“I told you, and you would not believe it, that we had come to the end of our wanderings!”
“I doubt I shall wake up soon,” said Robin.
He was present at a dinner party my lord gave that night, and my lord’s guests decided that he was a charmingly mannered young man. My lord said afterwards: — “You will be almost as great a success as your father, my Robin!”
“Impossible, sir,” said Robin, stirring the dregs of punch in the big silver bowl.
“I do not deny it,” said my lord. His eyes rested fondly on his son’s fair face. “Tomorrow, Robin, you will go down to Dartrey and bring my Prudence to Barham.”
Came a slight frown. “The next day, an it please you, sir. I’ve affairs of my own tomorrow.”
These affairs took him, on the next day, to the house of Sir Humphrey Grayson. Sir Humphrey received him in his library, and looked somewhat at a loss. “Mr Tremaine?” he said. Robin bowed. “I have to suppose — my Lord Barham’s son?” Again Robin bowed. “Er — you have business with me?” Sir Humphrey was puzzled.
Robin looked straightly at him. “Sir Humphrey, may I ask what you may perhaps think an impertinent question? — Are you in your daughter’s confidence?”
“Fully, sir.” Sir Humphrey was a little stiff.
“She has perhaps mentioned to you a man calling himself l’Inconnu?”