Sir Mark’s abased head swung upward again. “Tricks, you say?Tricks? No!That ain’t the word, deuce take me if it is!Conspiracy,rather!”
Gideon’s jaw dropped. Staring at his father’s convulsed face, he echoed, “Conspiracy?Sir—what in heaven’s name…?”
“Aye, you may stare! Think me mad, do you? You’re not alone, burn it! But conspiracy I say, and conspiracy I mean! To the fullest extent of the word!” Sir Mark dragged a chair to face Gideon and sat down, leaning forward and speaking with passionate intensity. “I could accept it as coincidence that some major investments failed; that some large loans were in default. But that Davies should embezzle so gigantic a sum—and vanish from the face of the earth? That my shipyard should havechancedto catch fire; my principal stockholders should withdraw their funds; and all withintwo weeks? No, by God!”
Stunned, Gideon stared at his father in silence. Then, he said slowly, “You mentioned that the guards at the shipyard were drunk. You said, ‘As we then thought.’ What did you mean?”
“That I now believe them to have been drugged! Do you see? Do yousee? ’Twas a conspiracy, I tell you! A deliberate and merciless plan to ruin me! That is why I need you, Gideon! To prove me innocent. To restore my good name, even if my fortune, my estates, are lost!”
It was very clear that the poor old boy had cracked under the strain. Small wonder. Gideon said carefully, “Er—have you any suspicions, sir? Do you guess who is behind it?”
“Would that I did!” Sir Mark sprang to his feet again and set his glass on a table. “I’ve appealed to my friends, argued with Bow Street, hired investigators—in vain. Behind my back they all laugh at me and—damn their ears!—they think I will not accept the responsibility for my failure. That I seek to cloud the truth!”
“I see… Well, ’tis said that if murder is done, find first the man who has most to gain.”
“They all gained! The promoters of that damnable trading company. The men who took out loans, and then left the country! The treacherous bastard who embezzled.” Sir Mark muttered broodingly, “All in league against me, fiend seize ’em!”
“But—sir, they were your friends! Besides, they all are independently wealthy. I’d thinktheirreputations are lost also. Surely such an involved plot as you envision must be extreme costly, as well as a very great risk. Besides, who gained from burning your shipyard? I cannot—”
“You are saying you do not believe me, I think?”
Shocked by the savage fury in his father’s face, Gideon said hurriedly, “I certainly do not rule out the possibility of such a conspiracy, sir. You’ll recollect that I never had any use for Norberly and Derrydene! And as for that slimy wart Murchison—”
His cheeks flushing, Sir Mark snarled, “You warned me, is that what you say? By heaven, if you’ve come home to gloat over me—to say ‘I told you so’—I’ll not have it! You may take yourself back to your confounded regiment and—”
Gideon sprang up and went to throw his arm about his father’s shoulders. “No, sir. How can you think it of me? We’ll come at the root of this somehow. We must, if we’re to keep Promontory Point and—”
“So you know about that, do you, twin?” Newby wandered into the room, his eyes narrowing when he saw Gideon’s arm about Sir Mark. “How did you learn that item of gossip, pray? From your ex-light o’love, perhaps? I heard you’d called on her.”
Sir Mark stiffened and stepped back. “You’ve never been to Collington, Gideon?”
“I have, sir.”
“Do not—ever—do so again! That ungrateful swine was in the forefront of those naming me… embezzeler—thief.Me! He could scarce wait to cry off from your betrothal to his daughter. As though that young woman had not won her share of notoriety with her disgraceful behaviour both here and on the Continent!” His face dark with anger, he went on, “Why thedevildid you have to go crawling there? You should have come to me first! Not to that little jade!”
Gideon’s jaw tightened. He said, “I was not aware the betrothal was terminated, sir. And when I went to the Point—”
“Gad,didyou?” Amused, Newby asked, “Yesterday? You must have just missed her. That would have been a jolly meeting, I declare!”
Gideon demanded sharply, “What d’you mean? Was Naomi at the Point?”
“Yes, indeed. She came driving in, all airy-fairy innocence, pretending she’d supposed us all away. I fancy she came to have a look at you, twin.”
“Confounded gall!” raged Sir Mark.
“One must be objective, Papa.” Newby swung his quizzing glass and smiled at his brother’s expressionless face. “My lady is a tasty morsel—even if she has been… ah, tasted—by numerous gentlemen of—”
Gideon was on him in a pantherish leap. The quizzing glass was seized and jerked up to be twisted about Newby’s throat. An impassioned voice growled, “Your lying mouth is as full of the gutter as ever! You’d best control it whilst I’m within hearing, brother, for a very little time spent in your company inspires me with the desire to throw you through the nearest window!”
Sir Mark ran to tear Gideon’s grip from the riband that was choking Newby, and thrust him away. “Let him be, you young savage!”
Gideon reeled back. With every breath now, his head seemed to split apart then clap back together. He began to feel sick, and grasped a chair for support.
“Damn… you…,” uttered Newby hoarsely, clutching his throat. “If it ain’t typical you’d… cuddle up to—m’father’s enemies!”
Sir Mark stamped to the bell pull and gave it a series of tugs which galvanized those in the lower regions of the house. “You are very obviously ill, so I shall excuse you—this time,” he said, his voice quivering with anger. “But know this, Gideon. Your betrothal to the Lady Naomi Lutonville is at an end. If youeverhave anything to say to that wanton, or her ungrateful wretch of a father—you may remove yourself from my house! I cannot disinherit you. Icanmake sure that for the duration of my life you cease to be a son of mine!”
Gideon’s attempt to respond was foiled. His bones felt like water, and the scene was becoming blurred and indistinct. He was vaguely aware that someone had come into the room, that his father was giving orders, and that he was being gently led out and half-carried up the stairs. As from a great distance he heard Newby’s bray of a laugh and heard him say, “Quite like old times, eh, Papa?”
