“Why?” It was Lord Ledbury who put the question, but I waited for the answer with equal curiosity.
“Because in that case we might have every hope that it would be promptly destroyed. Such a victim would have no motive to injure her fellow victims, and we might credit her with a sense of honour. Whereas the step-daughter has shown a strong animus against Lady Violet, and we know that she is not too scrupulous when her feelings are aroused. If Miss Neobard has found these letters it may take some pressure to make her give them up.”
The Earl wrung his hands. “My means are not large, but if any sum within my power—” he began.
Tarleton cut him short with decision.
“That is one means which must not be resorted to, my lord. I must make that an absolute condition. The one thing I have to ask of you is that you will protect your daughter from any attempt that may be made to blackmail her. Try, if you can, to win her confidence. I strongly advise you to come up to town with her yourself. Her chaperon has shown herself to be incompetent, and I shouldn’t let her into your house again. Look out for some bright, sympathetic woman of the world, and don’t engage her unless Lady Violet takes to her as a friend. And let it be seen that your daughter is under your personal protection. A blackmailer who would find a solitary girl an easy prey will think twice before he threatens one who is guarded by a father in your position. Take her with you to the theatres and picture galleries. Believe me, as a doctor, she is in need of distraction just now. I won’t answer for her sanity unless she can be cheered up and taken out of herself. I will call on her, with your permission, and keep an eye on her for a time.”
The change in the Earl of Ledbury was great indeed by now. He thanked the consultant with emotion, and undertook to carry out all his recommendations. He pressed us both to stay and lunch with him, but my chief decided that we could not spare the time.
“We must get back to town as soon as possible,” he declared. “The sooner we get on the track of the missing letters the better chance there will be of our recovering them.”
He shook hands with the Earl very cordially at parting and his lordship seemed to include me in his expressions of gratitude and good-will.
When we were seated in the car going back to Hereford my chief summed up the situation for my benefit.
“There was a possibility that Lady Violet had lent her old disguise to a friend as a blind and come to the dance in a new one. I thought it was on the cards that she might prove to be the Leopardess. Now I think we may rule that out, and I am very glad of it. She is a dear girl, and I confess she has won my heart.”