"Why have you refused to use the money which I placed to your credit at the National Bank for her?" he asked.
"Because," I answered, "we are not aware what right you have to provide for her."
Mr. Grooten smiled upon us--much as a sphynx might have smiled. It had the effect of making us both feel very young.
"My claim," he murmured, "must surely be as good as yours."
"Perhaps," I admitted. "At any rate, the money remains there in her name. She may find herself in greater need of it later on in life."
Mr. Grooten seemed to find some amus.e.m.e.nt in the idea.
"No," he said, "I do not think that that is likely. You could safely have used the money, but as you have not--well, it is of small consequence. I presume that attempts have been made to withdraw the child from your care?"
"Several," I told him. "Madame Richard and Lady Delahaye were equally importunate."
Grooten nodded.
"You have shown," he said, "an admirable discretion in refusing to give her up to either of them."
"And to-day," I continued, "a third claimant to the care of her has intervened. The Archd.u.c.h.ess of Bristlaw herself has offered to relieve us of our guardianship."
Mr. Grooten dropped the cigarette which he had only just lit, and seemed for the moment unconscious of the fact. He made no effort to pick it up.
He quivered as though someone had struck him a blow. For a man whose impa.s.sivity was almost a part of himself he was evidently deeply agitated.
"The Archd.u.c.h.ess--has seen Isobel!" he muttered.
"They met by chance at the Mordaunt Rooms a few afternoons ago," I told him. "The Archd.u.c.h.ess was accompanied by a girl of about Isobel"s age.
We came upon them suddenly, and the likeness was so marvellous that we were all startled. There was something in the nature of a scene. We left the Gallery at once, but the Archd.u.c.h.ess sent one of her suite for me. I had some conversation with her concerning Isobel."
"Can you repeat it?" Grooten asked.
"In substance--yes," I told him. "The Archd.u.c.h.ess plainly hinted that she believed Isobel to be connected morganatically with her family. She wished to take her under her own charge and provide for her."
"And you?"
"I thought it best to take some time for reflection. I had some idea of looking up the history of the Archd.u.c.h.ess"s family."
"You made no promise?"
"Certainly not. To tell you the truth, I was influenced by the presence of Lady Delahaye amongst the royal party. I have no faith in Lady Delahaye"s good intentions with regard to Isobel."
Mr. Grooten flashed a quick glance upon me.
"Yet," he said softly, "report says that you and Lady Delahaye have been very good friends."
"That," I answered, "is beside the mark. I knew her before her marriage, but I have seen very little of her since. As a matter of fact, our relations at the present time are scarcely amicable. We have had a difference of opinion concerning our guardianship of Isobel. Lady Delahaye does not approve of her presence here with us."
Mr. Grooten smiled.
"That," he said, "is probable. May I proceed to ask a somewhat impertinent question? You were the guests to-night, I believe, of the Baron von Leibingen, who is, I understand, a _persona grata_ with the Archd.u.c.h.ess. I presume that your meeting in some way concerned Isobel?"
"Isobel was the sole cause of it," I answered. "The Archd.u.c.h.ess is a woman who perseveres. She declined to consider that my reply to her first tentative offer was in any way final. She pa.s.sed the matter on to the Baron, and certainly until he lost his temper towards the end of our interview, he was a very efficient amba.s.sador. He proved to us quite clearly that it was our duty to give Isobel up to those who had a better right to a.s.sume the charge of her, and he wound up by handing us cheques for--I think it was five thousand pounds each, wasn"t it, Allan?"
Mr. Grooten leaned back in his chair and laughed silently, yet with obvious enjoyment.
"That poor von Leibingen," he murmured, "how he blunders his way through life! Yet, my friend, I am afraid that this charge which I so thoughtlessly laid upon you is proving very troublesome. And you perceive that I do not even offer you a cheque."
Allan suddenly rose up and knocked the ashes from his pipe into the fire.
"You do not offer us a cheque, Mr. Grooten," he said quietly, "because you have perceptions. But there is another way in which you can recompense us for the trifling inconveniences to which we have been put.
You can make our task easier--and more dignified; you can answer a question which I think I may say that we have an absolute right to ask you."
Mr. Grooten inclined his head slightly. He made no remark. Allan turned to me.
"Arnold," he said, "this is more your affair than mine, for it is you who have borne the brunt of it from the first. I do not wish to interfere in it unduly. But from every point of view, I think that the time has come when all this mystery concerning Isobel"s antecedents should be, so far as we are concerned at any rate, cleared up. Our hands would be immensely strengthened by the knowledge of the truth. Your friend here, Mr. Grooten, can tell us if he will. Ask him to do so. I will go further. I will even say that we have a right to insist upon it."
Mr. Grooten sat immovable. One could scarcely gather from his face that he had heard a word of Allan"s speech.
"You are quite right, Allan," I answered. "Mr. Grooten," I continued, turning towards him, "you are the best judge as to whether your presence in this country is altogether wise, but I can a.s.sure you that for the last six months we have looked for you every day, and for this same reason. We want that question answered. The time has come when, in common justice to us and the child, the whole thing should be cleared up. Whatever knowledge rests with you is safe also with us. I think that we have proved that. I think that we have earned our right to your complete confidence. Mabane and I you can consider as one in this matter. You can speak before him as though we were alone. Now tell us the whole truth."
"I cannot," Mr. Grooten answered simply.
There was a certain crisp definiteness about those two words which carried conviction with them. Mabane and I were a little staggered. Our position was such a strong one, our request so reasonable, that I think that we had never realized the possibility of a refusal.
"May I ask you this?" Mabane said. "Do you expect that we shall continue our--I suppose we may call it guardianship--of Isobel in the face of your present att.i.tude?"
"I hope so, for the present," our visitor admitted softly.
"Notwithstanding," Mabane continued, "our absolute ignorance of everything connected with her, our lack of any sort of claim or t.i.tle to the charge of her, and the increasing number of people who still persist in trying to take her from us?"
Mr. Grooten shrugged his shoulders.
"You omit to mention the factors in the situation which may be said to be on your side," he murmured.
"I should be interested to know what those are," I remarked.
"Certainly. The first and most powerful of all is, of course, possession."
Mabane nodded.
"And after that?"
"The fact that not one of the three people who have appealed to you for the charge of the child is in a position to use the only real force which exists in this land. I mean the law," Grooten continued.
This kept us silent again for a moment. Mabane, I could see, was getting a little ruffled.
"You pelt us with enigmas, sir," he said. "You answer our questions only by propounding fresh conundrums. One thing, at least, you may feel disposed to tell us. What is your own relationship to Isobel?"