“May I bring your cup of tea, sir?”
“No. Not just yet. I'll have a bath first.”
Renwick showed ponderous uncertainty. “Warm, sir?” he hazarded.
“No. Cold.”
Still perplexed, the man left the room.
Loder smiled to himself. The chances of discovery in that quarter were not large. He was inclined to think that Chilcote had even overstepped necessity in the matter of his valet's dullness.
He breakfasted alone, following Chilcote's habit, and after breakfast found his way to the study.
As he entered, Greening rose with the same conciliatory haste that he had shown the night before.
Loder nodded to him. “Early at work?” he said, pleasantly.
The little man showed instant, almost ridiculous relief. “Good-morning, sir,” he said; “you too are early. I rather feared your nerves troubled you after I left last night, for I found your letters still unopened this morning. But I am glad to see you look so well.”