"But he has behaved badly," urged Julius, meekly.
"So he has, and I'd give him a good whipping. However, I am not going to dismiss him for this. Jerry, go to the kitchen and mind your P's and Q's, or I'll know the reason why. And now, Mr. Beryl"—the old lady dropped a grim curtsey—"good-bye."
Julius departed smiling and in no wise offended at the grimness of Miss Berengaria. "I'll soon be able to do without the lot of them," he thought, as he walked to the railway station, "once the estate is in my possession, and I'll keep away from this place. Lucy will have to turn out of the Hall, as I won't have her stopping, after the way in which she has treated me. I believe she is in love with that bounder of a Conniston. However," he added enigmatically, "I know my own knowing."
He did not know Durham's, however, and would have been considerably agitated had he learned what that gentleman said to the two ladies after his departure. Not only to them but to Lord Conniston himself. That young gentleman arrived with Lucy shortly before dinner. Lucy had come over to the meal, and Conniston, on his way back to Bernard at the castle, thought he would drop in. Of course, as the astute lover intended, he was asked to dinner.
The meal passed off excellently, as everyone was in good spirits. The lawyer had hinted that Bernard would soon be free, and promised to tell the company all that he had discovered after dinner. When the meal was ended they all went back to the drawing-room and sat round the solicitor, who commenced his recital. Prior to starting, Miss Berengaria went up to see Michael, and returned stating that he was much better. "I believe he will get well," she said.
"Of course," observed the lawyer, ironically, "the comedy is nearly at an end. The will has been signed. Now Michael will disappear to allow Beryl to get the estates."
"He will have to supply a corpse then," said Conniston, coolly.
"Oh, I daresay he will," rejoined Durham, shrugging. "After the disappearance of Michael I know exactly what will happen. A body much decomposed will be found in the Thames, and will be recognized by Julius as that of Bernard's. Any corpse will do, so long as the face cannot be recognized."
"Drat the man!" said Miss Berengaria, emphatically. "You can't get a corpse without murdering someone, and I should think that Beryl creature has had enough of that sort of work."
"Oh, but Julius did not kill Sir Simon," said Lucy, with dismay. "He was at the theatre with me and Mrs. Webber."