“He was boring me with recollections of Uncle Lionel. I may add that none of these tallied with my own, but let that pass. He would be glad to regain possession of the letters he wrote to him. But as I have found none I was unable to oblige him in the matter.”
“Ned, was he trying to discover whether you had come upon his damned memorandum among Eustace’s papers?” John demanded.
“My dear John, Bedlington may be an old fool but he has not worked in a government department without learning not to commit himself! If I chose to give my suspicions rein, I may read into his inquiries just such an object. If, on the other hand, I keep an open mind, I need see nothing in them but the natural desire of a fond uncle to be informed as to the exact nature of his nephew’s follies and obligations. I was quite frank with him.”
“Quite frank with him?” ejaculated John, rather dismayed.
“Yes, I gave him to understand that I had come upon little beyond bills, vowels, and some amatory correspondence which I propose to burn,” responded Carlyon tranquilly.
John burst out laughing. “You are the most complete hand! You did not tell him of Nicky’s last adventure?”
“On the contrary, I told him that Mrs. Cheviot had been sadly discomposed by a thief s breaking into the house.”
“What had he to say to that?”
“He said that he hoped no valuables had been stolen.”
“Well? Well? And then?”