"Naturally! You have made everything perfectly clear to me. Good-night."
Spruce walked into the passage and opened the outside door. "Remember," he said.
"Good-night," repeated Hench, and shut the door in the face of the blackmailer.
[CHAPTER XVIII]
HENCH'S DIPLOMACY
Contrary to his expectations, Owain passed a very good night. By this time he was so accustomed to trouble that it did not seem sensible to worry over anything until he could meet the same fairly and squarely. Dangerous as Madame Alpenny and Spruce were, he had no reason to fear them for a week, since they gave him that period in which to assent to their terms. The woman wished him to marry her daughter; the man desired to obtain an income of two thousand a year, secured by deed; and if he satisfied both, they would hold their peace and trouble him no longer. But Hench by no means intended to purchase immunity at this price, as to do so would imply that he was guilty. As he was perfectly innocent such a course was not to be thought of, and it was necessary to think of some other means of settling the difficulty. And since Owain could not decide his course of action on the spur of the moment, he put the matter out of his head for the time being and retired to bed immediately. After a good night's rest, he rose greatly refreshed, and sent Giles to bring Vane to breakfast.
Guessing from the unexpectedness of the invitation that something was in the wind, Vane speedily arrived, and was waiting in the little parlour when his friend made his appearance. Hench refused to give any information until the meal was ended, saying that to mix up business with pleasure was to spoil both, so the barrister had to possess his soul in patience until they were enjoying their morning smoke. Then, as Hench still held his peace, Vane asked him a down-right question with considerable impatience.
"Why did you ask me to come to breakfast, Owain?"
"To talk over a further complication of this trouble."