"I thank you," he said. "My man of business will be here this morning, and he will attend to them. I will not detain you, Mr. Ducaine." I turned to leave the room, but found myself face to face with a young man in the act of entering it. "Blenavon!" the Duke exclaimed. "How are you, sir?" the newcomer answered. "Sorry I didn't arrive in time to see you last night. We motored from King's Lynn, and the whole of this respectable household was in bed." I knew at once who he was. The Duke looked towards me. "Ducaine," he said, "this is my son, Lord Blenavon." Lord Blenavon's smile was evidently meant to be friendly, but his expression belied it. He was slightly taller than his father, and his cast of features was altogether different. His cheeks were pale, almost sunken, his eyes were too close together, and they had the dimness of the _roue_ or the habitual dyspeptic. His lips were too full, his chin too receding, and he was almost bald. "How are you, Mr. Ducaine?" he said. "Awful hour to be out of bed, isn't it? and all for the slaying of a few fat and innocent birds. Let me see, wasn't I at Magdalen with you?" "I came up in your last year," I reminded him. "Ah, yes, I remember," he drawled. "Terrible close worker you were, too. Are you breakfasting down stairs, sir?" "I think that I had better," the Duke said. "I suppose you brought some men with you?" "Half a dozen," Lord Blenavon answered, "including his Royal Highness." The Duke thrust all his letters into his drawer, and locked them up with a little exclamation of relief. "I will come down with you," he said. "Mr. Ducaine, you will join us." I would have excused myself, for indeed I was weary, and the thought of a bath and rest at home was more attractive. But the Duke had a way of expressing his wishes in a manner which it was scarcely possible to mistake, and I gathered that he desired me to accept his invitation. We all descended the stairs together. CHAPTER XI HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS The long dining-room was almost filled with a troop of guests who had arrived on the previous day. Most of the men were gathered round the huge sideboard, on which was a formidable array of silver-covered hot-water dishes. Places were laid along the flower-decked table for thirty or forty. I stood apart for a few moments whilst the Duke was greeting some of his guests. Ray, who was sitting alone, motioned me to a place by him. "Come and sit here, Ducaine," he said; "that is," he added, with a sudden sarcastic gleam in his dark eyes, "unless you still have what the novelists call an unconquerable antipathy to me. I don't want to rob you of your appetite." "I did not expect to see you down here again so soon, Colonel Ray," I answered gravely. "I congratulate you upon your nerves." Ray laughed softly to himself.