His Grace produced a flask from one pocket, and put it to Rupert’s lips. Rupert drank, and the blue shade went from about his mouth.
“I believe I have to thank you,” said the Duke, and removed a pillow. “You did well, my child. In fact, you have surprised me. I am in your debt.”
Rupert flushed.
“Pooh, ’twas nothing! I did precious little. ’Twas Leonie got us off. ’Fore Gad, I’m devilish pleased to see you, Justin!”
“Yes, so you remarked.” His Grace put up his quizzing-glass and eyed the coins that lay scattered over the bed. “What, may I ask, is all this wealth?”
“Oh, that’s our money, Monseigneur!” said Leonie. “We were counting it when you came.”
“Our money!” ejaculated Rupert. “That’s rich, ’pon my soul it is! There’s some on the floor still.”
“And what,” said his Grace, turning to the broken bowl, “is this?”
“Rupert did it,” said Leonie. “It is his broth, but when we heard you coming he threw it on the floor.”
“My appearance seems to have produced a strange effect upon you,” remarked his Grace. “Can either of you tell me where is my very dear friend Saint-Vire?”
Rupert struggled up on his elbow.
“Tare an’ ouns, how did you know ’twas he?”
His Grace put him back on his pillows.
“It is my business always to know, Rupert.”
“Well, I always swore you were at the bottom of it! But how the deuce did you find out that he’d got Leonie? Where were you? How did you guess I was after them?”
“Yes, and how did you know where to find us?” asked Leonie. “Why did he take me?”
The Duke took off his greatcoat, and smoothed a wrinkle from the velvet sleeve beneath.
“You bewilder me, my children. One question at a time, I beg of you.”
“How did you know who had run off with Leonie?”
The Duke sat down by the bed, and snapped his fingers to Leonie, who came at once to sit at his feet.
“It was really quite simple,” he said.
“Simple, was it, egad! Then for the love of God, Justin, tell us what we’ve been doing, for I’ll be hanged if I know!”
Avon twisted his rings.
“Oh, I think you do!” he said. “Leonie was abducted by a very pretty rogue, and you rescued her.”
“She rescued herself,” chuckled Rupert.
“Yes. I did,” Leonie nodded. “When the wheel came off I slipped out of the coach, and ran down the road. Then Rupert came.”
“Yes, but there’s more to it than that,” interrupted Rupert. “What did Saint-Vire want with Leonie? Do you know that?”
“I do, my dear boy.”
“Well, I think it was a great piece of impudence,” said Leonie. “Why did he want me?”
“My children, you cannot expect me to tell you all my secrets.”
“But, Monseigneur, I do
“I think you might tell us, Justin,” said Rupert. “We can be discreet, you know.”
“No, my children. My opinion of your discretion is not so great as my opinion of your courage and resource. By the way, what did you do with Mr. Manvers’ roan?”
Rupert stared.
“Lord, is there anything you don’t know? Who told you that?”
“Mr. Manvers himself,” replied the Duke. “I arrived at Avon on the evening of the day you—er—left. Mr. Manvers came to retrieve his property.”
“Curse his impudence!” said Rupert. “I left him a message! Does the fellow think I’m not to be trusted with a horse?”
“That was rather the impression he gave me,” said his Grace. “What did you do with it?”
“Well, to tell the truth, I sold it,” replied Rupert, grinning.
The Duke lay back in his chair.
“Then I very much fear that Mr. Manvers will be satisfied with nothing less than our lives,” he sighed. “Pray do not imagine that I disapprove of your action, but I should like to know why you disposed of this roan thus speedily?”
“Well, you see, I’d no money,” explained Rupert. “I forgot I’d my pin to sell. Besides, what else could I do with the animal? I didn’t want to bring it to France.”
The Duke looked at him in some amusement.
“Did you set out on this venture penniless?” he inquired.
“No, I’d a couple of crowns in my pocket,” Rupert answered.
“You make me feel incredibly old,” complained his Grace. He smiled down at Leonie. “What happened to you, my infant?”
“Oh, I was just teasing Rupert!” Leonie replied buoyantly. “That is why I am in these clothes. I put them on to make him angry. And I ran away from him into the wood, and that pig-person was there——”
“One moment, my infant. You will pardon my ignorance, but I do not know who the—er—pig-person is meant to be.”
“Why, the wicked Comte!” said Leonie. “He is a pig-person, Monseigneur.”
“I see. I do not think I admire your choice of adjective, though.”
“Well, I think it is a very good name for him,” said Leonie, unabashed. “He seized me, and threw me into his coach, and I bit him till there was blood.”
“You distress me, child. But proceed.”
“I called to Rupert as loud as I could, and I kicked the pig-person——”
“The Comte de Saint-Vire.”
“Yes, the pig-person—on his legs a great many times. He did not like it at all.”
“That,” said his Grace, “does not altogether surprise me.”
“No. If I had had my dagger I would have killed him, for I was very angry—oh, but very angry! But I had no dagger, so I could only call to Rupert.”
“The Comte de Saint-Vire has yet something to be thankful for,” murmured his Grace. “He little knows the temper of my ward.”
“Well, but would not you have been angry, Monseigneur?”
“Very, infant; but continue.”
“Oh, you know the rest, Monseigneur! He gave me an evil drink—pig-wash! He called it coffee.”
“Then let us also call it coffee, child, I beg of you. I can support ‘pig-person’, but ‘pig-wash’ I will not endure.”
“But it was, Monseigneur! I threw it at him, and he swore.”
His Grace regarded her inscrutably.
“You seem to have been a pleasant travelling companion,” he remarked. “What then?”
“Then he brought more pig—coffee, and he made me drink it. It was drugged, Monseigneur, and it made me go to sleep.”
“Poor infant!” His Grace tweaked one curl. “But a most indomitable infant withal.”
“There is nothing more to tell you, Monseigneur. I woke up next day at the inn at Le Havre, and I pretended to be asleep. Then the coach broke, and I escaped.”
“And what of Rupert?” The Duke smiled across at his brother.
“Faith, I don’t think I stopped running till I came here!” said Rupert. “I am still something out of breath.”
“Oh, Rupert was very clever!” Leonie struck in. “Monseigneur, he even sold his diamond to follow me, and he came to France in a dirty old boat, without a hat or a sword!”
