The new-comer, Allen, had been making himself very much at home at Bittermeads since his arrival, though he had not so far troubled to any great extent either Ella in the house or Dunn outside.His idea of comfort seemed to be to stay in bed very late, and spend his time when he did get up in the breakfast-room in the company of a box of cigars and a bottle of whisky.
The suggestion that he and Ella should pay a visit together to Wreste Abbey was one that greatly surprised Dunn.
"All right," he said."This afternoon? I'll get the car ready.""This is the afternoon the Abbey is thrown open to visitors, isn't it?" asked Deede Dawson."Allen and Ella can get in as tourists, and have a good look round, and you can look round outside and get to know the lie of the land.There won't be long to wait, for Rupert Dunsmore will be back from his little excursion before long, I expect."He laughed in his mirthless way, and walked off, and Dunn, as he got the car ready, seemed a good deal preoccupied and a little worried.
"How can he know that Rupert Dunsmore is coming back?" he said to himself."Can he have any way of finding out things I don't know about? And if he did, how could he know - that? Most likely it's only a guess to soothe me down, and he doesn't really know anything at all about it."After lunch, Allen and Ella appeared together, ready for their expedition.Ella looked her best in a big motoring coat and a close-fitting hat, with a long blue veil.Allen was, for almost the first time since his arrival, shaved, washed and tidy.
He looked indeed as respectable as his sinister and forbidding countenance would permit, and though Deede Dawson had made him as smart as possible, he had permitted him to gratify his own florid taste in adornment, so that his air of prosperity and wealth had the appearance of being that of some recently-enriched vulgarian whose association with a motor-car and a well-dressed girl of Ella's type was probably due to the fact that he had recently purchased them both out of newly-acquired wealth.
Dunn wore a neat chauffeur's costume, with which, however, his bearded face did not go too well.He felt indeed that their whole turn-out was far too conspicuous considering the real nature of their errand, and far too likely to attract attention, and he wondered if Deede Dawson's subtle and calculating mind had not for some private reason desired that to be so.
"He is keeping well in the background himself," Dunn mused."He may reckon that if things go wrong - in case of any pursuit - it's a good move perhaps in a way, but he may find an unexpected check to his king opened on him."The drive was a long one, and Ella noticed that though Dunn consulted his map frequently, he never appeared in any doubt concerning the way.
A little before three they drove into the village that lay round the park gates of Wreste Abbey.
Motors were not allowed in the park, so Dunn put theirs in the garage of the little hotel, that was already almost full, for visiting day at Wreste Abbey generally drew a goodly number of tourists, while Ella and Allen, in odd companionship, walked up to the Abbey by the famous approach through the chestnut avenue.
Allen was quiet and surly, and much on his guard, and very uncomfortable in Ella's company, and Ella herself, though for different reasons was equally silent.
But the beauty of the walk through the chestnut avenue, and of the vista with the great house at the end, drew from her a quick exclamation of delight.
"How beautiful a place this is," she said aloud."And how peaceful and how quiet.""Don't like these quiet places myself," grumbled Allen."Don't like 'em, don't trust 'em.Give me lots of traffic; when everything's so awful quiet you've only got to kick your foot against a stone or drop a tool, and likely as not you'll wake the whole blessed place.""Wake " repeated Ella, noticing the word, and she repeated it with emphasis."Why do you say 'wake'?"
