"...you have successfully kept one foot in either camp. You were present when Rawnsley told me of the abduction of Mavis, and added that the matter was being kept secret. Miss Davenant at once published an article entitled 'Where is Miss Rawnsley?'"
"If she really abducted the girl, she'd naturally notice it was being kept quiet," I objected.
"On the day after Private Members' time had been appropriated, Jefferson's boy disappeared; Miss Davenant must have been warned in time to have her plans laid. She referred to my midland campaign, and had an accomplice lying in wait for my daughter with a car, the same day that Rawnsley made his announcement that there would be no autumn session."
"You will find all this on the famous Time Table," I reminded him.
"She got her information from some one who knew the arrangements of the Government."
"I'm surprised you continued to know me," I said, and turned to the Seraph. "It's devilish serious, as I said before, but it seems to be my funeral."
"You are both equally incriminated. Aintree, is it not the case that on one occasion in Oxford and another in London, you warned my daughter that trouble was in store for her?"
The Seraph had been sitting silent and with closed eyes since his single intervention. He now opened his eyes and bowed without speaking.
"I suggest that you knew an attempt would be made to abduct her?"
"I knew trouble was coming; I didn't know she would be abducted."
"What form of trouble did you anticipate?"
He hesitated, and then closed his eyes wearily.
Arthur balanced a quill pen between the first fingers of both hands.
"On Wednesday last your rooms were visited, and the question of a search-warrant raised. You obtained a promise that the warrant would not be applied for if my daughter and Miss Rawnsley were restored within five days. Did you know at that time where they were?"
"I don't know where Miss Rawnsley is. I didn't know where your daughter was till we came to the house."
"We none of us know our hats are in the hall till we look to make certain," Nigel interrupted; "but you found her?"
"No one told you where she was?" Arthur went on.
"She has given me Merivale's version. I want yours."
"She's told you. I walked out of the house, and went on till I found her."