The carriage stopped at the ladies' entrance of the hotel, and Miss Montressor, on being handed out by Thornton Carey, requested him to follow her. They passed up the staircase to the first floor, and finding one of the smaller parlours disengaged, his companion requested Mr. Carey to be seated, while she sent one of the servants to call Mr. Bryan Duval.
'Bryan Duval!' echoed Carey in astonishment. 'Why, surely that is the name of a famous actor? Even I, though not much given to dramatic literature or theatre-going, have heard of him.'
'It is the same,' said Miss Montressor.
'But how can he be mixed up in any matter concerning Mrs. Griswold?' asked Carey.
'It is as much in his power as in mine,' said Miss Montressor, 'to give information upon a subject in which Mrs. Griswold is most deeply and most unhappily interested.'
'Unhappily!' interrupted Thornton Carey, turning pale.
'Most unhappily, as you will agree when you know all,' said Miss Montressor. 'Here, however, is Mr. Duval; he will explain matters to you much better than I can.'
She introduced the gentlemen, and was pleased to notice that, so far as she could see, each liked the look of the other's appearance. Duval was pleased with Thornton Carey's frank honest expression, while Carey himself recognised the keen acumen and subtle intelligence displayed in the broad brow and bright eves of the dramatist.
Miss Montressor commenced the conversation by rapidly explaining to Duval, so far as she thought necessary, and without, of course, any allusion to Bess, the failure of her mission to Mrs. Griswold's house, adding that she there had met Mr. Carey, and learning that he was an intimate friend of the family, she had thought it best to ask his kind assistance, and had brought him there in order that the matter might be explained to him.
'You have acted perfectly right, my dear Miss Montressor,' said Bryan, avoiding his usual familiarity, under the idea that it would prove surprising, if not displeasing, to their new ally. 'And now, sir,' he added, turning to Carey, 'I will keep you no longer in suspense. You have, of course, heard of this terrible murder of the American gentleman in Liverpool, the news of which is ringing through all New York.'