"He did that twice," he said."Pearson caught him at it, though Palliser didn't know he did.He'd have done it three times, or more than that, perhaps, but I casually mentioned in the smoking-room one night that some curious fool of a gardener boy had thrown some stones and frightened Strangeways, and that Pearson and I were watching for him, and that if I caught him I was going to knock his block off--bing! He didn't do it again.Darned fool! What does he think he's after?""I am afraid he is rather--I hope it is not wrong to say so --but he is rather given to gossip.And I dare say that the temptation to find something quite new to talk about was a great one.So few new things happen in the neighborhood, and, as the duke says, people are so bored--and he is bored himself.""He'll be more bored if he tries it again when he comes back,"remarked Tembarom.
Miss Alicia's surprised expression made him laugh.
"Do you think he will come back?" she exclaimed."After such a long visit?""Oh, yes, he'll come back.He'll come back as often as he can until he's got a chunk of my income to treble--or until I've done with him.""Until you've done with him, dear?" inquiringly.
"Oh! well,"--casually--"I've a sort of idea that he may tell me something I'd like to know.I'm not sure; I'm only guessing.But even if he knows it he won't tell me until he gets good and ready and thinks I don't want to hear it.What he thinks he's going to get at by prowling around is something he can get me in the crack of the door with.""Temple"--imploringly--"are you afraid he wishes to do you an injury?""No, I'm not afraid.I'm just waiting to see him take a chance on it,"and he gave her arm an affectionate squeeze against his side.He was always immensely moved by her little alarms for him.They reminded him, in a remote way, of Little Ann coming down Mrs.Bowse's staircase bearing with her the tartan comforter.
How could any one--how could any one want to do him an injury? she began to protest pathetically.But he would not let her go on.He would not talk any more of Captain Palliser or allow her to talk of him.Indeed, her secret fear was that he really knew something he did not wish her to be troubled by, and perhaps thought he had said too much.He began to make jokes and led her to other subjects.He asked her to go to the Hibblethwaites' cottage and pay a visit to Tummas.He had learned to understand his accepted privileges in making of cottage visits by this time; and when he clicked any wicket-gate the door was open before he had time to pass up the wicket-path.They called at several cottages, and he nodded at the windows of others where faces appeared as he passed by.
They had a happy morning together, and he took her back to Temple Barholm beaming, and forgetting Captain Palliser's existence, for the time, at least.In the afternoon they drove out together, and after dining they read the last copy of the Sunday Earth, which had arrived that day.He found quite an interesting paragraph about Mr.Hutchinson and the invention.Little Miss Hutchinson was referred to most flatteringly by the writer, who almost inferred that she was responsible not only for the inventor but for the invention itself.
Miss Alicia felt quite proud of knowing so prominent a character, and wondered what it could be like to read about oneself in a newspaper.
About nine o'clock he laid his sheet of the Earth down and spoke to her.
"I'm going to ask you to do me a favor," he said."I couldn't ask it if we weren't alone like this.I know you won't mind."Of course she wouldn't mind.She was made happier by the mere idea of doing something for him.
"I'm going to ask you to go to your room rather early," he explained.
"I want to try a sort of stunt on Strangeways.I'm going to bring him downstairs if he'll come.I'm not sure I can get him to do it; but he's been a heap better lately, and perhaps I can.""Is he so much better as that?" she said."Will it be safe?"He looked as serious as she had ever seen him look--even a trifle more serious.
"I don't know how much better he is," was his answer."Sometimes you'd think he was almost all right.And then--! The doctor says that if he could get over being afraid of leaving his room it would be a big thing for him.He wants him to go to his place in London so that he can watch him.""Do you think you could persuade him to go?"
"I've tried my level best, but so far--nothing doing."He got up and stood before the mantel, his back against it, his hands in his pockets.
"I've found out one thing," he said."He's used to houses like this.
Every now and again he lets something out quite natural.He knew that the furniture in his room was Jacobean - that's what he called it -and he knew it was fine stuff.He wouldn't have known that if he'd been a piker.I'm going to try if he won't let out something else when he sees things here - if he'll come.""You have such a wonderfully reasoning mind, dear," said Miss Alicia, as she rose."You would have made a great detective, I'm sure.""If Ann had been with him," he said, rather gloomily, "she'd have caught on to a lot more than I have.I don't feel very chesty about the way I've managed it."Miss Alicia went up-stairs shortly afterward, and half an hour later Tembarom told the footmen in the hall that they might go to bed.The experiment he was going to make demanded that the place should be cleared of any disturbing presence.He had been thinking it over for sometime past.He had sat in the private room of the great nerve specialist in London and had talked it over with him.He had talked of it with the duke on the lawn at Stone Hover.There had been a flush of color in the older man's cheek-bones, and his eyes had been alight as he took his part in the discussion.He had added the touch of his own personality to it, as always happened.