Without another word, Pike extended his hand as a signal that the culprit was at liberty to depart; and he did so as fast as his legs would carry him.  Pike then returned the pistol to his pocket and took his way back to Calne in a thoughtful and particularly ungenial mood.  There was a doubt within him whether the boy had disclosed the truth, even to him.

Perhaps on no one—­with the exception of Percival—­did the death of Lord Hartledon leave its effects as it did on Lady Kirton and her daughter Maude.  To the one it brought embarrassment; to the other, what seemed very like a broken heart.  The countess-dowager’s tactics must change as by magic.  She had to transfer the affection and consideration evinced for Edward Lord Hartledon to his brother; and to do it easily and naturally.  She had to obliterate from the mind of the latter her overbearing dislike to him, cause her insults to be remembered no more.  A difficult task, even for her, wily woman as she was.

How was it to be done?  For three long hours the night after Lord Hartledon’s death, she lay awake, thinking out her plans; perhaps for the first time in her life, for obtuse natures do not lie awake.  The death had affected her only as regarded her own interests; she could feel for none and regret none in her utter selfishness.  One was fallen, but another had risen up.  “Le roi est mort:  vive le roi!”

On the day following the death she had sought an interview with Percival.  Never a woman evinced better tact than she.  There was no violent change in her manner, no apologies for the past, or display of sudden affection.  She spoke quietly and sensibly of passing topics:  the death, and what could have led to it; the immediate business on hand, some of the changes it entailed in the future.  “I’ll stay with you still, Percival,” she said, “and look after things a bit for you, as I have been doing for your brother.  It is an awful shock, and we must all have time to get over it.  If I had only foreseen this, how I might have spared my temper and poor Maude’s feelings!”

She looked out of the corner of her eye at the young man; but he betrayed no curiosity to hear more, and she went on unasked.

“You know, Val, for a portionless girl, as Maude is, it was a great blow to me when I found her fixing her heart upon a younger son.  How cross and unjust it made me I couldn’t conceal:  mothers are mothers.  I wanted her to take a fancy to Hartledon, dear fellow, and I suppose she could not, and it rendered me cross; and I know I worried her and worried my own temper, till at times I was not conscious of what I said.  Poor Maude! she did not rebel openly, but I could see her struggles.  Only a week ago, when Hartledon was talking about his marrying sometime, and hinting that she might care fox him if she tried, she scored her beautiful drawing all over with ugly marks; ran the pencil through it—­”

“But why do you tell me this now?” asked Val.