At the end of a small pa.s.sage outside the anteroom, the door opened into a smaller room, which at one time had been used as a study, and was noted for its impenetrability as to sound. Here they entered; and Lord Barminster, asking all to be seated, bade the inspector proceed with such explanations as he had to offer.
"My lord," he said respectfully, "the explanation is a very simple one, and in deference to your lordship, to make it as private as possible, I have left my men outside the Castle. I, unfortunately, hold a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Adrien Leroy on a charge of forgery."
An exclamation of horror burst from all, except Adrien and Jasper; but the speaker continued:
"In performance of my duty, I arrest him, in the King"s name." He touched Adrien lightly on the arm as he spoke.
Lord Barminster drew a long breath, but still hoping against his better judgment that the affair was what its originators considered, a practical joke, he restrained all appearance of anger.
"Come," he said, "this may be an excellent jest; but whoever is responsible for it must surely realise that it has gone far enough."
"This is no jest, sir," said Adrien, and he looked at Mortimer Shelton, who sat, white and bewildered, opposite to him.
"I am arrested on a charge of forging Shelton"s signature to a bill for ten thousand pounds."
"Good Heavens!" exclaimed his friend, starting up in horror. "But it is impossible that they should think you--"
"Shelton," continued Adrien steadily, "has written a letter saying that the signature is a forgery."
"I wrote last week, not knowing; but, of course"--he laughed scornfully--"it is all a mistake, which can soon be rectified. The idea of coming to you for such a thing! I hope you don"t believe, my dear Adrien, that I had any hand in this monstrous accusation?"
"Of course, I know that," replied his friend, holding out his hand. "But the writing has a distinct resemblance to mine, I admit; and two witnesses are ready to prove, so the inspector tells me, that they saw me enter the office of a certain "Harker"s," I think it is, where the bill was signed, and also that my motor was standing at the door. While a third witness, a clerk at the office, has filed an affidavit that he actually saw me writing on the bill, there. All this, father"--turning once more to the old man--"pa.s.ses a jest."
"Yes, indeed," replied Lord Barminster sarcastically; "for a Leroy, who can command a hundred thousand pounds by a stroke of his pen, to forge a bill for ten thousand pounds is not a jest, but simple madness. The charge is some insolent conspiracy."
Almost unconsciously, he fixed his glance on Jasper Vermont, who, during the whole time, had sat motionless and silent. It seemed as if he guessed, intuitively, that that smooth individual was at the bottom of it all. Then he turned his grey eyes to Adrien"s calm face, and from his to the white one of Lady Constance, whose eyes were flashing with anger at the mere idea of any one doubting Adrien"s honour.
There was a moment"s silence, broken by Shelton, who rose and grasped his friend"s hand.
"Adrien," he said, in a voice charged with emotion, "Adrien, I can bear this no longer. Give this foul accusation the lie. I know, my dear fellow, as surely as I know that I did not write it myself, that you had nothing to do with the accursed signature. But, for Heaven"s sake, tell the others so too."
Adrien returned the friendly clasp with a smile that lit up his whole face; then looking round, he said quietly:
"I did not write it; I know nothing of it."
Lord Barminster rose from his seat at the sound of his son"s voice, and put his hand on Adrien"s shoulder; then, as if half ashamed of his pardonable emotion, he turned to the inspector.
"You hear, sir, Mr. Leroy knows nothing of the matter."
"That, my lord," returned the inspector respectfully, "would not justify me in leaving here without him. I fear he must accompany me; my instructions under the warrant are too strict. Mere denial is, of course, a common matter, and a usual one--begging your pardon, my lord"--for the old man had started indignantly.
"I should suggest, my lord," continued the inspector hurriedly, "that an alibi would be of the most service. I do not say for one moment that Mr.
Leroy did commit the forgery; but, of course, he will be able to prove where he was on the twenty-second of last month, at three o"clock."
Shelton"s face brightened. He wheeled round on his friend.
"Adrien," he exclaimed, "tell us where you were on that day; not to satisfy me, you know that, but to get this folly over."
Leroy gazed sadly at him, but remained silent; and Shelton grew hot, and then white with irritation, at this inexplicable silence.
"Think, my dear Adrien," he said in a quick, impatient voice. "Were you at the club, or your chambers, or Park Lane--where were you? Come, you can"t have forgotten."
He stamped his foot in his impatience; for although he would have laughed to scorn any a.s.sertion of his friend"s guilt, it annoyed him that a shadow should remain on Adrien"s name for a single instant, and especially when a few words from Leroy himself would end the matter.
But Adrien made no indignant protest, such as might have been expected.
"No," he said at length, "I have not forgotten where I spent the day of the twenty-second----"
"Then, for Heaven"s sake, man, speak out," exclaimed Shelton in excitement.
"I cannot," answered Adrien with a sigh. "I gave my word to keep secret certain events that happened on that day. They took place far away from the City, but I cannot reveal where. Those who say they saw me in London are lying, and I could easily disprove their statements; but you would not have me break my word?"
There was an awful silence, as he finished speaking. Not one present but realised the gravity of the situation, and the futility of putting further questions.
At this point the inspector turned to Lord Barminster.
"My lord," he said almost gently, "I"m afraid I must ask Mr. Leroy to come back with me--and at once; but for the sake of all here, it can be arranged so that your guests shall remain ignorant. There are not many hours before the morning now."
This was indeed true, for time waits for no man, be it spent in pleasure or in crime. "I would suggest that Mr. Leroy and myself return to London; and if he will give me his word of honour not to attempt any escape, I will dismiss my men, who were sent down with me altogether against my will."
"Certainly, you may rely on my not offering any resistance," was Leroy"s reply, with a faint smile at the idea called up by the inspector"s words. "I should like to change my things to something more suitable."
He glanced down at the velvet and lace of his King Charles costume; all this seemed like a dream from which he must awake to find himself back in the ball-room.
"Certainly, sir," agreed the inspector, who seemed honestly reluctant to make the business any more unpleasant than necessary.
"I will come with you," put in Lord Barminster suddenly.
"I also," said Mortimer Shelton. "I will come up with you, and change into something more fitted for the journey."
Turning to Lady Constance, her uncle besought her to return to the ball-room, and thus prevent any remarks being made as to the absence of himself and Adrien. Bravely, as was to be expected of her, she turned obediently; and with a few whispered, loving words to Adrien, left the room, followed, almost unnoticed, by Jasper Vermont. He was quite satisfied with the success of his plot, but had no desire to come into contact with Lord Barminster, if he could avoid it.
Meanwhile, having ordered refreshments for the inspector, Lord Barminster prepared to accompany his son to London. The arrangements took but a short time; and when the three men, accompanied by the inspector, silently entered the car which had been brought round, the ball was drawing to an end. Carriages and motors were driving away, filled with tired but happy guests, who little guessed that their host and his son were also being driven away--but to a police-station.
Outside the Castle gates the inspector stopped to dismiss two or three plain-clothes officers who were awaiting him, telling them to return to London by the first train.
"I would suggest," he said quietly, as the car rolled through the quiet country lanes, "that we wait together in London until the court opens; and when I have delivered up my charge, you can go before the magistrate, and obtain bail, in whatever amounts are required. Mr. Leroy would then be able to return to Barminster until the actual trial--if, of course, such should be necessary."
"A very sensible idea," agreed Shelton. "Thank you, Inspector. When this matter is satisfactorily cleared up, you will not lose by your sympathy, nor by the way you have conducted the business."
Lord Barminster was also pleased at this suggestion, and, on their arrival in London, the whole party went straight to Barminster House for breakfast, after which the four walked down to the court, where application for bail was made and accepted in two sureties of ten thousand pounds each from Lord Barminster and Mortimer Shelton; then Adrien found himself free until the day of trial.
They returned to their town house, where his father telephoned to the family solicitors. Within half an hour the head of the firm arrived, and was put in possession of such meagre details as Adrien could furnish, without disclosing his doings on the fateful date, the twenty-second.
The lawyer"s face was very grave as he listened.
"It will not be an easy task, my lord," he ventured to say to Lord Barminster as he took his departure, "but I will do my best, and will have opinion of the highest counsel obtainable."
They were soon ready to undertake the return journey, and before parting with the kindly inspector, Lord Barminster very warmly thanked him. All felt that they had been spared a great deal of humiliation by the way he had so far conducted the case. At the Castle they found that nothing was known of the affair. Miss Penelope had retired to her own rooms to recover from the fatigue of the ball, while Constance was quite serene, strong in her loving faith in Adrien and content to ask no questions.
Jasper Vermont had also left Barminster, but had sent a note in which be stated that he was working in his friend"s interest, and hoped to unearth the mystery of the conspiracy. This sounded plausible and meant nothing--which was thoroughly characteristic of Mr. Vermont.