“I want you to announce this evening to all your staff that Assynton Lodge is to be left empty from say to-morrow midday. Tell Llewellyn to take a month’s leave—tell all the servants the same thing. Send Miss Lennox to friends or to an hotel in town, and tell her you will join her in a few days. I shall want you with me. Let Colonel Leach-Fletcher know—let the whole world know—make it as public as you possibly can—and leave the place as soon as is convenient to you, to-morrow afternoon.”
Stewart looked dumbfounded. “But I must leave somebody here. How about all the valuables—I shouldn’t care to lose them all.”
Anthony considered the point that he raised. “I see your point. Very well, then—leave Butterworth and his wife here—he’s the best to stay behind—but nobody else!”
Stewart still looked at him in amazement. “Where am I to go myself?” he questioned.
“I’ll tell you to-morrow midday,” answered Anthony. “Meanwhile will you do as I suggest?”
Stewart’s answer came a trifle wearily. “I’ve placed myself in your hands, Mr. Bathurst—I must be content to leave the matter entirely to you.” Then he seemed to think of something. “What about Mr. Daventry and Inspector Goodall?”
“Leave them to me—and answer me one more question. When your father had that interview with you—did he by any chance mention to you the peculiar provisions of his will?”
Stewart hesitated for just the fraction of a second before his answer came. “Certainly not, Mr. Bathurst—when Ferguson told me the provisions of the will this morning nobody was more surprised than I. My father was angry at my not falling in with this supreme desire of his—furiously angry I may say! He so far forgot himself to say things about Miss Armitage which were as absurd as they were untrue, to anybody that knew her—he even threatened me in a way—a vague sort of way. But——”
“How do you mean?” interrupted Anthony abruptly. “How did he threaten you?”
Stewart gnawed at his lower lip. “As I said—vaguely! That it would be the worse for me if I persisted in acting in opposition to his wishes—just that—nothing more. Why do you ask?”