Meantime their secret ally, Mr. Green, was preparing his threatened coup. The more he reflected the more he suspected that he had been outwitted by Peggy Black. She had led him on, and the pocket-book had been planted for him. If so, why Peggy was a genius, and in his own line; and he would marry her, and so kill two birds with one stone: make a Detective of her (there was a sad lack of female detectives); and, once his wife, she would split on her master, and he should defeat that old soldier at last, and get a handsome slice of the L. 14,000.
He manoeuvred thus: first, he went back to London for a day or two to do other jobs, and to let this matter cool; then he returned, and wrote from a town near Barkington to Peggy Black, telling her he had been sent away suddenly on a job, but his heart had remained behind with his Peggy: would she meet him at the gate at nine that evening? he had something very particular to say to her. As to the nature of the business, the enclosed would give her a hint. She might name her own day, and the sooner the better.
The enclosed was a wedding-ring.
At nine this extraordinary pair of lovers met at the gate; but Peggy seemed hardly at her ease; said her master would be coming out and catching her; perhaps they had better walk up the road a bit. “With all my heart,” said Green; but he could not help a little sneer: “Your master?” said he: “why he is your servant, as I am. What, is he jealous?”
“I don't know what you mean, young man,” said Peggy.
“I'll tell you when we are married.”
“La, that is a long time to wait for my answer: why we ain't asked in church yet.”
“There's no need of that; I can afford a special licence.”
“Lawk a daisy: why you be a gentleman, then.”
“No, but I can keep my wife like a lady.”