ‘Egad, sir, you’ve a maggot in your head to venture on such a piece of folly!’
The old gentleman’s eyes glinted. ‘Do my schemes go awry, then? Do I fail in what I undertake to do, Robin my son?’
‘You don’t, sir, I’m willing to admit, but you break fresh ground now, and I believe you don’t know the obstacles. This is England.’
‘Robin acquires geography!’ My lord smiled gently. ‘It is the land of my birth. I am come home, enfin. I am Tremaine of Barham.’
‘And pray what are we, sir?’ inquired Robin, with interest.
‘At present, mes enfants, you are Mr and Miss Merriot. I compliment you. It is admirable. I see that you inherit a part of my genius.’ He kissed his finger-tips to them. ‘When I have made all secure you are the Honourable Robin, and the Honourable Prudence Tremaine.’