Lord Henfield’s worst fears seemed likely to be real. The large door guard returned, and with a few whispered words and a jerk of the head, indicated that they might enter. Within the house a narrow passage led back to where a flight of bare wooden stairs rose to the next floor, and it was up these that they were directed, and thence the second door to the right. Lord Henfield led the way, with the priest to the rear, and opened the door into a chamber that was clean, if simply furnished. Sitting upon a hard chair before a table by the window was a young man, coatless, his brow furrowed, and his cheeks thin. He did not, however, look at death’s door.

‘Jasper!’ cried Miss Yate, and rushed forward to clasp her brother to her bosom. For his part he looked both shocked and horrified.

‘Good God, Dorothea, you cannot be here!’

‘But you are ill?’ His sister seemed only now to realise that the brother before her was not as he had claimed. ‘Are you so soon recovered? I came as soon as I could, for your case sounded desperate.’

‘But I asked but for money,’ bemoaned the youthful Lord Leyburn.

‘And money is what ’e needs, see, not cold compresses, nor a sister’s ’and.’ A man with thinning hair had entered behind them, and leaned back against the wall, arms folded. He looked at the clergyman. ‘Not parish business, Reverend, so best you leave.’

Mr Preston stood firm.

‘I do not understand,’ said Miss Yate, still looking at her brother. She put out a hand to touch his brow, but he scowled and brushed it away.

‘Why could you not just do as you were asked and send money,’ he grumbled.

‘Because you are a fool, Leyburn.’ Lord Henfield spoke, and his firm tone made the ‘householder’ narrow his eyes. ‘You wanted money, presumably to furnish debt, so applied to your sister, who is unlikely to have any large sum, upon the pretext of illness. What loving sister would not come, post haste? The truth now, before I lose all patience, and remove your sister from this hole.’

Lord Leyburn looked at Lord Henfield. ‘Who are you?’

‘Henfield. Friend to your sister.’

‘Oh, like that, is it?’ The youth looked at his sister.

‘No, it is not “like that”, you insolent cub. What has brought you to this and in what state do you stand?’

Before Leyburn could answer, the man by the door spoke up.

‘I’ll tell you, guv’nor, the state ’e stands in. ’E can leave ’ere as soon as ’e pays ’is dues, for board an’ lodgin’, the money ’e borrowed, and “services rendered”.’ The last was accompanied by a lewd wink.

‘How much?’

‘All in all, a ton would see ’im clear.’

‘That is very expensive “food and lodging” for a place of these “amenities”.’ Lord Henfield had a pretty good idea what was coming.