"It was a liberty," said he, with his face grown rigid.
"And the privilege of an old servant," I replied. "But that is just the point. You are not my servant, except in name," and I turned my head petulantly away.
The next moment his mouth was at my ear.
"Master Lawrence," he said, in a voice which was very low, "Master Lawrence, were I you, I would not ride again to Keswick."
I started up. Aron flushed so that the bald top of his head grew red, hopped back to his table, bit his pen, and set to writing at an indescribable rate, as though he was sensible he had said too much.
I leaned upon my elbow and looked at him. So I had a friend in the household, after all! I hugged the thought close to me. Had he any precise knowledge which prompted the advice? I wondered. But I could not ask him, and for this reason amongst others--I was too grateful for this proof of his goodwill to provoke him to a further indiscretion. But as I looked at him, I recalled something which I had noticed whilst riding about the estate. I suppose it was his scribbling at the papers put it into my head, but once it had come there, I thought vaguely that it might be of relevance.
"Aron," I said, "this plumbago? It is a valuable product?"
He looked at me startled.
"Yes," said he.
"The mine is opened once in five years?"
"Yes."
"And on that side of the mountain which faces Borrowdale?"
"Yes."
And with each a.s.sent his uneasiness increased.
"But there"s a ravine runs back by the flank of the mountain, and on the mountain-side there I saw a small lateral shaft."
"It is closed now, and has been for long," he interrupted eagerly.
"But it was open once," I persisted. "The place is secret. Who opened it?"
"It was opened during Sir John Rookley"s life," he answered, evading the question.
"No doubt; but by whom?"
He shuffled his feet beneath the table.
I repeated the question.
"By whom?"
"By Mr. Jervas," he answered reluctantly.
"With Sir John"s knowledge and consent?"
Aron glanced at me with an almost piteous expression.
"Sir John knew of it"
"But before it was opened, or afterwards?"
The answer was slow in coming, but it came at last.
"Afterwards."
"Then I take it," I resumed, "that Mr. Jervas Rookley robbed his father?"
I spoke in a loud tone, and Aron started from his seat, his eyes drawn towards the door. I rose from the sofa and opened it; there was no one in the pa.s.sage, but I left the door open. When I turned back again I saw that Aron was looking at me in some perplexity, as if he wondered whether I _knew_.
"But his father forgave him," he said gently.
"Very true," said I, fixing my eyes steadily upon him; "and besides, it is hardly fair to rake up the misdeeds of a man who is so very far away."
I spoke the words very slowly one by one. Aron"s mouth dropped; a paper which he had been holding in his hand fluttered to the floor.
The perplexity in his eyes changed into a blank bewilderment, and from bewilderment to fear.
"You know, sir?" he whispered, nodding his head once or twice in a way that was grotesque. "Then you know?"
"I know this, Aron," I interrupted hastily. "I hold the estate of Blackladies upon this condition: that I do not knowingly part with a farthing of its revenue to Mr. Jervas Rookley. You know that? You know that if I fail to fulfil that condition the estate goes to the Crown?"
Aron nodded.
"But this you do not know," I continued. "When Ashlock came to me in Paris, and told me that Mr. Jervas was disinherited because he was a Jacobite, I refused to supplant him, being a Jacobite myself. It was my steward who persuaded me, and by this argument: that when King James came to his throne, the will might easily be set aside. I accepted Blackladies upon those terms--as a trust for Mr. Jervas. But to keep that trust I must fulfil the conditions of the will. I must not knowingly do aught for Mr. Rookley. The condition should be easy, for I have never been presented to Mr. Jervas. I have not so much as seen a portrait of him"--and at this Aron started a little; "he might be living in my house as one of my servants. I might even suspect which was he; but I should have no proof. I should not know."
Aron gazed at me with wondering eyes.
"You hold Blackladies in trust for Mr. Jervas?" he asked, and I gathered from the tone of the question that my steward had thought fit to keep that knowledge to himself.
"And hope to do so until it can be restored to him. But," I urged, "I am in no great favour with the Whigs in these parts, and if they could prove I knowingly supported Mr. Jervas, they would not, I fancy, miss the occasion. My attorney, for instance, is a Whig and the attorney of Whigs, and they tell me strangely enough that Mr. Jervas Rookley has been seen in Keswick."
Aron, however, seemed to be thinking of something totally apart. He said again, and with the same wonderment--
"You hold Blackladies in trust for Mr. Jervas?"
"That is so," said I, "but it need not keep us out of bed." And I walked into the pa.s.sage.
Aron lifted up the lamp and very politely led the way to my door.
There he stopped and came into the room with me.
"Sir," said he, setting down the lamp, "you will pardon me one more question?"
"It is another privilege of the old servant," I answered with a yawn.
"You were poor when Mr. Ashlock came to you in Paris?"
"Penniless," said I, and I began kicking off my boots lazily.