He remained so long silent that Halley could stand it no more.
“Well?” he said.
“To think that Miss Carlotta ’ad a son. I tell ’ee sir, afore God, that if I ’ad known I would ’ave spoken. When ’is Lordship was drownded trying to land at this very spot, and the present lord was born the same night, I didn’t know what to do, I thought as ’ow poor Miss Carlotta must be dead. It seemed no good saying anything and getting into trouble, and not being believed, so I thought I best let matters bide, and if she were alive, she would come along; but time went and nothing ’appened, so I just kept quiet. When I saw you come in that ’ere door, I thought you was ’is Lordship, and then I suppose I must ’ave guessed. You are like ’im, but also like your mother, poor sweet young lady!”
“I understand,” said Halley gently “I cannot blame you. It was a difficult position. But tell me, where was my mother married?”
“I wish I could say, sir, indeed I do. That was one reason why I kept quiet. You see we ’urried off from ’ere as was always ’is way, and travelled to Dover. I didn’t know anything about the wedding till we stops at a village. It was such a rush, and we all ’ad as much as we could carry. I may ’ave ’eard the name, but I’ve clean forgot it.”
Halley groaned.
“And this was before he married—the late Lady Reckavile?”
Halley stuck over the title.
“Oh, yes sir, for I remember them all coming down after the wedding, and of course, I thought poor Miss Carlotta was dead. But why didn’t you come before, sir?”
There was a note of suspicion in his tone, which Halley noticed, and he told him as much of his story as he thought expedient.