Ludovic, when the scheme was breathlessly divulged to him, at first objected to it on the score that he had thought of a better plan. Once the coast was clear, he said, Abel Bundy would be bound to work his way up to the Red Lion to deliver his kegs of brandy, and to try to get news of him. If Tristram misliked the notion of breaking into the Dower House Abel, not so nice, would make a very good substitute.

“Yes, but it is altogether dangerous for you, and for us not at all,” Eustacie pointed out. “Besides, I do not see that it is fair that you should keep the whole adventure to yourself.”

“Damme, it’s my adventure, isn’t it?”

“It is not your adventure. It is mine too, and also it is Sarah’s, and she will not help us any more if you do not share it with her.”

“Oh, very well!” said Ludovic. “Not that I believe in this precious scheme of yours, mind you! Ten to one the Beau will suspect something. You can’t hunt for the catch to the panel under his very nose.”

“Entendu, but I have provided. I shall desire to speak with Basil alone, and he will like that, and permit it.”

Ludovic eyed her somewhat narrowly. “He will, will he?”

“Yes, because he has said that he would like to marry me.”

Ludovic sat up. “I won’t have you going up to the Dower House to let that fellow make love to you, so don’t think it!”

“Not that, stupid! I shall ask for his advice, and he will not make love to me, because Sarah will be there.”

“She won’t. She’ll be hunting for the panel.”

“But I could scream if he tried to make love to me!”

“Ay, so you could. You’ve a mighty shrill scream, what’s more. All the same, it’s my belief the scheme will fail. It’s a pity I can’t recall which room the curst panel is in.”

“Yes, I have been feeling that, too,” agreed Miss Thane. “I mean—it would be easier, wouldn’t it?”

“In an adventure,” said Eustacie severely, “it is not proper to have everything quite easy.”

Miss Thane was about to beg pardon when the sound of a quick, firm footstep on the stairs made them all look towards the door. It opened, but it was only Sir Tristram who came in, so that both ladies were able to relax their suddenly strained attitudes.

“Oh, it’s you, is it?” said Ludovic, withdrawing his hand from under his pillows, where it had been grasping the butt of a serviceable pistol. “Come in, and shut the door. Eustacie has thought of a plan. I don’t say it’s a good one, but it might answer.”

“Has the Beau been here?” Sir Tristram demanded.

“Yes, that’s what put this scheme of hers into Eustacie’s head. I wish I might have seen him. She tells me he has taken to wearing a lilac-striped coat.”

“I thought I could not be mistaken in his chaise. Why did he come?”

“He came to see me, and you must at once listen to me, mon cousin, because I have made a plot. I am going to take Sarah to the Dower House, because she has an envie to see it. I have told Basil that she likes old houses, and he was very content that she should see his. And when we are there I shall pretend that I wish to consult Basil, and while I am explaining to him how it is that I do not wish to marry you, Sarah will ask leave to make a drawing of the woodwork in the library. In that way she will be able to search for the secret panel, and when she has found it, she must steal the ring, and make just one little drawing to show Basil. Is it not a very good plot?”

“Yes,” said Shield, somewhat to her surprise, “it is a good plot, but if you do find the ring you must on no account remove it, Miss Thane. Make a sketch of that particular portion of the frieze so that we may easily find it again, and leave the rest to me.”

“Certainly,” said Miss Thane. “But there is just one thing—”

“Where’s the sense in leaving it there?” interrupted Ludovic. “I want my ring. I haven’t had a day’s good luck since I lost it.”

“There is just one thing,” began Miss Thane again, “which perhaps I ought to—”

“Of course, he must have the ring at once!” declared Eustacie. “Why should she leave it?”

“Because we must be able to prove that the ring is in the Beau’s possession. Steal it, and it is merely a matter of your word against his. Once we can prove that the Beau has it, Ludovic is cleared. Until then Ludovic is the last person in the world to hold the ring. If Miss Thane can find the panel, and sketch the frieze for us—”

“Yes,” said Miss Thane. “But I have been trying to tell you for quite some time now that there is a—a trifling hitch. I cannot draw.”

They stared at her in incredulity. “Can’t draw?” repeated Ludovic. “Nonsense, of course you can! All females can draw!”

“I can’t.”

“I thought,” said Sir Tristram, with a touch of scorn, “that drawing and water-colour painting were taught in every young ladies’ seminary?”

“They may be,” retorted Sarah, “but I still cannot draw.”

“Well, why the devil can’t you, if you were taught?” demanded Ludovic reasonably.

“I had no aptitude,” explained Sarah.

“But consider, Sarah!” said Eustacie. “It is most important that you should be able to make just a little drawing!”

“I know,” said Sarah. “I am very sorry, and I quite see that a person who is unable to draw is unfit to take part in any adventure.”

“It seems to me,” said Ludovic, “that girls merely waste their time at school.”

“Yes, and what is worse, I have told Basil that she will bring her sketching-book,” added Eustacie. “Now it appears that she has not got one, and we are quite undone.”

“If she can’t draw, she can’t,” said Sir Tristram. “I shall have to join your party.”

Eustacie shook her head. “No, because I have told Basil that I do not care to see you, and he would think it very odd if you were to be of my party.”

Sir Tristram gave a resigned sigh. “You had better let me know at once just what lie it is you have told the Beau. What am I now held to have done?”

Eustacie’s eyes twinkled wickedly. “Well, you see, I had to make up a reason why I could not take Sarah to the Court, so I said that you were very angry with me.”

“Oh, is that all?” Sir Tristram sounded relieved.

Miss Thane, feeling that she had something to avenge, said meditatively: “Yes, it was the Beau himself who suggested the rest. No one could really blame Eustacie.”

“The rest?”

“Oh, it was nothing to signify!” said Sarah, with an airy gesture. “Mr Lavenham just asked if you were still importuning Eustacie to marry you.”

“Why should I be doing anything of the sort?”

“On account of her being an heiress,” explained Sarah.

Sir Tristram said dryly: “Of course. I should have thought of that. I trust neither of you will hesitate to vilify my character whenever it seems expedient to you to do so.”

“No, of course we shall not,” Miss Thane assured him.

“But you do not mind, mon cousin, do you?”

“On the contrary, I am becoming quite accustomed to it. But I am afraid even your imagination must fail soon. I have been in swift succession a tyrant, a thief and a murderer, and now a fortune hunter. There is really nothing left.”

“Oh!” said Ludovic gaily, “we have acquitted you of theft and murder, you know.”

“True,” Shield retorted. “But as your acquittals are invariably accompanied by fresh and more outrageous slanders, I almost dread the moment when you acquit me of fortune hunting.”

Eustacie looked a little distressed. “But, Tristram, you do not understand! We do not really think you are a fortune hunter!”

Ludovic gave a delighted crack of laughter, and caught her hand to his lips. “I lied, I lied! I have had one day’s good luck at least, when I met my cousin Eustacie!”

“Yes, but—”

Sir Tristram said gravely: “Of course, if you do not really think it—”

“No, I do not. In fact, I am beginning quite to like you,” Eustacie assured him.

“Thank you,” said Sir Tristram, much moved.

“But I thought it would be a very good thing to pretend to Basil that you still wished to marry me, and so, you see, you cannot come to his house with us. I perceive now that it is a pity that I said it, perhaps, but one cannot always look far enough ahead.”

“On the whole,” said Shield, “I am inclined to think that you did right. I must, after all, have some excuse for visiting this inn so often. I will join your party at the Dower House, and you may counterfeit all the disgust you please.”

Miss Thane nodded approvingly. “I see! You will arrive upon some pretext, just in time to rescue Mr Lavenham from my importunities. Eustacie having signified her desire to hold private speech with him, he will hail your arrival with joy. I shall have to be a very stupid sort of a woman, and ask a great many questions. Tell me something to say about his house.”

“Comment enthusiastically upon the silver-figured oak wainscoting in the dining-room,” said Sir Tristram.

“Also the strap-and-jewel work overmantel in the drawing-room,” struck in Ludovic. “Sylvester used to say it was devilish fine; that I do remember.”

“Strap-and-jewel work,” repeated Miss Thane, committing it to memory.

“Dutch influence,” said Sir Tristram. “Detect the school of Torrigiano in the library.”

“Is it there?” inquired Ludovic, vaguely interested.

“Heaven knows. Basil won’t, at any rate. Say that it is a pity the muntins are not covered by pilasters. Talk of cartouches, and caryatids, and scratch-mouldings. Ask for the history of every picture, and discover that the staircase reminds you of one you have seen somewhere else, though you cannot immediately recall where.”

“Say no more! I see it all!” declared Miss Thane. “Heaven send he does not fob me off on to the housekeeper!”

Fortunately for the success of her plot the Beau’s manners were far too polished to permit of his resorting to this expedient. According to a carefully-laid plan, the two ladies set out upon the following morning in Sir Hugh’s chaise, and drove at a sedate pace to the Dower House, which was situated on the northern side of Lavenham Court, about five miles from Hand Cross. It was a sixteenth-century house of respectable size, approached by a short carriage-sweep. Its gardens, which were separated from the Park by a kind of ha-ha, were laid out with great propriety of taste, and some very fine clipped yews, flanking the oaken front door, at once met with Miss Thane’s approbation.

They were admitted into the house by a town-bred and somewhat supercilious butler, and led through the hall to the drawing-room. This was an elegant apartment, furnished in the first style of fashion, but Miss Thane had no time to waste in admiring what were obviously quite up-to-date chairs and tables. Her attention was fixed anxiously upon the overmantel.

The Beau joined his guests in a very few minutes. If he felt any surprise at a somewhat vague engagement having been kept with such promptness, no trace of it appeared in his countenance. He greeted both ladies with his usual grace, feared they must have been chilled during their drive in such hard weather, and begged them to draw near the fire. Eustacie, whose cheeks were rosy where a nipping east wind had caught them, promptly complied with the suggestion, but Miss Thane was unable to tear herself from the contemplation of the overmantel. She stood well back from it, assuming a devout expression, and breathed: “ Such exquisite strap-and-jewel work! You did not tell me you had anything so fine, Mr Lavenham! I declare, I do not know how to take my eyes from it!”

“I believe it is considered to be a very good example, ma’am,” the Beau acknowledged. “The late Lord Lavenham was used to say it was finer than the one up at the Court, but I am afraid I am not a judge of such things.”

But this Miss Thane would not allow to be true. No protestations that he ‘could make succeeded in shaking her belief that it was his modesty which spoke. She launched forth into a sea of talk, in which Dutch influence, the style of the Renaissance, the inferiority of Flemish craftsmanship, and the singular beauty of the Gothic jostled one another like rudderless boats adrift in a whirlpool. From the overmantel she passed with scarcely a check to the pictures on the walls. She detected a De Hooge with unerring judgment, and was at once reminded of a few weeks spent in the Netherlands some years ago. Her reminiscences, recounted with a vivacious artlessness which made Eustacie stare at her in rapt admiration, were only put an end to by the Beau’s seizing the opportunity afforded by her pausing to take breath to propose that they should step into the dining-parlour for some refreshment.