“Give me five minutes,” said Gilder, and went out.

As Gilder was making his way to his own office, a clerk handed him a letter. It was addressed to him personally, in an illiterate hand. Behind the door of his office bureau he opened the envelope.

The letter began without any preliminary.

His lordship is still working on the Treasure. He had an old book sent to him from Germany last Tuesday, written by a German who was in this country hundreds of years ago. I cannot read the title because of the funny printing, which is like Old English. His lordship has also had a plan sent to him from a London bookseller of Fossaway Manor. His lordship’s brother, Mr Alford, has sold Red Farm to Mr Leonard for £3500 (here Mr Gilder smiled). Miss Gine came to tea yesterday with his lordship and Mr Alford, and afterwards Miss Gine and his lordship went for a walk in the home park. There is some talk about the Black Abbot having been seen near the old abbey. He was seen by Thomas Elwin, the half-witted son of Elwin, his lordship’s cowman, but nobody takes any notice of this. He has now been seen by Mr Cartwright, the grocer. His lordship has had an offer for his Yorkshire estate, but I heard Mr Alford advise him not to sell, as he was sure there was coal on it.

Gilder nodded, understanding just how his employer’s plan had fallen through.

…When I was taking tea into the library I heard his lordship say that he wanted the wedding to take place in October, but Miss Gine said she would like it after Christmas. His lordship said that he didn’t mind because he was so busy. Mr Alford said he thought that the marriage settlement should be fixed by Sampson & Howard, who were the old Lord Chelford’s solicitors, but his lordship said that he thought the settlement had better be in Mr Gine’s hands. I did not hear any more because Mr Alford told me to get out. Miss Wenner, who used to be his lordship’s secretary, came down from London yesterday, but Mr Alford has given orders that she is not to be admitted. His lordship did not see her –

Mr Fabrian Gilder’s spy reported other minor matters which were less interesting. He read the letter again, put it in his pocket and was busy at his desk for five minutes.

He came back to find his employer leaning over his desk, his head between his hands, and laid a slip of paper before him.

“What is this?” asked Gine, startled.

“A six-months bill for seven thousand pounds. I’ve put an extra thousand in for luck,” said Gilder coolly.

Gine read the document quickly. It was a bill, and required only his signature and that of Harry, Earl of Chelford, to make it convertible into solid cash.