"Would you wish lunch to be served, sir?" he inquired. "Or shall I put it off for a quarter of an hour?"
"Oh, no, you can bring it up," said Tony. "I want support. There is something very exhausting about the foreign aristocracy."
He strolled out into the garden, where Isabel and Guy, who were back in their old seats, jumped up eagerly to meet him.
"Well?" they inquired simultaneously.
"Fairly so," said Tony, "considering what I have been through. I had no idea that this conspiracy business was such an intellectual strain."
"Oh, what did Da Freitas say?" asked Isabel clasping her hands. "I could almost see him standing there smiling and threatening you in that horrible smooth way of his."
"He was in quite good form," said Tony cheerfully, "and so was Uncle Phil." He put his arm through hers. "But come along in and I'll tell you all about it while we are having some food. We mustn't allow our pleasures to interfere with the more serious duties of life."
They made their way to the dining-room, where Spalding was just bringing in lunch, and over an excellent saddle of mutton Tony gave them a leisurely but animated description of his recent interview.
"I don't know what you think," he finished, "but my own idea is that Da Freitas was skidding a little from the truth when he said that the Republican government knew all about Peter's matrimonial plans. I don't see how they can, unless Congosta's people have told them, and that isn't likely."
"They may have spies of their own," suggested Guy. "They must know that the King is plotting to come back, and you can be pretty sure that they are keeping an eye on him some way or other." He paused. "I wonder what Da Freitas will do next!" he added.