"I'm much obliged to you for that." I paused for a moment. "You, I suppose, have no business with him just now?"
He looked at me gravely. "I am informed that he has already been paid for his services," he said. "Such services, Mr. Austin, are, as your tone implied, not very pleasant to receive. But the greater fault seems to lie with those whose methods make them necessary." He rose to his feet, saying, "It'll be some time before the carriage gets back. I think I'll start on my way and meet it. You're sure I can be of no use? No? Then good-night, Mr. Austin."
"Good-night, Lord Fillingford."
"You will communicate with me, if necessary?"
"Yes. I don't see why it should be."
With these words we had reached the door, and I opened it. At the moment I saw the lamps of his carriage at the gate.
"Look, the carriage is back already; it can't have taken her half the way!"
He made no reply, and we walked quickly down the path together.
"You took Miss Driver home, Thompson?" Fillingford asked the coachman.
"No, my lord, not to Breysgate. Miss Driver wished to go to the station. I drove there and set her down. She told me to come back here immediately, my lord."