The Mystery of Lincoln's Inn Part 5

And then the two lovers looked at each other. They both felt that Francis Eversleigh had behaved very strangely.

"I'm afraid Mr. Eversleigh is not at all well," said Kitty. "I am so sorry."

"Yes, father must be ill," agreed Gilbert; "still, I think it can't be anything very serious. And now, I suppose I must go," he added with a sigh.

The lovers bade each other good-bye in the porch. Absorbed in their happiness, they thought no more of Francis Eversleigh.

And when Gilbert spent the following day, which was a Sunday, at Surbiton, it was only to be expected that the lovers, after the immemorial manner of lovers, should concern themselves with themselves and their own affairs.

Francis Eversleigh remained in his room the whole day; he could not bear to see any one.

CHAPTER V

On the Monday morning Francis Eversleigh did not appear at breakfast.

Mrs. Eversleigh told Ernest that his father was asleep after having pa.s.sed a wakeful night, and she was sure he would not feel equal to going to the office. When Ernest inquired, as was natural, if she intended sending for a doctor, she replied that a suggestion she had made in the night to that effect had been peremptorily negatived by her husband, who maintained that he was suffering from a slight attack for which it was absurd to call in a physician.

"I am very anxious, however, about him," she said. She paused and looked meditatively at her son. "Do you know, Ernest," she continued, "if your father has on hand some exceptionally difficult business just now, or if there is some client who is giving him cause for unusual anxiety?" She was thinking of Bennet.

"I am quite certain there is absolutely nothing of such gravity as to make him ill," replied Ernest, with conviction. "Why, work goes on at the office from day to day and from month to month with the ease and regularity of machinery. But why do you ask this, mother?"

"Because it has occurred to me that there is something on your father's mind, and it is that which is making him ill."

"Indeed! Oh, I think you must be mistaken, mother."

"I hope so," she rejoined, but not in a really hopeful tone. "One of the things which perplex me is that he seems to take very little pleasure in the engagement of Kitty and Gilbert--that is strange, is it not? Then again, you would suppose he would be looking forward with interest to seeing his old friend Morris Thornton once more, yet, when I referred to it, he spoke in such a queer way. I can't understand him at all."

As Ernest was about to speak Miss Kitty Thornton entered the room, and conversation pa.s.sed to other topics. And as for Kitty herself, her brilliant beauty appeared to have been enhanced by the happy event of her engagement, for never had she looked so lovely as she did that morning, and there was on her face a light of happiness which was good to see.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Ernest asked Kitty. "Can I carry a message, for instance," he went on, with a grin, rising to leave the room, "to a certain barrister in the Temple?"

But Miss Kitty merely smiled and shook her pretty head.

"I won't have her teased," said Mrs. Eversleigh; but the offender had already vanished.

When Silwood reached his room in New Square he found not only Williamson waiting as usual, but also Ernest Eversleigh.

"I am sorry to have to tell you," said Ernest, "that my father is indisposed. He will not be here to-day."

"Mr. Eversleigh ill!" exclaimed Silwood, and stopped; inwardly he termed Eversleigh a poor weak fool without a particle of grit. Aloud he said, clicking out the words stiffly, "I am very sorry to hear it. What is the trouble?"

"I don't think it is anything serious; he'll be all right by to-morrow."

"He did not send me any message?"

"He was asleep when I left the house. Mother told me he had been awake most of the night, but had dozed off towards morning."

"I see. There was something I expected to hear from him, but it's possible you can tell me. It's just this. We received a letter on Sat.u.r.day from Mr. Morris Thornton, in which he informed us that he was leaving Canada for England. Well, though he spoke of being here very soon, he did not give us any exact date. Of course, it is no great matter, but it seems just a little curious."

"It must have been an oversight," said Williamson.

"Perhaps so," a.s.sented Silwood.

"I am not certain of that," remarked Ernest.

"You have heard something?" queried Silwood.

"Miss Thornton has heard from her father----"

"I had an idea she might have definite word as to the date of her father's arrival," interposed Silwood. "Not, as I told you before, that it matters; it is only that one likes to satisfy one's curiosity sometimes."

Thus carefully did Silwood minimize the interest he took in the date of Thornton's arrival in London. Certainly, Ernest Eversleigh had no suspicion of the vital importance the subject possessed, and Silwood's manner was so natural that even Williamson was put off the scent.

"Miss Thornton," said Ernest, "had a letter also on Sat.u.r.day; but her father did not specify the date of his coming to her either, the reason being, he told her, that he wishes to give her a pleasant surprise by dropping in on her when she isn't expecting him. Still, he said enough to make her expect him some day next week."

"Some day next week!" repeated Silwood, with an indrawing of the breath.

Then he continued in an ordinary tone, "He wishes to give her a surprise; that seems to me rather odd."

"It is," agreed Ernest; and then he smiled.

"There is something more," suggested Silwood, seeing the smile.

"I was thinking," rejoined Ernest, laughing a little, "that the surprise will not be all on one side. Miss Kitty has prepared a surprise for him too."

"Indeed!"

"Yes. Kitty and Gilbert are engaged to be married."

"Oh! Since when?"

"Sat.u.r.day night. I wonder what Mr. Thornton will say about it!"

"I wonder!" echoed Silwood; but this subject did not concern him greatly, and he turned to his letters.

Ernest took the hint, and left Silwood with Williamson. After a short talk about current business, Silwood sent away the head-clerk, having given him instructions to attend to any urgent matter in Francis Eversleigh's department which required immediate attention.

"So Morris Thornton comes next week," he said to himself when alone--"next week--next week. The time is short--very short--and there is much to do."

Silwood, to all appearance, went on with his work as usual, but in reality he was thinking out the situation. What, he asked, did Francis Eversleigh mean by absenting himself from the office--the plea of illness was transparently absurd; and did he intend to go on absenting himself? That could not be allowed, thought Silwood; it would never do.

And Thornton was to be in London next week! Silwood, therefore, resolved to go to Surbiton that afternoon to see Eversleigh.

His resolve did not need any strengthening, but something occurred which would have supplied it had it been required.

This was the receipt of a telegram from Harry Bennet, telling the firm that he had pa.s.sed a demand draft on it for two thousand pounds.