CHAPTER XXXVI
A BRILLIANT IDEA
Bell was considerably impressed with the importance of Chris's discovery,though at the same time he was not disposed to regard it in the light ofa coincidence.
"It's a useful discovery in its way," he said; "but not very remarkablewhen you come to think of it. Somebody with an eye to damaging Steelchanged that cigar-case. How the change affected Steel you know as wellas I do. But the cigar-case purchased by Ruth Gates must be somewhere,and we are as likely to find it near Reginald Henson as anywhere else,seeing that he is at the bottom of the whole business. That change wasmade either by himself or by somebody at his instigation. Once the changewas made he would not bother about the spare cigar-case. His allyprobably came here to see Henson; the latter as likely as not threw himover, knowing that the fellow would not dare to talk; hence the thing isturned into money. I am merely speculating, of course, under theassumption that you are quite sure of your facts."
"Absolutely," Chris cried, eagerly. "Two long, irregular scratchesleading up in arrow-headed shape to the big diamond in the centre. Ruthtold Enid all about that the very last time they discussed the mattertogether."
"How came Ruth Gates to remember it so clearly?"
"Well, she did it herself. She was rubbing some specks off the case atthe last moment, and the scratches were made accidentally with the stonesin one of her rings."
Bell was fain to admit that the discovery was an important one. "We'llleave it for the present," he said. "In a small place like this sovaluable an article is likely to remain in stock for some time. I'll callin again to-morrow on the pretence of getting further goods and obtainall the information there is to be gained as to who sold the case andwhat he was like. There is just time for a little lunch before we take upour reverend friend. Where shall we go?"
Chris would like to see the Lion. There was a marvellous coffee-roomthere with panelled walls and a ceiling by Pugin, and an Ingle-nookfilled with rare Dutch tiles. They had the beautiful old place tothemselves, so that they could talk freely. Chris crumbled her bread andsipped her soup with an air of deep abstraction.
"A great idea is forming itself in my mind," she said.
"What, another one?" Bell smiled. "Is it the air of the place or what?Really, there is a brilliancy about you that is striking."
Chris laughed. She was full of the joy of life to-day.
"It is the freedom," she said. "If you only knew what it is to feel freeafter the dull, aching, monotonous misery of the last few years. To beconstantly on the treadmill, to be in the grasp of a pitiless scoundrel.At first you fight against it passionately, with a longing to be doingsomething, and gradually you give way to despair. And now the weight isoff my shoulders, and I am free to act. Fancy the reward of findingReginald Henson out!"
"Reginald Henson is the blight upon your house. In what way?"
"Ah, I cannot tell you. It is a secret that we never discuss even amongourselves. But he has the power over us, he has blighted all our lives.But if I could get hold of a certain thing the power would be broken.That is what I am after, what I am working for. And it is in connectionwith my endeavour that the new idea came to me."
"Can't you give me some general idea of it?" Bell asked.
"Well, I want to make Merritt my friend. I want him to imagine that I amas much of an adventuress as he is an adventurer. I want to let him seethat I could send him to prison--"
"So you can by telling the police of the loss of your star."
"And getting Merritt arrested and sent to gaol where I couldn't make useof him? No, no. The thing is pretty vague in my mind at present. I haveto work it out as one would a story; as David Steel would work it out,for instance. Ah!"
Chris clapped her hands rapturously, and a little cry of delightescaped her.
"The very thing," she exclaimed. "If I could lay all the facts before Mr.Steel and get him to plan out all the details! His fertile imaginationwould see a way out at once. But he is far away and there is no time tobe lost. Is there no way of getting at him?"
Chris appealed almost imploringly to her companion. She made a prettypicture with the old oak engravings behind her. Bell smiled as he helpedhimself to asparagus.
"Why not adopt the same method by which you originally introducedyourself to the distinguished novelist?" he asked. "Why not useLittimer's telephone?"
Chris pushed her plate away impetuously.
"I am too excited to eat any more," she said. "I am filled with the newidea. Of course, I could use the telephone to speak to Mr. Steel, and toEnid as well. If the scheme works out as I anticipate, I shall have tohold a long conversation with Enid, a dangerous thing so long as ReginaldHenson is about."
"I'll keep Henson out of the way. The best thing is to wait tilleverybody has gone to bed to-night and call Steel up then. You will becertain to get him after eleven, and there will be no chance of yourbeing cut off at that hour of the night in consequence of somebody elsewanting the line. The same remark applies to your sister."
Chris nodded radiantly.
"Thrice blessed telephone," she said. "I can get in all I want withoutcommitting myself to paper or moving from the spot where my presence isurgently needed. We will give Mr. Steel a pleasant surprise to-night, andthis time I shall get him into no trouble."
The luncheon was finished at length, and an intimation sent to Merrittthat his friends were waiting for him at the Lion. As his powerful figurewas seen entering the big Norman porch Henson came down the streetdriving a dog-cart at a dangerous rate of speed.
"Our man is going to have his trouble for his pains," Bell chuckled. "Hehas come to interview Merritt. How pleased he will be to see Merritt atdinner-time."
Merritt shambled in awkwardly, obviously suppressing a desire to touchhis forelock. There was a sheepish grin on his face, a suppressed triumphin his eyes. He had been recently shaved and his hair cut, but despitethese improvements, and despite his clerical garb, he was not exactly theclass of man to meet in a dark lane after sunset.
Chris, however, showed nothing of this in her greeting. Long beforeLittimer Castle was reached she had succeeded in putting Merritt quite athis ease. He talked of himself and his past exploits, he boasted of hiscunning. It was only now and again that he pulled himself up and piouslyreferred to the new life that he was now leading. Bell was studying himcarefully; he read the other's mind like an open book. When thewaggonette finally pulled up before the castle Littimer strolled up andstood there regarding Merritt quietly.
"So this is the gentleman you were going to bring to dinner?" hesaid, grimly. "I have seen him before in the company of our dearReginald. I also--"
Chris shot Littimer an imploring glance. Merritt grinned in friendlyfashion. Bell, in his tactful way, piloted the strange guest to thelibrary before Littimer and Chris had reached the hall. The formerpolished his eyeglass and regarded Chris critically.
"My dear young lady," he said smoothly, "originality is a passion withme, eccentricity draws me as a magnet; but as yet I have refrained fromsitting down to table with ticket-of-leave men. Your friend has 'convict'writ large upon his face."
"He has been in gaol, of course," Chris admitted, cheerfully.
"Then let me prophesy, and declare that he will be in gaol again. Whybring him here?"
"Because it is absolutely necessary," Chris said, boldly. "That man canhelp me--help _us_, Lord Littimer. I am not altogether what I seem. Thereis a scoundrel in your house compared with whom James Merritt is aninnocent child. That scoundrel has blighted your life and the lives ofyour family; he has blighted my life for years. And I am here to exposehim, and I am here to right the wrong and bring back the lost happinessof us all. I cannot say more, but I implore you to let me have my own wayin this matter."
"Oh!" Littimer said, darkly, "so you are masquerading here?"
"I am. I admit it. Turn me out if you like; refuse to be a party to myscheme. You may think badly of me now, probably you will think worse ofme later on. But I sw
ear to you that I am acting with the best and purestmotives, and in your interest as much as my own."
"Then you are not entitled even to the name you bear?"
"No, I admit it freely. Consider, I need not have told you anything.Things cannot be any worse than they are. Let me try and make thembetter. Will you, will you _trust_ me?"
Chris's voice quivered, there were tears in her eyes. With a suddenimpulse Littimer laid his hands upon her shoulders and looked long andsearchingly into her eyes.
"Very well," he said, with a gentle sigh. "I will trust you. As a matterof fact, I have felt that I could trust you from the first. I won't pryinto your schemes, because if they are successful I shall benefit bythem. And if you like to bring a cartload of convicts down here, pray doso. It will only puzzle the neighbours, and drive them mad withcuriosity, and I love that."
"And you'll back me up in all I say and do?" Chris asked.
"Certainly I will. On the whole, I fancy I am going to have a pleasantevening. I don't think dear Reginald will be pleased to see his friend atdinner. If any of the spoons are missing I shall hold you responsible."
Chris went off to her room well pleased with the turn of events.Brilliant audacity had succeeded where timid policy might have resultedin dismal failure. And Littimer had refrained from asking any awkwardquestions. From the window she could see Bell and Merritt walking up anddown the terrace, the latter talking volubly and worrying at a big cigaras a dog might nuzzle at a bone. Chris saw Littimer join the other twopresently and fall in with their conversation. His laugh came to thegirl's ear more than once. It was quite evident that the eccentricnobleman was enjoying the ex-convict's society. But Littimer had neverbeen fettered by conventional rules.
The dog-cart came up presently and Henson got out. He had an anxious,worried look; there was an ugly frown between his brows. He contrived tobe polite as Chris emerged. He wanted to know where Littimer was.
"On the terrace, I fancy," Chris said, demurely. "I guess he is having along chat with that parson friend of yours--the brand plucked from theburning, you know."
"Merritt," Henson said, hoarsely. "Do you mean to say that Merritt ishere? And I've been looking for--I mean, I have been into Moreton Wells.Why did he come?"
Chris opened her eyes in innocent surprise.
"Why," she said, "I fetched him. I'm deeply interested in brands ofthat kind."