Westerham

“ He paused and watched Lady Kathleen closely. She appeared utterly unstrung, and clasped her head tightly with both hands.
“I can hardly understand what it all means,” she said at last in a dull voice.
“It simply means this,” urged Westerham, quietly, “that I am an honest man and a gentleman; and if you could only tell me what it is of which you and your father are so much afraid, I feel perfectly certain that with the hold I have over Melun I could free you from your trouble.” ”

“ Westerham assisted Mme. Estelle to alight. She asked him to ring the bell, which he did, and a second later the garden door opened by some unseen agency.
When she had stepped into the garden, Mme. [Pg 49] Estelle beckoned to Westerham to follow her, and he stepped into the garden and stood beside her.
She closed the door to, glanced over her shoulder to see that she was not observed, and then caught Westerham by the coat.
“Sir Paul,” she cried in a low voice, “you are a young man. Do not destroy your life for a piece of folly. Cut yourself adrift from this while there is still time.” ”

“ But now, to Westerham's surprise, Melun had turned to sneering. The baronet was a breed of man the captain did not understand; no man that [Pg 20] he had as yet been acquainted with loosed his heart in this wild manner. It seemed to him that Westerham was but a romantic child.
But there was no childhood, no romance, in the bitter gaze he lifted his eyes to meet.
“Listen,” said Westerham, quietly, “for a hundred thousand pounds I expect you to place yourself at my disposal. For a hundred thousand pounds I expect not only your services, but the services of all those whom you employ. ”

“ A good many people disappear in London, and I fancied for a little while I might become one of the lost ones, but, heavens! it is amazing to think that I should ever have felt the least disquiet. You and your precious friends are cowards, every one of you.
“However, we will leave that subject now and proceed to another which is of more importance and interest to me.”
Draining his whisky-and-soda, Westerham leaned back in his chair and smoked thoughtfully for a few minutes, keeping his gaze on the pale and cowering Melun. ”

“ There were interviews with the captain and purser of the Gigantic; interviews with a score of passengers, and, much to Westerham's amusement, numerous bearded portraits of himself in a miner's guise.
Then, over a whisky-and-soda, Westerham briefly outlined to Dunton the adventure with Melun in his cabin and of his voluntary disappearance.
“The only thing that troubles me,” Westerham concluded, “is whether you will stand by and see me through. It is practically impossible for me to achieve what I consider necessary unless I have at least one friend who will keep his mouth shut tight.” ”

“ Westerham thrust his head out of the carriage as it was driving away and said sharply to Melun, “I shall expect you to-morrow at noon.”
For quite a while they drove north in silence. It was not, indeed, until they were passing through Regent Street that Mme. Estelle turned to Westerham and spoke the first word.
“Forgive my being so blunt,” she said, “but I think you are playing an exceedingly dangerous game.”
“What it is possible for a woman to do is possible for me to do,” said Westerham. ”

“ The two men who were acting as his warders suddenly seized his hands, and before he quite realised his position Westerham found himself handcuffed.
Still, however, he made no resistance.
“Gentlemen,” he cried, raising his voice so that it rang through the room and dominated all who were gathered there, “gentlemen, a man is usually permitted to say something when he has been condemned to death. I make no quarrel with your decision. If I were in your place I should probably do the same myself by another man as you are doing by me. ”

“ Mme. Estelle turned and looked at him quickly, and her eyes were startled; the brilliant colour had left her face.
“What do you mean?” she cried. “You are Sir Paul, aren't you?”
“Madam,” said Westerham, almost gently, “I'm sorry if I startled you. Those who run great risks always imagine that the greatest object of every other person is to accomplish their downfall. I assure you that no such motive prompted me in making the bargain I have made with Melun.” ”

“ At the end of the passage the huge negro opened a second door, which swung back upon its hinges as easily and as swiftly as the first. Westerham passed into the room, and with a little thump of his heart realised, with a knowledge born of long experience of the Pacific coast, that he was in an opium den of quite unusual dimensions. ”

“ Westerham had been made the innocent instrument of utter disaster to Kathleen.
So convinced did he become of this fact that he shouldered his way through the crowd, and leaning over Lady Kathleen's chair, whispered into her ear: “Don't be alarmed. I see you have been greatly upset. Please allow me to assist you.”
The man at her right hand scowled angrily, but Westerham turned to him with an urbane smile. “As you do not seem to be playing,” he said, “perhaps you will allow me to have your chair?” ”

“ Presently this individual came up to him and asked in most unmistakably English terms what Westerham's destination might be.
Westerham told the man shortly that his destination was Rouen.
[Pg 200]
“You must excuse me, sir,” said the man, whom Westerham guessed to be a Scotland Yard representative at the port of Dieppe, “but it is rather unusual for gentlemen to travel without luggage and without even so much as an overcoat. It is even more curious,” he added, “when they start on a journey without first taking a ticket.” ”

“ Westerham imagined that they were employees of Melun, stationed there for the purpose of ensuring Lady Kathleen against any molestation or insult.
Such a protection was entirely unnecessary, for every man in the room appeared to feel that he was in the presence of one who not only had the right, but the power, to command respect. ”

“ As they passed the bound and gagged porter, who looked up with wondering and bewildered eyes at his master as he was dragged past him, the Premier could not refrain from uttering a little cry.
“Never mind the man,” said Westerham in his ear, and hurried him on. He left him standing by [Pg 295] the red-baize door for a moment as he dashed back to turn the key in the lock of the inner vestibule. But before the Premier had an opportunity of protesting against this, Westerham was back at his side and hastening him across the hall. ”

“ Westerham's heart, indeed, rose in revolt against the suggestion that this man, spurned of the Army, suspected of the clubs, distrusted by every honourable man, should for a moment presume to reach out and touch the hand of Kathleen Carfax. Not for such a man as Melun was the girl with the calm yet, at the same time, troubled face, that had looked out from the tattered picture and drawn him back to England. ”

“ Westerham took a deep breath and laughed almost gaily. “I shall be charmed,” he said.
He paused a little and then continued: “No man, except one with such a reputation as yours,” he said, “would dream of regarding Lady Kathleen Carfax as a possible wife unless he were so equipped with all the arts of blackmail that he had some reason to hope for his success.”
By this time Captain Melun had got back his composure.
“You seem,” he said casually, “to endow Lord Penshurst with an exceedingly poor character.”
“Not exactly,” said Westerham. “I endow you with an exceedingly dangerous one.” ”

“ On a long deck chair beside one of the tables lay Lord Westerham with his left arm bound across his breast and looking little better than the ghost of the man he had been a month ago. Beside him stood Lady Margaret and Norah Castellan, and with them were the two men who had done so much to change defeat into victory; the captain and lieutenant of the ever-famous Ithuriel.
Never before had there been such a gathering of all sorts and conditions of men on one spot of earth ”

“ They acted upon them without delay, and that afternoon Westerham secured more than luxurious rooms in Bruton Street in the name of James Robinson. It should be mentioned that at Walter's Hotel Westerham was known by the same simple title.
“In fact,” said Westerham to his friend, laughing, as they afterwards sat over a whisky-and-soda at Long's, “I seem to be setting out to lead a double life on a somewhat splendid scale. ”

“ The fat detective sucked in his lips and wrote the name laboriously in his book.
“After all,” he said, with some asperity, “people who give wrong names and addresses seldom come to any good.”
“I suppose not,” said Westerham, and walked a little moodily towards the train. He paid the guard handsomely enough to warrant the man's not forgetting to call him at Rouen. But still Westerham felt that he had so much at stake that he could leave nothing to chance, and so he sat upright, wakeful and watchful, while the train rushed through the apple trees of Normandy to the old cathedral city. ”

“ The next five days were spent by Westerham very quietly. The best of tailors that Dunton could recommend were hard at work building innumerable suits for Mr. James Robinson, whose magnificent motor car was at least a guarantee of the soundness of his banking account.
When he had possessed himself of such clothes as he required in order to live as James Robinson, Esq., of Bruton Street, plain Mr. Robinson, of [Pg 29] Walter's Hotel, informed the proprietor there that he was going into the country, and for two days Westerham lived in his new quarters. ”

“ Kathleen, however, only shook her head and moaned a little to herself.
Westerham did his best to console her, and she then told him that she proposed to return to London by the afternoon's mail. Immediately on arriving in town, however, she would have to set out [Pg 218] for Trant Hall, as the Premier was giving a dance there on the following night.
“I trust,” said Westerham, “that you will at least permit me to see you safely home. It is not at all advisable that you should travel without an escort. I have every reason to be fearful on your account.” ”

“ The manager made a queer sort of bow.
“Very well,” Westerham returned; “for my part I have no objection.”
To himself he reflected that within a few days the man would bitterly regret his mistake.
So Westerham packed his little bag and went out. First he went on foot to Victoria, where he left his bag in charge of the cloak-room.
Then he breakfasted at a restaurant, and after he had consumed a moderate quantity of doubtful ham and still more doubtful eggs he smoked cigarette after cigarette while he thought over the situation. ”

“ His words were gloomy enough, and to Westerham seemed to have a certain amount of reproach in them.
“Do you realise,” he said, “that we have practically only twenty-four hours left in which to find Lady Kathleen and to recover the papers?”
Westerham straightened himself up and looked squarely at the Premier.
“The time is short,” he said quietly, “but I have no fear that we shall not succeed.
“You must remember,” he went on, “that up to the present it is we who have made all the efforts. What is Melun doing? It is very strange that he should have remained quiet so long. ”

“ Westerham was conscious that his servant surveyed him with approval as he offered him lunch. He accepted it, as he was hungry; moreover, he knew that he could reach Trant Hall well within two hours, and he had no desire to arrive too soon. The chauffeur, also supplied by Lord Dunton, was the same manner of man as his valet. Westerham appreciated the fact, but was not as thankful as he became later, when he discovered that a silent and discreet and civil chauffeur was a distinctly uncommon type of human being. ”

“ Westerham sauntered down the shop, and then, before the detective had any chance of making even an attempt at pursuit, he slipped out into Bond Street and clambered on to a passing omnibus.
As the heavy vehicle lumbered past the clubs in Piccadilly, Westerham took a long breath of relief, [Pg 194] and startled the other passengers by laughing aloud. He went on to Victoria, where he made several purchases, including a second-hand kit-bag. ”

“ As he entered the yard the manager stepped forward; and the astonishment on his face was even greater than that exhibited by the doorkeeper at Westerham's flat.
“I am afraid, sir,” he said before Westerham had time to speak, “that we have made some terrible blunder. A gentleman called here this afternoon and said that he had been asked to see me on your behalf. He said that he had received a telegram from Holyhead asking him to see that your car was sent up to Chester, as you would be staying there for some days. Your man was to wait for you at the Blossoms Hotel.” ”

“ The night was calm, and the passage to Dieppe a smooth one, but on the quay Westerham received a sharp demonstration that the difficulties which he had mentally brushed aside nevertheless remained to be grappled with in actual fact. ”

“ There was a pause, and then Westerham said: “Very well. I suppose I have no option but to agree. Where shall I meet you to-morrow?”
“You are hardly likely to kick up a fuss,” Patmore answered, eyeing him shrewdly, “so let's say the same place at noon. Mind you, you had better understand clearly that if you try to play me false it will be all the worse for you and Lord Penshurst and Lady Kathleen. We have made up our minds. ”

“ Therefore he was in a far less tractable frame of mind than was pleasant to Westerham. The captain, indeed, had got back that self-possession and cool audacity of [Pg 77] which he had made such good use on the Gigantic. Westerham realised this at once, and at the outset dealt very gently with Melun.
“Don't you think,” he began softly, “that you had better make a clean breast of it?”
“Not at all,” answered Melun. “I have no desire to shock you, and a man who is disturbed by the yelling of a couple of girls is not likely to take what I might tell him in a particularly cool manner.” ”