“I am a barrister by profession,” he replied, “and had gone there with Superintendent Sinclair, who is an old friend of mine. Now, can I do anything for you before I go? You will forgive a stranger saying so, but you seem so entirely alone. Oh, I know you have the most loyal and faithful servants,” he added hastily, “but you don’t seem to have a friend to help you. Haven’t you some relation I can wire for?”
“I have no near relative. We have led a very secluded life. You see we are so much in town. My father had many acquaintances, but no real friends. Those who did not know him thought him very reserved. He was not really so, you know.”
“You were an only child?” he said carelessly.
“Mr. Collins, I am going to tell you. It will all come out now. I had a brother, ten years older than I. He quarrelled with my father. It was nothing very dreadful, but father thought he was doing no good and getting into bad company, so he sent him off to South America. For some years now we have lost sight of him. It was a great grief to father. He had hoped that Ronald would have come back and settled down here.”
“Well, we must find him now, as he will be the new Baronet, and there will be advertisements everywhere for him. I suppose there is no reason why he should not come back?”
“None whatever,” she said proudly. “What he did was only a boy’s escapade when at Oxford, there was nothing criminal.”
“Well, I expect there will be little difficulty in finding him now,” he said hopefully; “but it will take some time. Meanwhile, isn’t there anyone who could help?”
The colour rose to her pale face.
“I think you ought to wire for Mr. Sanders,” she said, “he was my father’s private secretary, and knows more about his affairs than anyone else.”
Collins gave her one keen look. “Certainly,” he said. “He is obviously the man to come. Where shall I find him?”