"Now, this is good of you," was his lordship's greeting--"to look up an old man when all the world is young and calling to you."
"I wanted to ask you something, sir, if I may."
"Say on, my boy. Anything I can tell you is very much at your service."
"When you were speaking about Jack and me the other night, you said something which has been puzzling me ever since. You asked, 'Which of you is Lady Susan Sandys's boy?'"
"Yes--well?" asked the old man, with a glint of surprise in the keen dark eyes, which rested on the boy's ingenuous face.
"Was Lady Susan Sandys our mother, sir?"
"Good heavens, boy, do you mean to say you don't know who your own mother was?"
"We don't know anything sir. That was the first time I had ever heard her name."
"Good God!" And there was no doubt about the vast surprise in the calm white face now, as its owner stood for a moment staring at Jim and then began to pace the room in very deep thought.
"Your grandfather? Has he never discussed these things with you?"