"we shall get to the point all in good time," mayfield said deliberately. "that screen forms a kind of cosy corner and entrance to the terrace. if a good dinner gave you a headache, and you could not stand the light, you might do worse than sit in the big chair and smoke there whilst the others sat around the table. i planned it all out coming along, with the recollection of this room in my mind. but the geographical situation is even better than i anticipated."
"what on earth are you driving at?" speed asked with nervous irritation.
mayfield laughed. there was something hard and grating in his mirth.
"well, i'll put it in the form of a parable if you like," he said. "suppose that you and i found ourselves in a very tight place. it wants no imagination to conceive that, you say. very well, the situation is granted. we are in the warm corner, and the same man is keeping us there. i need not say i am alluding to ralph darnley. if i don't get him out of the way, i am a ruined man. another few days, and i shall have to fly the country in disgrace; i shall be brought back and put on my trial. the result of that trial is a foregone conclusion and society will be deprived of my presence for some years to come. my only hope is in help of a substantial nature from you."
"that's all right," speed whispered hoarsely, "you shall have as much as you like, if you will only show me the way to raise the money."
"that's precisely what i am going to do. darnley must be got of the way. then you will have all the money you need. listen to me. darnley dines here tonight. he will not stay late because of my presence. when the dinner is practically finished you will plead a headache, and go and sit in that big chair with the window open. from time to time you will put in a remark to show that you are still there. when darnley rises to go i shall walk as far as the hall with him and help him on with his coat. it may happen that he will smoke a cigar that i shall select for him--a fresh cigar to carry him home. a few whiffs of that cigar will make him very giddy, for my cigars are strong. i have made arrangements for a message to come to darnley about half past ten saying that lady dashwood desires to see him at the dower house tonight.
"now, if my memory serves me correctly, the quickest way to the dower house is along the terrace here. darnley will go that way. he will be very giddy and sleepy. you are in the alcove whilst i am talking to old dashwood. this is where dashwood comes in, where he will be a witness for me. as darnley staggers along, you get out on to the terrace. you happen to have a loaded stick handy. i don't wish to suggest any connection between the two events, but it is just possible that darnley will be found in the park tomorrow morning, with his head split open and his pockets empty. that would be a fortunate accident for us."
"yes," speed said with chattering teeth, "it--it would. but i don't quite----"
"oh, the rest is quite easy. i call to you directly i fancy things are safe, and you come into the room grumbling at the light. i only want you to answer a question, and so prove that you have been in the room all the time. we don't lose sight of one another after that, not till everybody has gone to bed, when i slip out and place the body so that it can be found to look as if robbery had been the motive. can you do it?"
speed nodded without reply. the room had grown suddenly dark, for a thunderstorm had come up from the west. there was a lurid flash of lightning followed by a clap of thunder, and then the rain came down in torrents. it was only a matter of ten minutes before the light came back again. speed nodded once more.
"all right," he whispered, "i am a fairly powerful man, and physically, i have nothing to fear from ralph darnley. besides, you say he will not be in a condition. . . . it's a dreadful thing to think of, mayfield, but i can't give this up. i really couldn't go back to the old life of drudgery again. only please don't revert to the subject. let us have another glass of wine and forget all about it for the time being."
the afternoon wore on; evening came at length, and presently with it, ralph darnley. he entered the big dining-room where the others awaited him. his easy manner changed as he caught sight of mayfield. just for the moment he felt a desire to walk out of the room and leave the house. he had not expected an insult like this. but, on the other hand, he had asked no questions; he had accepted the invitation as much out of curiosity as anything else, and, besides, mary's father was there. and ralph had been in more questionable circumstances before now.
"i think you know mayfield," speed said carelessly.
"we have met on several occasions," ralph said quietly, "we have had business relations together. but i hardly expected the pleasure."
"well, you have nothing to regret as far as the business relations are concerned," mayfield said with a laugh. "still, it is possible to forget all about that for the moment. my friend, sp--i mean, sir vincent, has asked me to stay here for a night. upon my word, he is a man to be envied! it isn't often that a place like this tumbles into a man's lap. with most of us virtue is its own reward."
ralph made some suitable reply. he was annoyed and angry with himself for coming. but there was no getting out of it now; he would have to go on till half-past ten at least. it was a relief in its way when slight came in with the announcement that dinner was ready. that meal would occupy two hours at least.
there was everything set out just as it had been in the old days, and yet there was a subtle difference. the house lacked the presence of a mistress; it needed the refining influence of a woman. and, in his mind's eye, ralph saw the woman there, smiling and tender at the head of the table, her eyes looking into his. it was worth all the discomfort and unpleasantness of such a meal to know that the time would not be long now. the puppets had nearly finished their parts, and the hour for their removal was close at hand.
but the dinner dragged all the same; only mr. dashwood made spasmodic efforts at keeping up the nagging conversation. he was fitfully gay, perhaps he noted the look of displeasure in ralph's eyes.
the cloth was removed at length and the wines sparkled red and white under the soft, shaded lamps. mayfield slipped out of the room presently under pretence that he had forgotten his cigar case. directly he entered he turned to ralph.
"a message has come for you," he said. "lady dashwood would like to see you at the dower house on your way home. she will not detain you long."
"in that case i must not be late," ralph replied. he was glad of the excuse to get away a little sooner than he had expected. "what is the matter with our host?"
for speed had started, the cigar fell from his fingers. the false message was a signal to him that the tragedy had begun, and he was expected to play his part when the time came. he placed his hand to his head and groaned.
"a bilious headache," he said, "they give me a lot of trouble from time to time. this one has been coming on all day. the light hurts my eyes fearfully. if you will excuse me, i'll go and sit in the shade behind the screen. i shall be able to hear all that is going on from there."
ralph murmured his sympathy. all he wanted to do now was to get away. he was heartily sorry that he had come at all. half an hour slipped away, half an hour's talk about mining speculation, to which mr. dashwood listened eagerly. everything in the nature of gambling always appealed to him.
"i am afraid i must be going," ralph said. "it is necessary for me to get away early if i am to see lady dashwood tonight."
"don't go without a cigar," mayfield urged as he proffered his case. "there are no finer cigars in the world, though i say it myself. do try one."
ralph held out his hand for the case. it certainly was an excellent cigar. there was something very soothing about it. mayfield followed ralph into the hall, only to return a moment later with the information that the visitor had departed. then came the sound of a movement from behind the screen, followed by what might have been a moan of pain.
"poor chap," mayfield said with ready sympathy. "now let me go on, mr. dashwood, and explain to you what i meant about those south african shares. i want to prove to you what a good thing they are, if only you have the pluck to take them and hold them."
"provided that you've got the money," dashwood laughed, "but, as you are aware, i have no money; fortune has been very unkind to me lately. still, on the other hand--but you do not seem to be listening to me."
"i--i beg your pardon," mayfield stammered, "i am listening to something outside. let us ask sir vincent if his head is well enough to offer an opinion. i say, dashwood, would you mind coming here for a moment. your relation here says----"
"all right," came a little voice from behind the screen, "i'm coming. why can't you leave a fellow alone? i declare i'm shaking from head to foot with cold. let us sit here out of the draught. . . . i'm fairly stung with the cold."
the speaker's teeth were chattering, his face was a ghastly blue colour. and, for a long time afterwards, nobody spoke besides mr. george dashwood!
