"Peter Thompkins is my valet, so that is quite simple."
"Very well. Good-bye, Mr. Thompkins. I trust I shall soon have a better report to give you of Mrs. Thompkins."
A moment later Cyril was in a taxi speeding towards Mayfair, a free man--for the moment.
CHAPTER III
THE TRIBULATIONS OF A LIAR
While Crichton was dressing he glanced from time to time at his valet.
Peter had evidently been deeply shocked by the incident at the railway station, for the blunt profile, so persistently presented to him, was austerely remote as well as subtly disapproving. Cyril was fond of the old man, who had been his father"s servant and had known him almost from his infancy. He felt that he owed him some explanation, particularly as he had without consulting him made use of his name.
But what should he say to him? Never before had he so fully realised the joy, the comfort, the dignity of truth. It was not a virtue he decided; it was a privilege. If he ever got out of the hole he was in, he meant to wallow in it for the future. That happy time seemed, however, still far distant.
Believing the girl to be innocent, he wanted as few people as possible to know the nature of the cloud which hung over her. Peter"s loyalty, he knew, he could count on, that had been often and fully proved; but his discretion was another matter. Peter was no actor. If he had anything to conceal, even his silence became so portentous of mystery that it could not fail to arouse the curiosity of the most unsuspicious. No, he must think of some simple story which would satisfy Peter as to the propriety of his conduct and yet which, if it leaked out, would not be to the girl"s discredit.
"You must have been surprised to hear me give my name to the young lady you saw at the station," he began tentatively.
"Yes, sir." Peter"s expression relaxed.
"Her story is a very sad one." So much at any rate must be true, thought poor Cyril with some satisfaction.
"Yes, sir." Peter was waiting breathlessly for the sequel.
"I don"t feel at liberty to repeat what she told me. You understand that, don"t you?"
"Certainly, sir," agreed Peter, but his face fell.
"So all I can tell you is that she was escaping from a brute who horribly ill-treated her. Of course I offered to help her."
"Of course," echoed Peter.
"Unfortunately she was taken ill before she had told me her name or who the friends were with whom she was seeking refuge. What was I to do? If the police heard that a young girl had been found unconscious on the train, the fact would have been advertised far and wide so as to enable them to establish her ident.i.ty, in which case the person from whom she was hiding would have taken possession of her, which he has a legal right to do--so she gave me to understand." Crichton paused quite out of breath. He was doing beautifully. Peter was swallowing his tale unquestionably--and really, you know, for an inexperienced liar that was a reasonably probable story. "So you see," he continued, "it was necessary for her to have a name and mine was the only one which would not provoke further inquiry."
"Begging your pardon, sir, but I should "ave thought that Smith or Jones would "ave done just as well."
"Certainly not. The authorities would have wanted further particulars and would at once have detected the fraud. No one will ever know that I lent an unfortunate woman for a few hours the protection of my name, and there is no one who has the right to object to my having done so--except the young lady herself."
"Yes, sir, quite so."
"On the other hand, on account of the position I am in at present, it is most important that I should do nothing which could by any possibility be misconstrued."
"Yes, sir, certainly, sir."
"And so I told the doctor that the young lady had better not be called by my name while she is at the home and so--and so--well--in fact--I gave her yours. I hope you don"t mind?"
"My name?" gasped Peter in a horrified voice.
"Yes, you see you haven"t got a wife, have you?"
"Certainly not, sir!"
"So there couldn"t be any possible complications in your case."
"One never can tell, sir--a name"s a name and females are sometimes not over-particular."
"Don"t be an a.s.s! Why, you ought to feel proud to be able to be of use to a charming lady. Where"s your chivalry, Peter?"
"I don"t know, sir, but I do "ope she"s respectable," he answered miserably.
"Of course she is. Don"t you know a lady when you see one?"
Peter shook his head tragically.
"I"m sorry you feel like that about it," said Crichton. "It never occurred to me you would mind, and I haven"t yet told you all. I not only gave the young lady your name but took it myself."
"Took my name!"
"Yes. At the nursing home I am known as Mr. Peter Thompkins. Pray that I don"t disgrace you, Peter."
"Oh, sir, a false name! If you get found out, they"ll never believe you are hinnocent when you"ve done a thing like that. Of course, a gentleman like you hought to know his own business best, but it do seem to me most awful risky."
"Well, it"s a risk that had to be taken. It was a choice of evils, I grant you. Hah! I sniff breakfast; the bacon and eggs of my country await me. I am famishing, and I say, Peter, do try to take a more cheerful view of this business."
"I"ll try, sir."
Crichton was still at breakfast when a short, red-haired young man fairly burst into the room.
"Guy Campbell!" exclaimed Cyril joyfully.
"Hullo, old chap, glad to see you," cried the newcomer, pounding Cyril affectionately on the back. "How goes it? I say, your telephone message gave me quite a turn. What"s up? Have you got into a sc.r.a.pe? You look as calm as possible."
"If I look calm, my looks belie me. I a.s.sure you I never felt less calm in my life."
"What on earth is the matter?"
"You won"t have some breakfast?"
"Breakfast at half-past eleven! No thank you."
"Well, then, take a cigarette, pull up that chair to the fire, and listen--and don"t play the fool; this is serious."
"Fire away."
"I want your legal advice, Guy, though I suppose you"ll tell me I need a solicitor, not a barrister. I wish to get a divorce."