"But, my dear boy--" called out Mr Tempest, much distressed. He spoke to the empty air. Leo had already left the room and was out of the gate.
After leaving The Nun's House, Leo had taken up his residence at the Colester Arms. Marton was there also, and Leo expected to see him at dinner. He was anxious to tell him what the vicar had said. But the detective did not return from his walk, and after waiting for him till close upon nine o'clock, Leo left the hotel and walked towards the castle to have it out with Mrs Gabriel.
The night was moonless, but there were many stars. Here and there a swathe of mist lay on the plains below; but up on the hills all was comparatively clear. Leo, who knew every inch of Colester, walked slowly out of the town gate and crossed to the other hill. He took a narrow private path which he knew of, wishing to get unobserved to the castle. Just at the foot of this path he met Marton. The recognition was mutual.
"You are going to see Mrs Gabriel?" said the detective.
"I have been trying to see her, but she is ill--at least so the butler says. I suspect, however, this is a lie. She doesn't want to see me!"
"Yes, you go up. I must return to the hotel and get some dinner. I have been walking and thinking until I am worn out. I'll wait your return, and we can talk over the matter."
"The conspiracy of Mrs Gabriel and Hale," said Marton, promptly. "Get on with you, Haverleigh. I'm off to dinner." And he went away at a quick pace, leaving Leo much astonished.
However, there was no use in standing and wondering, so he pursued his way. As Mrs Gabriel was said to be ill, and had denied herself to Marton, it was not unlikely that he would be treated in the same way. Therefore, instead of going to the front door, Leo went round the castle on to the terrace. This was shut off from the rest of the ground by a high fence with a gate in it. Leo had retained the key of this gate and had no difficulty in getting in. The room which looked on to the terrace was lighted, but the blinds were down. Leo peered in. He saw Mrs Gabriel seated in a chair. Standing near her was Mr Richard Pratt.
Leo was so surprised by this unexpected sight that for the moment he stood still. Then he made up his mind to interview the pair. Mrs Gabriel and Pratt evidently understood one another, and the two of them together might probably tell him more about himself than one would do. Moreover, Leo was angry at the way in which Pratt had let him lie under the imputation of being a thief when he could have lifted the disgrace from off his shoulders. Certainly Pratt could have done so only at the risk of incriminating himself, but at the time Leo was too much annoyed to think of this. He saw that there was some mystery, and thinking it might have to do with Mrs Gabriel's enmity towards himself, he interrupted what seemed to be a furious conversation by knocking at the window.