“Bring some tea upstairs,” she commanded, “and set about packing my things. I am going to Liverpool in the morning with this lady, and will be away a few days.”
“With that headache?”
“No, you stupid, not with that headache. I am going to leave the headache at home for you to take care of while I am away. Now, go on with your work.”
The next morning at a quarter past nine, while madame was in our office, I presented myself at her house in a great state of fluster. “Your mistress has forgotten some papers which she must have with her. She has other business to do, and has no time to come back for them. Here is a note from her. Be as quick as you can, please.
Such was the message to Sophie, and she never doubted my bona-fides, seeing that I was armed with a letter, apparently in her mistress’s handwriting, authorising me to hunt for a packet of papers of which the appearance was accurately described.
Sophie had seen her mistress looking at such a packet as was described, and at once took me to the bureau in which they were kept. Oddly enough, I had forgotten to bring the key with me, and there was no time to go back for it, so, rather to Sophie’s horror, I broke the drawer lock open. Then, having found the great prize I sought, I hurried to the street, jumped into the hansom waiting for me, and was soon in the presence of the lady whose schemes I had circumvented.
She was already impatient at the long delay, and started up in alarm when she saw me enter the office smiling triumphantly, and holding in my hands the papers upon which hung the destiny of the Bracketts. She sprang forward, and would have snatched them out of my hand. But I was too quick for her. I was also protected by my colleagues, and Sir Arthur, who had been telegraphed for, arrived at the same moment.
For awhile the baffled woman shrieked out rage and threats, and swore that all the world should know the disreputable secret connected with Sir Arthur’s parents.
But the latter had now the upper hand, and meant to keep it. Taking the packet from my hand, and opening it to see that all the papers were there, he promptly threw it into the empty fireplace, set a match to it, and watched it burn to the last atom.
“You have filched ten thousand pounds out of me because I dreaded to have my family name disgraced. You will get no more. Every proof of these past events is now destroyed, and any assertions you might make would not be believed. I saw the man who claims to be my brother last night. He tells me that he is married to you. You will find him in our village if you want him. But he understands as fully as you must do that any further injury he may attempt to do me will recoil on his own head.”