CHAPTER XXXI
"I MAKE NO PROMISE"
A single glance from Mr. Sabin into Wolfenden's face was sufficient.Under his breath he swore a small, quiet oath. Wolfenden's appearancewas unlooked for, and almost fatal, yet that did not prevent him fromgreeting his visitor with his usual ineffusive but well bred courtesy.
"I am finishing a late breakfast," he remarked. "Can I offer youanything--a glass of claret or Benedictine?"
Wolfenden scarcely heard him, and answered altogether at random. He hadsuddenly become aware that Helene was in the room; she was comingtowards him from the window recess, with a brilliant smile upon herlips.
"How very kind of you to look us up so early!" she exclaimed.
Mr. Sabin smiled grimly as he poured himself out a liqueur and lit acigarette. He was perfectly well aware that Wolfenden's visit was notone of courtesy; a single glance into his face had told him all that hecared to know. It was fortunate that Helene had been in the room. Everymoment's respite he gained was precious.
"Have you come to ask me to go for a drive in that wonderful vehicle?"she said lightly, pointing out of the window to where his dogcart waswaiting. "I should want a step-ladder to mount it!"
Wolfenden answered her gravely.
"I should feel very honoured at being allowed to take you for a drive atany time," he said, "only I think that I would rather bring a morecomfortable carriage."
She shrugged her shoulders, and looked at him significantly.
"The one you were driving yesterday?"
He bit his lip and frowned with vexation, yet on the whole, perhaps, hedid not regret her allusion. It was proof that she had not taken theaffair too seriously.
"The one I was driving yesterday would be a great deal morecomfortable," he said; "to-day I only thought of getting here quickly. Ihave a little business with Mr. Sabin."
"Is that a hint for me to go?" she asked. "You are not agreeable thismorning! What possible business can you have with my uncle which doesnot include me? I am not inclined to go away; I shall stay and listen."
Mr. Sabin smiled faintly; the girl was showing her sense now at anyrate. Wolfenden was obviously embarrassed. Helene remained blandlyunconscious of anything serious.
"I suppose," she said, "that you want to talk golf again! Golf! Why onehears nothing else but golf down here. Don't you ever shoot or ride fora change?"
Wolfenden was suddenly assailed by an horrible suspicion. He couldscarcely believe that her unconsciousness was altogether natural. At thebare suspicion of her being in league with this man he stiffened. Heanswered without looking at her, conscious though he was that her darkeyes were seeking his invitingly, and that her lips were curving into asmile.
"I am not thinking of playing golf to-day," he said. "Unfortunately Ihave less pleasant things to consider. If you could give me fiveminutes, Mr. Sabin," he added, "I should be very glad."
She rose immediately with all the appearance of being genuinelyoffended; there was a little flush in her cheeks and she walked straightto the door. Wolfenden held it open for her.
"I am exceedingly sorry to have been in the way for a moment," she said;"pray proceed with your business at once."
Wolfenden did not answer her. As she passed through the doorway sheglanced up at him; he was not even looking at her. His eyes were fixedupon Mr. Sabin. The fingers which rested upon the door knob seemedtwitching with impatience to close it. She stood quite still for amoment; the colour left her cheeks, and her eyes grew soft. She was notangry any longer. Instinctively some idea of the truth flashed in uponher; she passed out thoughtfully. Wolfenden closed the door and turnedto Mr. Sabin.
"You can easily imagine the nature of my business," he said coldly. "Ihave come to have an explanation with you."
Mr. Sabin lit a fresh cigarette and smiled on Wolfenden thoughtfully.
"Certainly," he said; "an explanation! Exactly!"
"Well," said Wolfenden, "suppose you commence, then."
Mr. Sabin looked puzzled.
"Had you not better be a little more explicit?" he suggested gently.
"I will be," Wolfenden replied, "as explicit as you choose. My motherhas given me her whole confidence. I have come to ask how you dare toenter Deringham Hall as a common burglar attempting to commit a theft;and to demand that you instantly return to me a letter, on which youhave attempted to levy blackmail. Is that explicit enough?"
Mr. Sabin's face did not darken, nor did he seem in any way angry ordiscomposed. He puffed at his cigarette for a moment or two, and thenlooked blandly across at his visitor.
"You are talking rubbish," he said in his usual calm, even tones, "butyou are scarcely to blame. It is altogether my own fault. It is quitetrue that I was in your house last night, but it was at your mother'sinvitation, and I should very much have preferred coming openly at theusual time, to sneaking in according to her directions through a window.It was only a very small favour I asked, but Lady Deringham persuaded methat your father's mental health and antipathy to strangers was suchthat he would never give me the information I desired, voluntarily, andit was entirely at her suggestion that I adopted the means I did. I amvery sorry indeed that I allowed myself to be over-persuaded and placedin an undoubtedly false position. Women are always nervous andimaginative, and I am convinced that if I had gone openly to your fatherand laid my case before him he would have helped me."
"He would have done nothing of the sort!" Wolfenden declared. "Nothingwould induce him to show even a portion of his work to a stranger."
Mr. Sabin shrugged his shoulders gently, and continued without heedingthe interruption.
"As to my blackmailing Lady Deringham, you have spoken plainly to me,and you must forgive me for answering you in the same fashion. It is alie! I had letters of hers, which I voluntarily destroyed in herpresence; they were only a little foolish, or I should have destroyedthem long ago. I had the misfortune to be once a favoured suitor foryour mother's hand; and I think I may venture to say--I am sure she willnot contradict me--that I was hardly treated. The only letter I ever hadfrom her likely to do her the least harm I destroyed fifteen years ago,when I first embarked upon what has been to a certain extent a careerof adventure. I told her that it was not in the packet which we burnttogether yesterday. If she understood from that that it was still in mypossession, and that I was retaining it for any purpose whatever, shewas grievously mistaken in my words. That is all I have to say."
He had said it very well indeed. Wolfenden, listening intently to everyword, with his eyes rigidly fixed upon the man's countenance, could notdetect a single false note anywhere. He was puzzled. Perhaps his motherhad been nervously excited, and had mistaken some sentence of his for acovert threat. Yet he thought of her earnestness, her terribleearnestness, and a sense of positive bewilderment crept over him.
"We will leave my mother out of the question then," he said. "We willdeal with this matter between ourselves. I should like to know exactlywhat part of my father's work you are so anxious to avail yourself of,and for what purpose?"
Mr. Sabin drew a letter from his pocket, and handed it over toWolfenden. It was from the office of one of the first European Reviews,and briefly contained a request that Mr. Sabin would favour them with anarticle on the comparative naval strengths of European Powers, withparticular reference to the armament and coast defences of GreatBritain. Wolfenden read it carefully and passed it back. The letter wasgenuine, there was no doubt about that.
"It seemed to me," Mr. Sabin continued, "the most natural thing in theworld to consult your father upon certain matters concerning which heis, or has been, a celebrated authority. In fact I decided to do so atthe instigation of one of the Lords of your Admiralty, to whom he ispersonally well known. I had no idea of acting except in the most openmanner, and I called at Deringham Hall yesterday afternoon, and sent inmy card in a perfectly orthodox way, as you may have heard. Your mothertook quite an unexpected view of the whole affair, owing partly to yourfather's unfortunate state of hea
lth and partly to some extraordinaryattempts which, I am given to understand, have been made to rob him ofhis work. She was very anxious to help me, but insisted that it must besecretly. Last night's business was, I admit, a ghastly mistake--onlyit was not my mistake! I yielded to Lady Deringham's proposals understrong protest. As a man, I think I may say of some intelligence, I amashamed of the whole affair; at the same time I am guilty only of anindiscretion which was sanctioned and instigated by your mother. Ireally do not see how I can take any blame to myself in the matter."
"You could scarcely attribute to Lady Deringham," Wolfenden remarked,"the injury to the watchman."
"I can take but little blame to myself," Mr. Sabin answered promptly."The man was drunk; he had been, I imagine, made drunk, and I merelypushed him out of the way. He fell heavily, but the fault was not mine.Look at my physique, and remember that I was unarmed, and ask yourselfwhat mischief I could possibly have done to the fellow."
Wolfenden reflected.
"You appear to be anxious," he said, "to convince me that your desire togain access to a portion of my father's papers is a harmless one. Ishould like to ask you why you have in your employ a young lady who wasdismissed from Deringham Hall under circumstances of strong suspicion?"
Mr. Sabin raised his eyebrows.
"It is the first time I have heard of anything suspicious connectedwith Miss Merton," he said. "She came into my service with excellenttestimonials, and I engaged her at Willing's bureau. The fact that shehad been employed at Deringham Hall was merely a coincidence."
"Was it also a coincidence," Wolfenden continued, "that in reply to aletter attempting to bribe my father's secretary, Mr. Blatherwick, itwas she, Miss Merton, who kept an appointment with him?"
"That," Mr. Sabin answered, "I know nothing of. If you wish to questionMiss Merton you are quite at liberty to do so; I will send for her."
Wolfenden shook his head.
"Miss Merton was far too clever to commit herself," he said; "she knewfrom the first that she was being watched, and behaved accordingly. Ifshe was not there as your agent, her position becomes more extraordinarystill."
"I can assure you," Mr. Sabin said, with an air of weariness, "that I amnot the man of mystery you seem to think me. I should never dream ofemploying such roundabout means for gaining possession of a fewstatistics."
Wolfenden was silent. His case was altogether one of surmises; he couldprove nothing.
"Perhaps," he said, "I have been precipitate. It would appear so. But ifI am unduly suspicious, you have yourself only to blame! You admit thatyour name is an assumed one. You refuse my suit to your niece withoutany reasonable cause. You are evidently, to be frank, a person of muchmore importance than you lay claim to be. Now be open with me. If thereis any reason, although I cannot conceive an honest one, for concealingyour identity, why, I will respect your confidence absolutely. You mayrely upon that. Tell me who you are, and who your niece is, and why youare travelling about in this mysterious way."
Mr. Sabin smiled good-humouredly.
"Well," he said, "you must forgive me if I plead guilty to the falseidentity--and preserve it. For certain reasons it would not suit me totake even you into my confidence. Besides which, if you will forgive mysaying so, there does not seem to be the least necessity for it. We areleaving here during the week, and shall in all probability go abroadalmost at once; so we are not likely to meet again. Let us partpleasantly, and abandon a somewhat profitless discussion."
For a moment Wolfenden was staggered. They were leaving England! Goingaway! That meant that he would see no more of Helene. His indignationagainst the man, kindled almost into passionate anger by his mother'sstory, was forgotten, overshadowed by a keen thrill of personaldisappointment. If they were really leaving England, he might bidfarewell to any chance of winning her; and there were certain words ofhers, certain gestures, which had combined to fan that little flame ofhope, which nothing as yet had ever been able to extinguish. He lookedinto Mr. Sabin's quiet face, and he was conscious of a sense ofhelplessness. The man was too strong and too wily for him; it was anunequal contest.
"We will abandon the discussion then, if you will," Wolfenden saidslowly. "I will talk with Lady Deringham again. She is in an extremelynervous state; it is possible of course that she may have misunderstoodyou."
Mr. Sabin sighed with an air of gentle relief. Ah! if the men of othercountries were only as easy to delude as these Englishmen! What atriumphant career might yet be his!
"I am very glad," he said, "that you do me the honour to take, what Ican assure you, is the correct view of the situation. I hope that youwill not hurry away; may I not offer you a cigarette?"
Wolfenden sat down for the first time.
"Are you in earnest," he asked, "when you speak of leaving England sosoon?"
"Assuredly! You will do me the justice to admit that I have neverpretended to like your country, have I? I hope to leave it for severalyears, if not for ever, within the course of a few weeks."
"And your niece, Mr. Sabin?"
"She accompanies me, of course; she likes this country even less than Ido. Perhaps, under the circumstances, our departure is the best thingthat could happen; it is at any rate opportune."
"I cannot agree with you," Wolfenden said; "for me it is mostinopportune. I need scarcely say that I have not abandoned my desire tomake your niece my wife."
"I should have thought," Mr. Sabin said, with a fine note of satire inhis tone, "that you would have put far away from you all idea of anyconnection with such suspicious personages."
"I have never had," Wolfenden said calmly, "any suspicion at allconcerning your niece."
"She would be, I am sure, much flattered," Mr. Sabin declared. "At thesame time I can scarcely see on what grounds you continue to hope for animpossibility. My niece's refusal seemed to me explicit enough,especially when coupled with my own positive prohibition."
"Your niece," Wolfenden said, "is doubtless of age. I should not troubleabout your consent if I could gain hers, and I may as well tell you atonce, that I by no means despair of doing so."
Mr. Sabin bit his lip, and his dark eyes flashed out with a sudden fire.
"I should be glad to know, sir," he said, "on what grounds you considermy voice in the affair to be ineffective?"
"Partly," Wolfenden answered, "for the reason which I have already givenyou--because your niece is of age; and partly also because you persistin giving me no definite reason for your refusal."
"I have told you distinctly," Mr. Sabin said, "that my niece isbetrothed and will be married within six months."
"To whom? where is he? why is he not here? Your niece wears noengagement ring. I will answer for it, that if she is as you saybetrothed, it is not of her own free will."
"You talk," Mr. Sabin said with dangerous calm, "like a fool. It is notcustomary amongst the class to which my niece belongs to wear always anengagement ring. As for her affections, she has had, I am glad to say, asufficient self-control to keep them to herself. Your presumption issimply the result of your entire ignorance. I appeal to you for the lasttime, Lord Wolfenden, to behave like a man of common sense, and abandonhopes which can only end in disappointment."
"I have no intention of doing anything of the sort," Wolfenden saiddoggedly; "we Englishmen are a pig-headed race, as you were once politeenough to observe. Your niece is the only woman whom I have wished tomarry, and I shall marry her, if I can."
"I shall make it my especial concern," Mr. Sabin said firmly, "to seethat all intercourse between you ends at once."
Wolfenden rose to his feet.
"It is obviously useless," he said, "to continue this conversation. Ihave told you my intentions. I shall pursue them to the best of myability. Good-morning."
Mr. Sabin held out his hand.
"I have just a word more to say to you," he declared. "It is about yourfather."
"I do not desire to discuss my father, or any other matter with you,"Wolfenden said quietly. "As to my fath
er's work, I am determined tosolve the mystery connected with it once and for all. I have wired forMr. C. to come down, and, if necessary, take possession of the papers.You can get what information you require from him yourself."
Mr. Sabin rose up slowly; his long, white fingers were clasped aroundthe head of that curious stick of his. There was a peculiar glint in hiseyes, and his cheeks were pale with passion.
"I am very much obliged to you for telling me that," he said; "it isvaluable information for me. I will certainly apply to Mr. C."
He had been drawing nearer and nearer to Wolfenden. Suddenly he stopped,and, with a swift movement, raised the stick on which he had beenleaning, over his head. It whirled round in a semi-circle. Wolfenden,fascinated by that line of gleaming green light, hesitated for a moment,then he sprang backwards, but he was too late. The head of the stickcame down on his head, his upraised arm did little to break the force ofthe blow. He sank to the ground with a smothered groan.