‘Really, Gervase, this goes beyond the line of what is amusing! What possible grounds can you have for assuming that because you fancied you heard someone in your room, and later found a handkerchief of Martin’s by your bed, it must have been I who had been there? It is nothing but a wild story imagined by you to lend colour to the rest of your absurd suspicions!’
‘Not quite,’ answered Gervase. ‘I have an excellent memory, Theo. I recall very vividly what passed between us on the following day. How was it that, although you had warned me to beware of Martin, you did not, when I told you that I believed him to have been in my room that night, warn me that there was a way into the room of which I knew nothing?’
There was a moment’s silence before Theo retorted: ‘Good God, how should I have guessed that you were ignorant of it? That old stair! I never even thought of it!’
‘That won’t fadge!’ Martin interrupted. ‘If Gervase told you someone had entered his room, you must have thought of it!’
‘Perhaps I set as little store then by Gervase’s imaginings as I do now,’ Theo said, with a contemptuous smile.
‘Yet it was you who set my imagination to work,’ said Gervase. He moved slowly back to the chair he had vacated, and sat down, as though he were very tired. ‘This is all so useless, Theo! Let us make an end! I know that you have three times tried to dispose both of me and of my heir. My death can benefit no one but Martin; if he was not guilty of the attempts on my life, who but you could have been?’
‘Yes!’ Martin said impetuously. ‘I knew that, but you did not! That night I did come to your room by way of the secret stair – you didn’t believe what I told you! You would not allow me to come near you again! How could you think I would skulk in some bush to shoot you unawares? I didn’t behave well towards you – I said things I ought not to have said! – but, my God, if I meant to kill my greatest enemy it would be in fair fight!’
‘Yes, Martin, I know. I did believe what you told me, but I found it impossible to believe that the one person at Stanyon whom I had thought to be my friend could have all the time been plotting my death.’ He paused, and for an instant he looked at his cousin, standing rigid and silent on the other side of the table. Then he added, with a slight smile: ‘Even when I was in no case to think at all, it did occur to me that had it been you who shot me you would not have missed your mark! For the rest, nothing was certain, nothing proved. When I refused to permit you to come near me, I was acting only on a suspicion I would, God knows! have been glad to have seen refuted! But if it was true, both your safety and mine, while I was so helpless, lay in letting it be known that you had never, for one instant, had access to my room. I suppose I had then no doubt of the truth. I hardly know. I would have given so much to have had my suspicions refuted! No, I don’t mean that I would have preferred to have known that you were my would-be assassin! Not that! Nothing, in fact, that was possible, or that I could explain to you. I told myself I must wait for some proof that you had told me the truth – something more sure than what Theo has called my imaginings. When I knew beyond doubting that it was not you who had tried to kill me, then I waited until I had decided what was best to be done, and until I should be well enough to settle the affair alone.’
‘May I know when it was that you knew – beyond doubting – that it was not Martin who tried to kill you?’ enquired Theo sardonically.
‘When I realized that he had introduced a Bow Street Runner into my household,’ replied the Earl, with a gleam of amusement. ‘With instructions to dog my every step!’
‘You guessed it!’ Martin ejaculated. ‘How? What made you think it?’
‘My dear boy! It was patent! I am aware that poor Lucy darkly suspects him of being a hired assassin, but I could conceive of nothing more unlikely! I am afraid you will have to forgive me: I served him a very scurvy trick today! But if I had not obliged him to accompany me, I am very sure he would have followed me on horseback, and the last thing I desire is to have an officer of the law meddling in this business. I conclude that by some means unknown to me he contrived to reach Stanyon far sooner than I had supposed he could, or you would not have galloped that bay of yours into a lather in your gallant but misguided attempt to preserve me from an untimely end!’
Martin blushed, but said in a brooding tone: ‘It was Hickling’s notion that I should make use of his precious uncle! He was a Runner, but he ain’t now, of course, and no wonder! Much use he has been to me! To be taken in by such a child’s trick! Good God! The only thing he did, and I suppose it doesn’t prove anything, was to find a button that was torn from my shooting-jacket not five yards from where I told you I was struck down, that day when you were shot. If I was dragged clear of the undergrowth, before being hoisted up by –’ He paused, and cast a smouldering glance at Theo – ‘by you, my dear cousin! – it must have been torn off then! He found signs, too, that a horse had stood for some time within the wood. But that don’t prove much either! I know it could be explained away!’
‘I don’t doubt that it was Theo who hid his gig, when I had parted from him, and thought him on the road to this place; waited for you; stunned you; left your gun and your shot-belt to be found; and carried you off in the gig. Evesleigh is not so far from Wisbech, and I have discovered that he did not arrive here until evening. You will tell me, perhaps, that you visited outlying parts of my estates, Theo, which made you late. Don’t! I should not believe you, and I would so much prefer you to tell me no more lies! Had you killed me, had there been a hue and cry after Martin, and he had told that story, it must have been thought the wildest and stupidest attempt to escape justice that ever was heard! But you didn’t kill me; there was no hue and cry. The story was told only to us, and although some of us disbelieved it I did not. Its very improbability made me think it the truth. What a risk you took, Theo! If some chance wayfarer had discovered him before he had rid himself of the bonds you so carefully loosened – ! It could have happened, you know. And if I did not die, surely you must have known that it would not be long before Martin at least realized the truth!’
‘Well, I did, of course, though not quite at once,’ admitted Martin. ‘It seemed so impossible that Theo could have done such a thing to you! Only, I knew I had not, so there was no one else! And when I had had leisure to think about my having been kidnapped in such a way, naturally I began to see how it must have been! I knew it had been done so that I should be blamed for your death, but I never guessed the whole! Not that he would not harm you if I could not be blamed! It is the most infamous thing! It was bad enough when I only thought he had kidnapped me to save himself from being suspected! All I thought was that he would kill you, if he could, and very likely me too, but not like that! Later – when all the scandal had been forgotten! That’s why I hired Leek – at least, it is in part! I thought he might be able to discover some proof that it was Theo, and not me! For what was the use of telling you what I suspected, when you were hand-in-glove with Theo, and seemed not to believe a word I said? I’m not such a gudgeon, either, as not to have known that Chard was spying on me! In fact, I made sure you had ordered him to!’
‘I had,’ said the Earl. ‘Not, however, for any other reason than to safeguard you in case of accident. From the moment of your return to Stanyon until today, when you seem, very unwisely, to have given Chard the slip, I provided you with a witness who must have testified on your behalf had anything happened to me.’
‘I never thought of that!’ Martin said, much struck. ‘I must say, St Erth, it was devilish handsome of you! When that fool, Leek, told me you had come here, and alone, I did wonder if I should not tell Chard the whole, and bring him with me. But then I thought he would very likely not believe a word of it, and prevent my coming after you into the bargain, so I gave him the bag. I suppose, if I had had time to consider, I need not have come at all, for Theo would never dare to harm you here! The thing was, it gave me the devil of a shock, when Leek told me! I thought you had been hoaxed, like everyone else, and anything might happen to you! Coming here quite alone like this! St Erth, why did you?’
The Earl regarded his signet-ring for a moment. When he raised his eyes, it was at his cousin that he looked, not at Martin. He replied in a low voice: ‘To tell him that I knew. To put an end to it all, if I could, without divulging the truth to anyone. Here I could say what had to be said without fearing that your Runner’s ear might be glued to the keyhole. If I had sent for Theo to come to Stanyon, what a damnable situation must have been created! He could not have remained there, nor I have wished him to. You were already suspicious; so, I fancy, was one other. Lucy, the servants – they would all have thought it an odd circumstance if I were to have sent for Theo only to dismiss him within the hour! Well! You have frustrated a part of my design, but we can still prevent this affair from becoming generally known.’
‘I don’t see that!’ Martin objected, scowling.
‘I was afraid you would not,’ said the Earl, rather dryly.
‘It’s very well for you!’ Martin said. ‘No one thinks you have been trying to murder anyone! Pray, what about me?’
‘Since the only certain information anyone outside Stanyon has is that I was shot by a man in homespuns, I fancy the accident will soon be forgotten. If it is seen that you and I stand upon very good terms, it will be concluded that whatever rumours were rife had no foundation in fact. I collect, from Dr Malpas, that some of the rumours are so wild that already people are beginning to shrug up their shoulders, and to disbelieve the whole. Certain persons must be told, of course: Lucy, Chard, Miss Morville (though I think she knows already), but as for the world at large – let it think what it chooses! it will not long think you had anything to do with my accident.’
‘But do you mean to do nothing?’ Martin said indignantly. ‘He ought to be brought to justice!’
Theo, who had walked away to the fireplace, said over his shoulder: ‘You have imagined an ingenious story. Does it occur to you that not one word of it can you prove?’
‘We’ll try that!’ Martin flung at him.
‘Not if I have my way,’ interposed the Earl. ‘What, brandish this abominable affair in a criminal court? Set ourselves up to provide the vulgar with a nine-days wonder to gape at and exclaim over? I thank you, Martin, no!’
Martin was silenced. Theo said, in his usual, level tone: ‘You feel, then, that it would be possible to have me arrested, do you, Gervase? Does your fancy even lead you to suppose that I could be convicted on this evidence?’
‘I could have you arrested. I think you would be acquitted. But it would ruin you, Theo.’
‘I must suppose that it is your intention to ruin me.’