“On the whole,” said Shield, “I am inclined to think that you did right. I must, after all, have some excuse for visiting this inn so often. I will join your party at the Dower House, and you may counterfeit all the disgust you please.”
Miss Thane nodded approvingly. “ I see! You will arrive upon some pretext, just in time to rescue Mr Lavenham from my importunities. Eustacie having signified her desire to hold private speech with him, he will hail your arrival with joy. I shall have to be a very stupid sort of a woman, and ask a great many questions. Tell me something to say about his house.”
“Comment enthusiastically upon the silver-figured oak wainscoting in the dining-room,” said Sir Tristram.
“Also the strap-and-jewel work overmantel in the drawing-room,” struck in Ludovic. “Sylvester used to say it was devilish fine; that I do remember.”
“Strap-and-jewel work,” repeated Miss Thane, committing it to memory.
“Dutch influence,” said Sir Tristram. “Detect the school of Torrigiano in the library.”
“Is it there?” inquired Ludovic, vaguely interested.
“Heaven knows. Basil won’t, at any rate. Say that it is a pity the muntins are not covered by pilasters. Talk of cartouches, and caryatids, and scratch-mouldings. Ask for the history of every picture, and discover that the staircase reminds you of one you have seen somewhere else, though you cannot immediately recall where.”
“Say no more! I see it all!” declared Miss Thane. “Heaven send he does not fob me off on to the housekeeper!”
Fortunately for the success of her plot the Beau’s manners were far too polished to permit of his resorting to this expedient. According to a carefully-laid plan, the two ladies set out upon the following morning in Sir Hugh’s chaise, and drove at a sedate pace to the Dower House, which was situated on the northern side of Lavenham Court, about five miles from Hand Cross. It was a sixteenth-century house of respectable size, approached by a short carriage-sweep. Its gardens, which were separated from the Park by a kind of ha-ha, were laid out with great propriety of taste, and some very fine clipped yews, flanking the oaken front door, at once met with Miss Thane’s approbation.