He saw that it was no moment to argue that point. All he wanted at once was to get her safely on board the Olive Branch. And he did not contradict her.
"Ambrizette must come with me, Jasper," she said brokenly. "I won't leave her behind."
He set his teeth to stifle an angry refusal of that difficult condition.
"All right, Sallie," he answered smoothly. "I'll risk that too, since you say so. Slip on this coat—it will be bitter cold in the boat. And I'll send for Ambrizette."
CHAPTER XXX
THE TENTH EARL
Carthew was feeling anything but fit to cope with all the cares and responsibilities which had devolved upon him again, under circumstances so shocking, no less suddenly than he had been relieved of them all—along with that place in life to which they pertained—by the man now lying dead on the floor before him. As he watched the Duchess of Dawn leading Sallie gently out of the banquet-hall, he would have given a very great deal to have been free to follow them, for Sallie had looked back at him out of tear-dimmed eyes as she went, with an expression he could not quite understand. And, now that she too knew the very worst there was to be told, he was desperately anxious to find out how she was going to deal with him, under such changed conditions.
But there were matters even more urgent to be disposed of, for her sake too, before he could set himself right with her. He pulled himself together, with a great effort.
It was clear that he must not permit Captain Dove and his two confederates to decamp. He had heard enough already to justify him in taking the law into his own hands for the nonce and detaining them there. It was equally clear that he must not delay for a moment in finding out as much more as he might from Farish M'Kissock, who looked as if he could scarcely live for another hour.