“Well this be a pretty mess,” said Southgate “what are you going to do?”
“I must see Lord Reckavile, but I cannot stay here after what you have told me about the likeness. Can you find somewhere for me to go until Lord Reckavile comes back?”
Southgate smoked in silence for some minutes, at last he said:
“I was allers fond of the old master wild as ’e was, and your mother was a sweet young thing. Lady Reckavile I never could abide…. I got a cottage on the shore, we sometimes uses for … well least said the better, and we sometimes lets it in the summer. You can go there if you don’t mind things rough, tomorrow. Mrs. Southgate can look after you.”
Halley took the other’s hand gratefully.
“This is most good of you, and I hope one day I may be able to repay you.”
The landlord was embarrassed. “I don’t see why you should be a done out of your rights, but you’ll ’ave a tough time with Lord Reckavile; ’ese a nasty customer to get foul of.”
“Only let me know when he comes back, and I’ll see him.”
The next day Halley moved to the lonely little cottage on the shore. Its isolation and the numerous entrances gave a hint as to its use for revenue dodging purposes in the old days, but he was glad of any place of refuge for his tell-tale face, and with the issues at stake. For days he waited consumed with feverish impatience. Now that he had come so far he was determined to see the thing through, regardless of consequences.
At last when his nerves were nearly gone, Southgate came with the momentous news that Lord Reckavile had come home.