“Yes, it was, wasn’t it?” said Eustacie. “But now we do not know who is the villain, so it is of no use.”
Ludovic was watching Shield intently. “Tristram, you know something!”
Shield glanced down at him. “No. But Plunkett was shot by someone who wanted the talisman ring and only that. If you were not the man I know of only one other who could have done it.”
Ludovic raised himself slightly, staring at his cousin with knit brows. “My God, but he believed me! He was the only one who believed me!”
“So implicitly,” said Shield, “that he advised you to face your trial—with evidence enough against you to hang you twice over! Have you never wondered why he did that?”
Ludovic made a gesture as though brushing it aside. “Oh, I guessed he would be glad to step into my shoes, but damme, he would not run the risk of committing murder—he of all men!”
Eustacie gave a joyful shriek. “Basil!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “Yes, yes, of a certainty it was he! Why did I not think of that before? Miss Thane, it is my cousin Basil who is the villain, and although you do not know him I assure you it is much, much better, because he wears a silly hat, and I do not at all like him!”
“Oh well, in that case I am perfectly willing to have him for the villain in Sir Tristram’s place,” said Sarah. “I did not like to seem to criticize your choice, but to tell you the truth, Sir Tristram is not sinister enough for my taste.”
Sir Tristram looked a little amused. Ludovic said: “Wait, Eustacie, wait! This is not certain! Let me think!”
“But there is not any need to think,
“I can’t believe he’d put his neck in such jeopardy!” Ludovic said. “When did the Beau ever court a risk?”
“Whoever did it, Ludovic, was able to obtain a handkerchief of yours to leave beside the body,” Shield reminded him. “He must also have known that Plunkett was dining at Slaugham that evening, and guessed at least that he would return by the path through the Longshaw Spinney.”
“Yes, but to plan a cold-blooded murder just to dispose of me, and then pretend belief in my story—No, surely he could not do it!”
“Hush!” said Miss Thane impressively. “The whole affair is becoming as clear as daylight to me. He did not plan it; I dare say he never went beyond wishing that some accident would befall Ludovic—oh, I beg your pardon! —befall Lord Lavenham—”
“‘Ludovic’ will do,” interposed his lordship, grinning up at her. “I count you as quite one of the family.”
“I wish you may, for I assure you I regard myself as irrevocably bound to this adventure. Do not interrupt me! Let us say that he thought quite idly how fortunate it would be if Ludovic met with an accident. He would not dare to contrive one, for being the next in succession suspicion might fall on him. Well then, Ludovic lost his talisman ring, and Basil saw—No, I am wrong! At first he saw nothing. But Ludovic began to play into his hands—really, Ludovic, I believe it was all your fault: you tempted Basil beyond what he could resist.”
“I did not!” said Ludovic indignantly.
“You know nothing of the matter, my dear boy. You and Chance between you showed Basil how he could be rid of you. You became enraged with the man whose name Eustacie cannot remember (or I, for that matter), and I dare say you were drinking heavily, and—”
“He was,” said Sir Tristram.
“Of course. He was in a mood for violence. I’ve no doubt he talked very wildly, and swore he would be avenged. Now you must think, Ludovic, if you please! Did not Basil know that you meant to waylay that man upon —upon the fatal night?”
“I don’t know. I think I made no secret of it. Basil knew the whole story.”
“I am quite sure he did,” said Miss Thane. “Now you see, do you not, how easy it was for him? It needed no planning at all. He had only to lie in wait for that man in the spinney, to leave a handkerchief of yours beside the body, and to steal the ring. Afterwards he had nothing to do but enact the role of champion. I perceive that he must have a very subtle brain.” She closed her eyes, and said in a seer-like voice: “He is, I am sure, a sinister person.”
“The Beau?” said Ludovic. “No, he isn’t!”
Miss Thane frowned. “Nonsense, he must be!”
“Yes,” said Eustacie regretfully, “but truly he is not.”
Miss Thane opened her eyes again. “You put me out. What then is he like?”
“He is very civil,” said Eustacie. “He has manners of the most polished.”
Miss Thane readjusted her ideas. “I will allow him to be smooth-spoken. I think he smiles.”
“Yes, he does,” admitted Eustacie.
Miss Thane gave a shudder. “His smile hides a wolfish soul!” she announced.
Ludovic burst out laughing. “Devil a bit! There’s nothing wolfish about him. He’s a mighty pleasant fellow, and I’d have sworn not one to wish anybody harm.”
“Alas, it is true!” said Eustacie sadly. “He is just nothing.”
Sir Tristram’s eyebrows went up a shade. Miss Thane pointed a triumphant finger at him, and said: “Sir Tristram knows better! A wolf, sir?”
He shook his head. “No, I don’t think I should put it quite like that, Miss Thane. He is pleasant enough—a little too pleasant. He purrs like a cat.”
“He does,” agreed Ludovic. “But do you know any ill of him? I don’t.”
“One thing,” replied Shield. “I know that Sylvester mistrusted him.”
“Sylvester!” said Ludovic scornfully.
“Oh, Sylvester was no fool,” answered Shield.
“Good God, he mistrusted scores of people, me amongst them!”
“So little did he mistrust you,” said Shield, putting his hand into his waistcoat-pocket, “that he bade me give you that if ever I should see you again, and tell you not to pledge it.”
Ludovic stared at the great ruby. “Thunder and Turf, did he leave me
“As you see. He asked me just before he died whether I thought your story had been true after all.”
“I dare swear you told him No,” remarked Ludovic, slipping the ring on to his finger.
“I did,” said Shield calmly. “You must remember that I heard that shot not ten minutes after I had parted from you, and I knew what sort of a humour you were in.”
Ludovic shot him a fiery glance. “You thought me capable of murder, in fact!”
“I thought you three-parts drunk,” said Shield. “I also thought you a rash young fool. I still think that. What possessed you to turn smuggler? Have you been sailing off the coast of Sussex all this time?”
“‘Hovering’ is the word,” said Ludovic, with a gleam of mischief. “Free trading seemed to me an occupation eminently suited to an outlaw. Besides, I always liked the sea.”
Sir Tristram said scathingly: “I suppose that was reason enough.”
“Why not? I knew some of the Gentlemen, too, from old days. But I was never off these shores till now. Don’t like ’em: there’s too much creeping done, and the tidesmen are too cursed sharp. I’ve been helping to run cargoes of brandy and rum—under Bergen papers, you know—into Lincolnshire. That’s the place, I can tell you. I’ve been dodging revenue cruisers for the past fifteen months. It’s not a bad life, but the fact of the matter is I wasn’t reared to it. I only came into Sussex to glean what news there might be from Nye.”
“But you will stay,
“He can’t stay,” Shield said. “It was madness to come at all.”
Ludovic lifted his head, and regarded Sylvester’s ring through half-closed eyes. “I shall stay,” he said nonchalantly, “and I shall find out who holds the talisman ring.”
“Ludovic, you may trust me to do all I can to discover it, but you must not be found here!”
“I’m not going to be found here,” replied Ludovic. “You don’t know Joe’s cellars. I do.”
“Go over to Holland, and wait there,” Shield said. “You can do no good here.”
“Oh yes, I can!” said Ludovic, turning his hand so that the jewel caught the light. “Moreover, I’ll be damned if I’ll be elbowed out of my own business!”
“What can you hope to do in hiding that I cannot do openly?” asked Shield. “Why add to your folly by running the risk of being arrested?”
“Because,” said Ludovic, at last raising his eyes from the ruby, “if the Beau has the ring I know where to look
