"Yes," said Denbigh, and he again required his address of Peter, which
having been given, the steward departed. The conversation between the
two friends did not return to the course it was taking when they were
interrupted, as Moseley felt a delicacy in making any allusion to the
probable cause of his sister's refusal. He had, however, begun to hope
it was not irremovable, and with the determination of renewing his visit
in the morning, he took his leave, to allow Denbigh to attend to his
other guest, Lord Henry Stapleton.
About twelve on the following morning, John and the steward met at the
door of the hotel where Denbigh lodged, in quest of the same person. The
latter held in his hand the answer to his master's letter, but wished
particularly to see its writer. On inquiring, to their mutual surprise
they were told, that the gentleman had left there early in the morning,
having discharged his lodgings, and that they were unable to say whither
he had gone. To hunt for a man without a clew, in the city of London, is
usually time misspent. Of this Moseley was perfectly sensible, and
disregarding a proposition of Peter's, he returned to his own lodgings.
The proposal of the steward, if it did not do much credit to his
sagacity, was much in favor of his perseverance and enterprise. It was
no other than that John should take one side of the street, and he the
other, in order to inquire at every house in the place, until the
fugitive was discovered. "Sir," said Peter, with great simplicity, "when
our neighbor White lost his little girl, this was the way we found her,
although we went nearly through L---- before we succeeded, Mr. John."
Peter was obliged to abandon this expedient for want of an associate,
and as no message was left at the lodgings of Moseley, he started with a
heavy heart on his return to Benfield Lodge. But Moseley's zeal was too
warm in the cause of his friend, notwithstanding his unmerited
desertion, to discontinue the search for him. He sought out the town
residence of the Marquess of Eltringham, the brother of Lord Henry, and
was told that both the Marquess and his brother had left town early that
morning for his seat in Devonshire, to attend the wedding of their
sister.
"Did they go alone?" asked John musing.
"There were two chaises, the Marquess's and his Grace's"
"Who was his Grace?" inquired John.
"Why the Duke of Derwent, to be sure."
"And the Duke?--was he alone?"
"There was a gentleman with his Grace, but they did not know his name."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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