Sir Richard shrugged his shoulders.
“It is of no importance,” he said, “only, as you may understand, my business with you scarcely requires the presence of a third party, even one with the discretion which I am sure Miss—Brown possesses.”
“In these matters,” Ruff answered, “my secretary does not exist apart from myself. Her presence is necessary. She takes down in shorthand notes of our conversation. I have a shocking memory, and there are always points which I forget. At the conclusion of our business, whatever it may be, these notes are destroyed. I could not work without them, however.”
Sir Richard glanced a little doubtfully at the long, slim back of the girl who sat with her face turned away from him. “Of course,” he began, “if you make yourself personally responsible for her discretion—”
“I am willing to do so,” Ruff interrupted, brusquely. “I guarantee it. Go on, please.”
“I do not know, of course, where you got your information from,” Sir Richard began, “but it is perfectly true that I have come here to consult you upon a matter in which the two people whose names you have mentioned are concerned. The disappearance of Job Masters is, of course, common talk; but I cannot tell what has led you to associate with it the temporary absence of Lord Merries from this country.”
“Let me ask you this question,” Ruff said. “How are you affected by the disappearance of Masters?”
“Indirectly, it has caused me a great deal of inconvenience,” Sir Richard declared.
“Facts, please,” murmured Peter.
“It has been rumoured,” Sir Richard admitted, “that I owed Masters a large sum of money which I could not pay.”