“This case we shall find different,” Falconer remarked. “I don’t at all like the appearance of Mr. Mildmay’s friends. I shall probably come and see you again very soon,” he added, as, pressing a Treasury note into the man’s hand, he turned and left.
On the following Friday, in response to a letter he received from Sylvia saying that Lord Hendlewycke had gone suddenly to Switzerland, and telling him her mother would much like to see him to accompany them in the car on their return journey across France to Boulogne, he obtained a week’s leave, and duly arrived at the Hôtel de l’Univers, at Tours.
On alighting the concierge informed him that the ladies were out motoring, but an hour later he met them on their return, and received a warm welcome. His main object in travelling to Touraine was to meet again Madame Claudet.
“Ah, Mr. Falconer!” she exclaimed, with her pretty French accent, as they shook hands. “Sylvia expected you yesterday. We’ve been having, oh!—such a delightful time.”
“Yes. It has been real interesting,” said Mrs. Beverley. “We’ve been all over Brittany, and now we’ve seen nearly everyone of the châteaux of the Loire.” Then turning to Madame, she said: “Come on, Margot, dear. It’s time we got upstairs to dress.”
From the first Geoffrey realised that the two ladies were on most affectionate terms. They, indeed, addressed each other by their Christian names. And he wondered.
Madame Claudet looked strikingly handsome as she sat that night at dinner, dressed in a very smart, low-cut black gown trimmed with silver, with a silver ornament in her hair. Sylvia, too, looked charming, in a flimsy dance frock of pale-grey.
As they sat together Mrs. Beverley explained their programme, namely, to return by way of Blois, Orleans and Fontainebleau, to see the forest and the château, and thence skirting Paris by Versailles, Beauvais, Abbeville, and Boulogne. That was agreed upon, and later in the evening Geoffrey went out with Sylvia for a stroll beneath the trees in the pleasant Boulevard Heurteloup.
“I had a dreadful time with Hendlewycke,” the girl said as they strolled together. “He bored me to death, and I fear I became very rude to him in the end. That’s why he made an excuse and went off in a huff to Switzerland. Of course,” she added, “mother was furious, but now she’s getting over it. I believe we shall never see him again.”
“Don’t make too sure, dearest,” her lover said. “Remember, he’s after money, and he thinks he’ll get it through you. Lady Hendlewycke! How very nice it would sound!” he added tantalisingly.