The two younger men waited impatiently in and about the hotel while their elders went on their self-appointed mission. Stafford, essentially a man of activity, speculated on their reasons for seeing the three people whom Sir Cresswell Oliver had specifically mentioned: Copplestone was meanwhile wondering if he could with propriety pay another visit to Mrs. Greyle's cottage that night. It was drawing near to dusk when the two quiet-looking, elderly gentlemen returned and summoned the younger ones to another conference. Both looked as reserved and bland as when they had set out, and the old seaman's voice was just as suave as ever when he addressed them.
"Well, gentlemen," he said, "we have paid our visits, and I suppose I had better tell you at once that we are no wiser as to actual facts than we were when we left you earlier in the afternoon. The man Ewbank stands emphatically by his story; Mr. Marston Greyle says that he cannot remember any meeting with my brother in America, and that he certainly did not call on him here on Sunday: Mrs. Valentine Greyle has not met Bassett for a great many years. Nowthere the matter stands. Of course, it cannot rest there. Further inquiries will have to be made. Mr. Petherton and I are going on to Norcaster this evening, and we shall have a very substantial reward offered to any person who can give any information about my brother. That may result in somethingor in nothing. As to my brother's business arrangements, I will go fully into that matter with you, Mr. Stafford, at Norcaster, tomorrow. Now, Mr. Copplestone, will you have a word or two with me in private?"
Copplestone followed the old seaman into a quiet corner of the room, where Sir Cresswell turned on him with a smile.
"I take it," he said, "that you are a young gentleman of leisure, and that you can abide wherever you like, eh?"
"Yes, you may take that as granted," answered Copplestone, wondering what was coming.
"Doesn't much matter if you write your plays in Jermyn Street oranywhere else, eh?" questioned Sir Cresswell with a humorous smile.
"Practically, no," replied Copplestone.
Sir Cresswell tapped him on the shoulder.
"I want you to do me a favour," he said. "I shall take it as a kindness if you will. I don't want to talk about certain ideas which Petherton and I have about this affair, yet, anywaynot even to youbut we have formed some ideas this afternoon. Now, do you think you could manage to stay where you are for a week or two?"
"Here?" exclaimed Copplestone.
"This seems very comfortable," said Sir Cresswell, looking round. "The landlady is a nice, motherly person; she gave me a very well-cooked lunch; this is a quiet room in which to do your writing, eh?"
"Of course I can stay here," answered Copplestone, who was a good deal bewildered. "Butmayn't I know whyand in what capacity?"
"Just to keep your eyes and your ears open," said Sir Cresswell. "Don't seem to make inquiriesin fact, don't make any inquirydo nothing. I don't want you to do any private detective worknot I! Just stop here a bitamuse yourselfwritereadand watch things quietly. Anddon't be crossI've an elderly man's privilege, you knowyou'll send your bills to me."
"Oh, that's all right, thanks!" said Copplestone, hurriedly. "I'm pretty well off as regards this world's goods."
"So I guessed when I found that you lived in the expensive atmosphere of Jermyn Street," said Sir Cresswell, with a sly laugh. "But all the same, you'll let me be paymaster here, you knowthat's only fair."
"All rightcertainly, if you wish it," agreed Copplestone. "But look herewon't you trust me? I assure you I'm to be trusted. You suspect somebody! Hadn't you better give me your confidence? I won't tell a souland when I say that, I mean it literally. I won't tell one single soul!"
Sir Cresswell waited a moment or two, looking quietly at Copplestone. Then he clapped a hand on the young man's shoulder.
"All right, my lad," he said. "Yes!we do suspect somebody. Marston Greyle! Now you know it."
"I expected that," answered Copplestone. "All right, sir. And my orders arejust what you said."
"Just what I said," agreed Sir Cresswell. "Carry on at thateyes and ears open; no fuss; everything quiet, unobtrusive, silent. MeanwhilePetherton will be at work. And I sayif you want company, you knowI think you'll find it across the bay there at Mrs. Greyle'seh?"
"I was there last night," said Copplestone. "I liked both of them very much. You knew Mrs. Greyle once upon a time, I think; you and your brother?"
"We did!" replied Sir Cresswell, with a sigh. "Um!the fact is, both Bassett and I were in love with her at that time. She married another man instead. That's all!"
He gave Copplestone a squeeze of the elbow, laughed, and went across to the solicitor, who was chatting to Stafford in one of the bow windows. Ten minutes later all three were off to Norcaster, and Copplestone was alone, ruminating over this sudden and extraordinary change in the hitherto even tenor of his life. Little more than twenty-four hours previously, all he had been concerned about was the production of his play by Bassett Oliverhere he was now, mixed up in a drama of real life, with Bassett Oliver as its main figure, and the plot as yet unrevealed. And he himself was already committed to play in itbut what part?
Now that the others had gone, Copplestone began to feel strangely alone. He had accepted Sir Cresswell Oliver's commission readily, feeling genuinely interested in the affair, and being secretly conscious that he would be glad of the opportunity of further improving his acquaintance with Audrey Greyle. But now that he considered things quietly, he began to see that his position was a somewhat curious and possibly invidious one. He was to watchand to seem not to watch. He was to listenand appear not to listen. The task would be difficultand perhaps unpleasant. For he was very certain that Marston Greyle would resent his presence in the village, and that Chatfield would be suspicious of it. What reason could he, an utter stranger, have for taking up his quarters at the "Admiral's Arms?" The tourist season was over: Autumn was well set in; with Autumn, on that coast, came weather which would send most southerners flying homewards. Of course, these people would say that he was left there to peep and pryand they would all know that the Squire was the object of suspicion. It was all very well, his telling Mrs. Wooler that being an idle man he had taken a fancy to Scarhaven, and would stay in her inn for a few weeks, but Mrs. Wooler, like everybody else, would see through that. However, the promise had been given, and he would keep itliterally. He would do nothing in the way of active detective workhe would just wait and see what, if anything, turned up.
But upon one thing Copplestone had made up his mind determinedly before that second evening camehe would make no pretence to Audrey Greyle and her mother. And availing himself of their permission to call again, he went round to the cottage, and before he had been in it five minutes told them bluntly that he was going to stay at Scarhaven awhile, on the chance of learning any further news of Bassett Oliver.
"Which," he added, with a grim smile, "seems about as likely as that I should hear that I am to be Lord Chancellor when the Woolsack is next vacant!"
"You don't know," remarked Mrs. Greyle. "A reward for information is to be offered, isn't it?"
"Do you think that will do much good?" asked Copplestone.
"It depends upon the amount," replied Mrs. Greyle. "We know these people. They are close and reservedno people could keep secrets better. For all one knows, somebody in this village may know something, and may at present feel it wisest to keep the knowledge to himself. But if moneywhat would seem a lot of moneycomes into questionah!"