“Well, I think I was quite clever,” said Pen hopefully. Naturally, I knew who he must be, as soon as he spoke; and I guessed, of course, that he must know I am not your nephew. Because even if some people think I have no ingenuity, I am not at all stupid,” she added, with a darkling look.
“Does that rankle?” His countenance had relaxed a little. “Never mind! go on!”
“I said that in point of fact you were not my uncle, but I called you so because you were a great deal older than I. I said that you were my third cousin. Then he asked me why we had come to Queen Charlton, and I said it was on account of family affairs, though I would rather have pointed out that it was extremely ill-bred and inquisitive of him to ask me such questions. And after that he went away.”
“Did he indeed? Did he say what had brought him here in the first place?”
“No. But he gave me a message for you, which I did not quite like.”
“Well?”
“It sounded sinister to me,” said Pen, preparing him for the worst.
“I can well believe it.”
“And the more I think of it the more sinister it appears to me. He said I must present his compliments to you, and tell you that he perfectly understands your reason for coming to such a secluded spot.”
“The devil!” said Sir Richard.