"Mrs. Sinclair is really very ill," she said, "and unable to see anybody; but more than that, she told me the other day that she did not know your name and would not see you on business without knowing something about it beforehand. If you like to write to her, I daresay she will make an appointment to see you when she comes back."
"Comes back?" said Mr. Tracy.
"Yes," Lucille replied; "from abroad. She goes to-morrow, if she's well enough, but she will certainly go this week."
And Mr. Tracy had nothing left but to murmur some polite good wishes for her complete restoration to health, and go away again.
"The good lady is determined to avoid me," he thought. "Well, it can't be helped. The clock won't stop for poor Ralph Ashley because Mrs. Sinclair wants to go abroad, and I am determined to get to the bottom of all I don't know about the family before it is too late. Mrs. Sinclair has reasons, either of her own or of Melville Ashley's, for not wanting to see me. Perhaps her fiancé will be more accommodating. I will beard the bold Sir Ross in his den."
Without further delay he set about the business. Sir Ross was in the habit of standing much upon his dignity, and felt inclined at first to refuse admission to this stranger who presented himself at his door without any previous advertisement of his coming; but his curiosity was aroused by the message that the stranger desired to see him in connection with Melville Ashley. Whether Sir Ross scented a battle from afar, or whether it was a less heroic form of curiosity, does not matter much; at all events, he acceded to Mr. Tracy's request for an audience, and with the proud air of a man who is not only a millionaire but a patrician, he entered the room where his visitor was awaiting him. With a magnificent gesture he motioned him to a seat.
"You are—er?" was his intelligent enquiry.
"I am the family solicitor to the Ashleys and to the late Sir Geoffrey Holt," said Mr. Tracy, "and I am very anxious to enlist your help in a matter of considerable delicacy. May I throw myself upon your mercy, Sir Ross, and beg you to help me, if you can?"
"I shall be glad if I can be of any assistance," said Sir Ross stiffly, "but I quite fail to see how it is likely that I can be. Is it in connection with the murder that you think I may be of use? Sir Geoffrey was—er—one of us."
"Not perhaps directly in connection with the murder," Mr. Tracy replied, "but there are several things in the story which are puzzling. What more natural than that I should come to a man of the world like yourself and say, 'I have no right to trouble you with my difficulties it is true, but of your charity help me from your superior knowledge of men and of affairs?'"