The carriage was ordered at three o’clock.
At half-past two Father Benwell slipped quietly into the gallery.
He posted himself midway between the library door and the grand entrance; on the watch, not for the civilizing influences of Art, but for the appearance of Lady Loring and Stella.
He was still of opinion that Stella’s “frivolous” mother might be turned into a source of valuable information on the subject of her daughter’s earlier life.
The first step toward attaining this object was to discover Mrs. Eyrecourt’s present address.
Stella would certainly know it—and Father Benwell felt a just confidence in his capacity to make the young lady serviceable, in this respect, to the pecuniary interests of the Church.
After an interval of a quarter of an hour, Lady Loring and Stella entered the gallery by the library door. Father Benwell at once advanced to pay his respects.
For some little time he discreetly refrained from making any attempt to lead the conversation to the topic that he had in view.
He was too well acquainted with the insatiable interest of women in looking at other women to force himself into notice.
The ladies made their remarks on the pretensions to beauty and to taste in dress among the throng of visitors—and Father Benwell waited by them, and listened with the resignation of a modest young man.
Patience, being a virtue, is sometimes its own reward.
Two gentlemen, evidently interested in the pictures, approached the priest.
He drew back, with his ready politeness, to let them see the picture before which he happened to be standing.
The movement disturbed Stella.
She turned sharply—noticed one of the gentlemen, the taller of the two—became deadly pale—and instantly quitted the gallery.
Lady Loring, looking where Stella had looked, frowned angrily and followed Miss Eyrecourt into the library.
Wise Father Benwell let them go, and concentrated his attention on the person who had been the object of this startling recognition.
Unquestionably a gentleman—with light hair and complexion—with a bright benevolent face and keen intelligent blue eyes—apparently still in the prime of life.
Such was Father Benwell’s first impression of the stranger.
He had evidently seen Miss Eyrecourt at the moment when she first noticed him; and he too showed signs of serious agitation.
His face flushed deeply, and his eyes expressed, not merely surprise, but distress.
He turned to his friend.
“This place is hot,” he said; “let us get out of it!”
“My dear Winterfield!” the friend remonstrated, “we haven’t seen half the pictures yet.”
“Excuse me if I leave you,” the other replied.
“I am used to the free air of the country.
Let us meet again this evening.
Come and dine with me.
The same address as usual—Derwent’s Hotel.”
With those words he hurried out, making his way, without ceremony, through the crowd in the picture gallery.
Father Benwell returned to the library.
It was quite needless to trouble himself further about Mrs. Eyrecourt or her address.
“Thanks to Lord Loring’s picture gallery,” he thought, “I have found the man!”
He took up his pen and made a little memorandum—“Winterfield.
Derwent’s Hotel.”
CHAPTER X. FATHER BENWELL’S CORRESPONDENCE. I. To Mr. Bitrake.
Private and Confidential.
SIR—I understand that your connection with the law does not exclude your occasional superintendence of confidential inquiries, which are not of a nature to injure your professional position.
The inclosed letter of introduction will satisfy you that I am incapable of employing your experience in a manner unbecoming to you, or to myself.
The inquiry that I propose to you relates to a gentleman named Winterfield.
He is now staying in London, at Derwent’s Hotel, and is expected to remain there for a week from the present date.
His place of residence is on the North Devonshire coast, and is well known in that locality by the name of Beaupark House.
The range of my proposed inquiry dates back over the last four or five years—certainly not more.
My object is to ascertain, as positively as may be, whether, within this limit of time, events in Mr. Winterfield’s life have connected him with a young lady named Miss Stella Eyrecourt.
If this proves to be the case it is essential that I should be made acquainted with the whole of the circumstances.
I have now informed you of all that I want to know.
Whatever the information may be, it is most important that it shall be information which I can implicitly trust.
Please address to me, when you write, under cover to the friend whose letter I inclose.
I beg your acceptance—as time is of importance—of a check for preliminary expenses, and remain, sir, your faithful servant, AMBROSE BENWELL.
II. To the Secretary, Society of Jesus, Rome.