There was a movement at the door and Nell came running to her father and threw her arms about him. Cranford followed her and held out his hands.
"Congratulate me," he said, simply, but with shining face.
"I do," said Rushford, and kissed his daughter. "It seems we've got your difficulty happily settled, Nell; but we've another on hand which seems considerably more complicated. Now, madame, if you will proceed with the indictment."
The duchess seemed a little shaken; after all, a man who could play with great hotels demanded some consideration!
"The second reason is even more serious," she said, "at least, my nephew seemed to so consider it. He laughed at the first one; he is still young; he still believes in the nonsense of the romancers."
"Does he?" commented Rushford. "That's one point in his favour, certainly. So he would have married my daughter, would he, even though I did keep a hotel! That was kind of him! What's the next count, madame?"
"It is that your daughter, while pretending to be his advocate, was really in the plot against him—a double traitor to him because posing as his friend."
"In the plot?" cried Cranford. "But that's absurd! She was not in the plot!"
"Is it the head of the plot who is addressing me?" inquired the duchess, icily. "No doubt my nephew has already told you—"
The Prince stopped her.