“Come up and have some luncheon first. The afternoon will be time enough for the telegrams.”
CHAPTER XX
There are, as Patsy Devlin reminded Jimmy O’Loughlin on the occasion of Miss Blow’s first visit to Lord Manton, two ways of getting to the Castle from the village of Clonmore. There is the longer way by the great avenue which leads through the demesne and is remarkable for its fine rows of beech trees. By it all visitors who drive must go. They leave the public road a mile to the east of the village, having passed, supposing them to start from Jimmy O’Loughlin’s hotel, both the police barrack and the railway station. There is also the shorter way through the deer park, available only for foot passengers, because it is necessary in the first place to climb a boundary wall. The visitor who goes by this route, supposing once more that he starts from the hotel, leaves the village, and walks in a westerly direction until he comes to the spot where the wall is partially broken down and therefore easy to climb. He passes no building of any importance on his way, because the hotel is almost the last house at the west end of the village street.
When luncheon was over Mr. Goddard spoke of going down to Clonmore to send off his telegrams. Lord Manton offered to order the dog-cart and have him driven down. Mr. Goddard refused.
“You’d much better let me,” said Lord Manton. “It will save you a lot of time and do the cob good. He hasn’t been out for two days. I’ve been afraid to put my nose outside the place for fear of meeting the police.”
“I’d like to drive well enough,” said Mr. Goddard, “but I daren’t. The fact is, I want to get into the telegraph office without being seen, if possible. Miss Blow is sure to be at the barrack, and I’m a little nervous about passing the door.”
The post-office in Clonmore is a sort of bye-product of Jimmy O’Loughlin’s commercial activity. The business is carried on in a corner of his shop, and the shop itself is an adjunct of the hotel. Approaching the village from the west you come upon the shop door first, then that of the hotel.
“I dare say you’re right,” said Lord Manton. “Unless Moriarty is a young man with quite remarkable powers of persuasion, Miss Blow’s temper is likely to be very bad indeed.”