"Very much in it. She is your bitter enemy. You see, Mr. Brendon, it is not her game that you should marry the daughter. Mrs. Ward knows that you are a clever man with a will of your own, and that she will not be able to twist you around her finger, which is what she wishes to do with any son-in-law who may come her way. That young fool Vane is the man she wants. He will inherit the title and a good income. Mrs. Ward, should he marry the girl, will benefit. If the title and income came your way she would make very little out of the business. Consequently she will stick at nothing to get you out of the way."
"But she doesn't know that I claim to be Lord Derrington's grandson?"
"Indeed, she does," replied Bawdsey, quickly. "Derrington told her all about it."
"Why?"
"Now that," said Bawdsey, shaking his head and looking puzzled, "is one of the things I can't make out."
George thought for a moment. "I was at Mrs. Ward's the other evening," he said slowly. "Lord Derrington was there. Did he know then that I was his grandson?"
"He did. He has known ever since you put the advertisement in the paper and I looked you up."
"Humph! Then he was putting me through my paces," said Brendon to himself. "What a clever man he is in concealing his thoughts. And Mrs. Ward knew also who I was?"
Bawdsey nodded. "Yes. And after that evening she came to see Lord Derrington to suggest how you should be got rid of."
"Ah!" George was now perfectly cool as he saw that Bawdsey, being so frank, was ready to be his friend. "And how did she propose to do that, Mr. Bawdsey? By having me arrested----"