Meantime the first and second dressing-bells rang in Denham House, but the master did not come in from the walk he had evidently prolonged. Weldon had come over to dine and discuss business with his employer, and endeavored to keep up a conversation with Lady Frances, sitting in state in the grand solemn drawing-room. The dinner-hour was long past, and Lady Frances grew uneasy. Deering's valet was called, but could give no explanation of his master's absence. Night closed in while search was being made, and then a cold and rigid figure, that a few hours ago was the lord and master of Denham, was brought reverently back, carried by the gamekeepers and gardeners, and followed by the awe-struck men who had assisted in the search. The revolver, which had apparently fallen from his hand, was recognized by the valet as belonging to his master; indeed he saw it in its accustomed place that very morning. Yet neither Lady Frances or Weldon could accept the idea of suicide. He was so active, so full of schemes, so instinct with life. But there was the incontrovertible fact—Deering of Denham was no more, and Bertie his son reigned in his stead.
Away by the beautiful shores of Lake Leman Elsie Lambert enjoyed a growing sense of security. Lady Gethin was a strong protectress. Lambert wrote cheerfully, and seemed to enjoy his visit to Glynn; and the latter's frequent letters were an ever-increasing source of delight, while it was an ennobling education, in Elsie's estimation, to answer them. With Lady Gethin she grew in favor day by day; her thoughtful softness, her delight in learning, and her delicious voice charmed the somewhat exigeant dowager. Again and again she vowed to herself that she would never rest till she had won back that dear girl's rights, and exposed Deering. "I believe every word that good soul Lambert says," was the general climax of her meditations.
Lady Gethin was pondering these things one day as she sat, after luncheon, on the delightful balcony of their hotel overlooking the lake.
She had begun to speculate when Glynn would join them, and what preliminary arrangements would be necessary previous to the wedding, which she hoped would soon take place. The approach of a waiter disturbed her. He brought a telegram. It was from Glynn. "Keep all newspapers, especially English ones, from Elsie; will be with you on Wednesday."
"There is something dreadfully wrong," said Lady Gethin to herself, "and the wrong is with Lambert. I trust the poor man's head hasn't turned with all his troubles. I hope Hugh will write. This is Saturday: one, two, three days to wait and hold my tongue. Why, it is more than human nature can endure."
But though carefully keeping the papers from her young protégée, no very difficult task, Lady Gethin searched them diligently herself, and soon found the word of the riddle, first in a column headed "Mysterious Death of Mr. Deering of Denham," followed by all particulars, and an account of the stranger artist, who had been sketching in Denham woods, and had, according to the evidence of the hotel-keeper at Earlshall, received a letter with the Deering crest the day previous to the fatal event.
In another column was an account of a robbery and murder in a railway-carriage between York and London. On reaching an intermediate station, one of the carriages of the up-train was found open and empty, the door swinging to and fro, while the cushion beside it was smeared as if something bleeding had knocked against it. The carpet was displaced, and some sovereigns and loose silver scattered about.
On search being made, the body of a middle-aged man, well dressed, and apparently in good circumstances, was found lying beside the rails some miles back, his head and face shattered, his pockets turned inside out, and at a little distance lay an American revolver. His purse was gone, but a valuable watch was still in his pocket, and an old envelope, with an American stamp, addressed, "M. Lambert, Rue de L'Evêque, Paris," was the only clue to his identity.
After reading these ghastly details, Lady Gethin spent an anxious and miserable time until Glynn appeared. He had sent a hasty line to Elsie, to say he was trying to clear away an accumulation of business in order to be with her on Wednesday.