“God help it!” Hugh said gravely.
“I am not sure of my cue. Do I say amen, or retire cursing?” His eyes mocked, but the smile in them was not unpleasant. He did not wait for an answer, but shut the door, and went slowly up to bed.
CHAPTER II
Shortly after noon on the following day Avon sent for his page. Leon came promptly, and knelt to kiss the Duke’s hand. Walker had obeyed his master’s commands implicitly, and in place of the shabby, grimy child of the evening before was a scrupulously neat boy, whose red curls had been swept severely back from his brow, and whose slim person was clad in plain black raiment, with a starched muslin cravat about his neck.
Avon surveyed him for a moment.
“Yes. You may rise, Leon. I am going to ask you some questions. I desire you will answer them truthfully. You understand?”
Leon put his hands behind him.
“Yes, Monseigneur.”
“You may first tell me how you come to know my language.”
Leon shot him a surprised glance.
“Monseigneur?”
“Pray do not be guileless. I dislike fools.”
“Yes, Monseigneur. I was only surprised that you knew. It was at the inn, you see.”
“I do not think I am obtuse,” said Avon coldly, “but I see naught.”
“Pardon, Monseigneur. Jean keeps an inn, and very often English travellers come. Not—not noble English, of course.”
“I see. Now you may relate your history. Begin with your name.”
“I am Leon Bonnard, Monseigneur. My mother was the Mcre Bonnard, and my father——”
“—was the Pcre Bonnard. It is not inconceivable. Where were you born, and when did your worthy parents die?”
“I—I do not know where I was born, Monseigneur. It was not in Anjou, I think.”
“That is of course interesting,” remarked the Duke. “Spare me a list of the places where you were
Leon coloured.
“You do not understand, Monseigneur. My parents went to live in Anjou when I was a baby. We had a farm in Bassincourt,
“Did they die simultaneously?” inquired Justin.
Leon’s straight little nose wrinkled in perplexity.
“Monseigneur?”
“At one and the same time.”
“It was the plague,” explained Leon. “I was sent to Monsieur le Cure. I was twelve then, and Jean was twenty.”
“How came you to be so much younger than this Jean?” asked Justin, and opened his eyes rather wide, so that Leon looked full into them.
A mischievous chuckle escaped Leon; he returned the piercing stare frankly.
“Monseigneur, my parents are dead, so I cannot ask them.”
“My friend——” Justin spoke softly. “Do you know what I do to impertinent pages?”
Leon shook his head apprehensively.
“I have them whipped. I advise you to have a care.”
Leon paled, and the laugh died out of his eyes.
“Pardon, Monseigneur. I—I did not mean to be impertinent,” he said contritely. “My mother had once a daughter who died. Then—then I came.”
“Thank you. Where did you learn to speak as a gentleman?”
“With M. le Cure, Monseigneur. He taught me to read and to write and to know Latin a little, and—and many other things.”
Justin raised his eyebrows.
“And your father was a farmer? Why did you receive this extensive education?”
“I do not know, Monseigneur. I was the baby, you see, and the favourite. My mother would not have me work on the farm. That is why Jean hates me, I think.”
“Possibly. Give me your hand.”
Leon extended one slender hand for inspection. Justin took it in his, and surveyed it through his eyeglass. It was small, and finely made, with tapering fingers roughened by toil.
“Yes,” said the Duke. “Quite a pretty member.”
Leon smiled engagingly.
“
The Duke’s lips quivered.
“You overwhelm me, my child. As you were saying, your parents died. What then?”
“Oh, then Jean sold the farm! He said he was made for greater things. But I do not know.” Leon tilted his head to one side, considering the point. The irrepressible dimple appeared, and was swiftly banished. Leon eyed his master solemnly, and a little nervously withal.
“We will leave Jean’s capabilities out of the discussion,” said Justin smoothly. “Continue your story.”
“Yes, Monseigneur. Jean sold the farm, and took me away from M. le Cure.” Leon’s face clouded over. “Monsieur wanted to keep me, but Jean would not have it so. He thought I should be useful. So of course monsieur could do naught. Jean brought me to Paris. That was when he made me——” Leon stopped.
“Go on!” said Justin sharply. “That was when he made you——?”
“Work for him,” said Leon lamely. He encountered a searching glance, and his big eyes fell before it.
“Very well,” said Justin at last. “We will leave it at that.
“Then Jean bought the inn in the Rue Sainte-Marie, and—and after a time he met Charlotte, and—and married her. Then it was worse, because Charlotte hated me.” The blue eyes flashed. “I tried to kill her once,” said Leon nadvely. “With the big carving-knife.”
“Her hatred is not incomprehensible,” said Justin dryly.
“N-no,” replied Leon doubtfully. “I was only fifteen then. I remember I did not have anything to eat all day— besides the beating. And—and that is all, Monseigneur, till you came, and took me away.”
Justin picked up a quill and passed it through his fingers.
“May I ask why you tried to kill this Charlotte—er—with the carving-knife?”
Leon flushed, and looked away.
“There—there was a reason, Monseigneur.”
“I do not doubt it.”
“I—oh, I think she was very unkind and cruel and she—she made me angry. That was all.”
“I am both cruel and unkind, but I do not advise you to try and kill me. Or any of my servants. You see, I know what the colour of your hair denotes.”
The long dark lashes lifted again, and the dimple showed.
“
“Precisely. You will do well to hide it with me, my child.”
“Yes, Monseigneur. I do not seek to kill those whom I love.”
Justin’s lip curled rather sardonically.
“I am relieved. Now listen to me. You will henceforth be my page; you will be clothed and fed, and well provided for, but in return I will have obedience from you. You understand?”
“But yes, Monseigneur.”
“You will learn that my word is law with my servants. And this is my first command: if anyone should question you as to who you are, or from where you come, you will answer only that you are Avon’s page. You will forget your past until I give you leave to remember it. You see?”
“Yes, Monseigneur.”
