"And it contains?"
"The news we fear. It is in the Duke's own hand, and intimates that he will follow it in a few days--in a few days, man in person."
Mr. Wilding clenched teeth and hands. "God help us all, then!" he muttered grimly.
"Meanwhile," quoth Trenchard, bringing him back to the point, "there is this precious business here. I had as choice a plan as could have been devised, and it must have succeeded, had you not come blundering into it to mar it all at the last moment. That fat fool Albemarle had swallowed my impeachment like a draught of muscadine. Do you hear me?" he ended sharply, for Mr. Wilding stood bemused, his thoughts plainly wandering.
He let his hand fall upon Trenchard's shoulder. "No," said he, "I wasn't listening. No matter; for even had I known the full extent of your scheme I still must have interfered."
"For the sake of Mistress Westmacott's blue eyes, no doubt," sneered Trenchard. "Pah! Wherever there's a woman there's the loss of a man."
"For the sake of Mistress Wilding's blue eyes," his friend corrected him. "I'll allow no brother of hers to hang in my place."
"It will be interesting to see how you will rescue him."
"By telling the truth to Albemarle."
"He'll not believe it."
"I shall prove it," said Wilding quietly. Trenchard swung round upon him in mingled anger and alarm for him. "You shall not do it!" he snarled. "It is nothing short of treason to the Duke to get yourself laid by the heels at such a time as this."
"I hope to avoid it," answered Wilding confidently.
"Avoid it? How?" "Not by staying longer here in talk. That will ruin all. Away with you, Trenchard!"
"By my soul, no!" answered Trenchard. "I'll not leave you. If I have got you into this, I'll help to get you out again, or stay in it with you."
"Bethink you of Monmouth?" Wilding admonished him.
"Damn Monmouth!" was the vicious answer. "I am here, and here I stay."
"Get to horse, you fool, and ride to Walford as you proposed, there to ambush the messenger. The letter will go to Whitehall none the less in spite of what I shall tell Albemarle. If things go well with me, I shall join you at Vallancey's before long."
"Why, if that is your intention," said Trenchard, "I had better stay, and we can ride together. It will make it less uncertain for you."
"But less certain for you."
"The more reason why I should remain."
The door of the hall was suddenly flung open at the far end of the corridor, and Albemarle's booming voice, impatiently raised, reached them where they stood.