“Thank you! That is why I must do my possible to rescue young Stornaway. It ain’t that I care what sort of a hell-born babe Nell’s cousin may be——Good God, haven’t we all got relations that are precious loose fish? From anything I’ve ever heard, Bab, most of our grandfathers were nothing more than a set of Bingo-club boys!—but Nell would! So Sir Peter knew: that’s why he got a special license, and had us married out of hand. And that’s why I may need you here!” He finished the brandy in his glass, and stood for a moment, thinking. Then he set down the glass, and said: “The Squire’s had notice to quit, and I think it may be only a matter of hours now, and the devil’s in it that until I’ve settled this business with that pair of rogues I can’t leave this place, or claim my wife. To let Coate know that she is my wife would be to hamstring the only plan I’ve got. I hardly think that he could be black enough—or foolish enough!—to force his suit upon her while her grandfather is still unburied, but I won’t have her subjected to the slightest annoyance! If Henry tries to make it uncomfortable for her, I’ll have her away from the Manor instantly, and give her into your charge, until I have finished what I have to do here.”
“Eh?” said Mr. Babbacombe, startled. “Do you mean you want me to take your wife to Mildenhurst?”
“Good God, no! I’ll take her to Mildenhurst myself, I thank you! At need, you’ll take her to Buxton, and install her at the best inn there, and take care of her until I come.”
“No, really, Jack!” protested Mr. Babbacombe, quite horrified.
“Lord, Bab, don’t be such a sapskull! She’ll have her maid, and her groom, and her major-domo too, if Winkfield will go with her. All I want you to do is to bear her company, and to see that she doesn’t fret. And that puts me in mind of something else! I hope you came here flush in the pocket, because I shall soon be cleaned out, and I must borrow from you.”
Mr. Babbacombe thrust a hand into his pocket, and drew forth a fat bundle.
“A roll of soft!” said the Captain admiringly. “I guessed it! What a thing it is to have a well-blunted friend! No, no, I don’t want it now!—only if I should be obliged to send Nell to Buxton!”
Mr. Babbacombe restored the roll to his pocket. “Well, I’d as lief you didn’t send her!” he said frankly. “It ain’t in my line of country, Jack, dangling after females! What’s more, it seems to me I should be of more use to you if I stayed here, for I can tell by the way you’re looking that you’ve got some dashed dangerous scheme in your head!”
John laughed. “Oh, no! I think I shall come about safely enough!”
“Well, what are you planning to do?” insisted Mr. Babbacombe.