Chapter XVIII: The Reappearance of the Calais Noble

"I am so glad Martin has decided to take his family away this summer," remarked Mrs. Marsh, at the breakfast table one morning, a few days after her brother had agreed to Cousin Becky's plan for a holiday. "I met Mary and the children in the town yesterday, and they were quite excited at the prospect of turning their backs on Beaworthy for a few weeks—poor things! I daresay I should feel the same if I had not had a change for years. Cousin Becky is to accompany them to Norfolk, I hear."

"It's through Miss Trent that they're going," Mr. Marsh replied. "A friend of hers has lent them a furnished house, it appears—the Mill House, at Lynn. Your brother asked me if I knew the place. I remember I chanced to visit it once from Cromer."

"Who can Cousin Becky's friend be, I wonder?" said Mrs. Marsh musingly, her face expressive of surprise and curiosity, for this was news to her. She had only had a few words with her sister-in-law on the previous day, and had heard no details in connection with the projected holiday.

"Ah, that's a secret," Edgar informed her. He was very inquisitive upon the point himself. "Roger says Cousin Becky hasn't told anyone—not even Uncle Martin. The lady the house belongs to doesn't wish her name to be known."

"How extraordinary!" exclaimed Mrs. Marsh, "And how very mysterious! A lady, you say?" She paused as her son assented, a pucker of thought between her brows. By-and-by she proceeded, turning to her husband, "John, have you considered at all where we shall go this summer? It is quite time we settled upon a place."

"I have not thought about it," Mr. Marsh admitted. "In fact, I do not want to leave home during August, this year."

"But Edgar must have a change of air in his holidays, he has not been looking well lately," Mrs. Marsh reminded him, "and the school re-assembles in the middle of September."

"Well, why not send him with his cousins?" suggested Mr. Marsh. "I think that would be a good plan. Then you and I could go to Scotland later in the autumn. How would you like that, eh?"

"Very well," Mrs. Marsh answered, after a minute's reflection. "And I should be quite contented to trust Edgar with his aunt and uncle, but perhaps it may not be convenient for them to take him. However, I can easily ascertain that."

"Oh, they will take him," Mr. Marsh said confidently. "I have no doubt about that. Make what arrangements you please, my dear. I see by Edgar's face the plan meets with his approval."

Accordingly, that afternoon Mrs. Marsh repaired to her brother's house in Princess Street, where she found her sister-in-law and Polly at home.

"I am come to ask a favour of you, Mary," she said, after greetings had been exchanged, and Mrs. Trent had told her that Cousin Becky was out, "and I have every hope that you will grant it."

"You may depend I will if I possibly can," was the earnest reply.

"I am sure of it. Well, John does not want to leave home at present, and of course we wish Edgar to have a change of air during his holidays, so we have been wondering if we can prevail upon you to take him with you to Lynn. I am sure he will be very little trouble." She paused and looked at Mrs. Trent inquiringly. "Of course we will pay you for his board and lodgings," she added. "We will agree to your terms."

"I was not thinking of that," Mrs. Trent answered, a slight flush rising to her pale cheeks. As a matter-of-fact it had flashed through her mind that the charge of her nephew would be a great responsibility, but she refrained from saying so. "You know, we shall be actually Cousin Becky's guests," she continued, "but for her we should not be going away at all, so I must consult her before I give you an answer. I do not know the exact size of the Mill House, whether there will be a room to spare for Edgar or not; but if there should be, and Cousin Becky is willing for him to make one of our party—"

"Well, talk the matter over with her and let me know," broke in Mrs. Marsh. She was a trifle vexed at the hesitancy in her sister-in-law's manner, for she had thought she would have immediately acceded to her request, and she had intended to have had the matter settled at once.

"I hope you will have a pleasant holiday," she proceeded, "for I am sure you all need it. I was never in Norfolk myself."

"Cousin Becky says the Mill House is only about five minutes' walk from the sea," explained Polly. "Oh, I am certain we shall have a lovely time! Isn't it kind of Cousin Becky's friend to lend us the house!"

"Very," agreed Mrs. Marsh. "And you have not the least idea who she is, have you?"

"No," Mrs. Trent replied; "we only know she is an eccentric lady, who, when she does a kindness, dislikes being thanked for it. Cousin Becky has known her all her life."

"Mother, you have not told Aunt Janie about the coin," said Polly, abruptly changing the conversation.

"I was going to do so in due course, my dear." Turning to her sister-in-law, Mrs. Trent asked: "You remember that suit of clothes of Edgar's which you left here in a parcel with some other things, do you not?"

"When you gave me my purse, Aunt Janie," supplemented Polly.

"Yes," assented Mrs. Marsh. "The suit was faded but very little worn. I thought Roger might find it useful in the holidays."

"Indeed, he will find it very useful," Mrs. Trent agreed. "Well, this morning Cousin Becky was examining it to see if it wanted any mending, when she discovered something between the material and the lining near the hem of one of the legs of the trousers she ripped the hem and found an old coin, which Martin says he believes must be one from your husband's collection. He calls it a Calais Noble."

"A Calais Noble!" echoed Mrs. Marsh. "Are you sure? Why, that is the coin John lost, and which he has been so worried about. He thought that it had been stolen. How could it possibly have got where Cousin Becky found it?"

"There was a little rip in the pocket near the top," Polly was beginning to explain when her aunt interrupted her excitedly.

"Oh, dear, how sorry I am! Then he did take it, after all! I could not believe it possible when John suggested it. Oh, Mary, I am so terribly grieved that this should have happened."

"I don't understand," said Mrs. Trent, in utter bewilderment. "Who do you imagine took the coin?"

"Roger, of course!"

"Roger!" shrieked Polly, her eyes flashing anger and reproach at her aunt. "Do you mean to say you think Roger stole it? Oh, you cruel, wicked—"

"Hush, Polly," commanded her mother sternly. "Please explain your meaning," she said quickly to Mrs. Marsh. "I fail to see why, because this coin has been found in Edgar's suit of clothes, you should think Roger a thief."

"John feared he had taken it," Mrs. Marsh admitted. "He knew he had had the opportunity of doing so on an occasion when Edgar showed him the coins, and I believe Edgar told him that this particular coin was a valuable one. Give me the Calais Noble, Mary, and I will hush the matter up. I expect after Roger took it he—"

"Roger did not take it!" Polly broke in passionately, regarding her aunt with defiance. "I am certain he did not; besides, the Calais Noble was found in Edgar's clothes, not in Roger's."

"Roger has never worn that suit of clothes," declared Mrs. Trent, her face, which had been very troubled, suddenly clearing. "The coin was evidently put in the trousers pocket, and I think it is far more likely that Edgar can account for the coin having been where Cousin Becky found it than Roger, who never had the clothes in his possession."

There was a long silence, during which Mrs. Marsh's fine colour faded and her expression became anxious, almost frightened. It did not seem likely that Edgar should have taken the Calais Noble, and yet she saw the force of her sister-in-law's argument.

"Where is the coin?" she asked at length, in a faltering tone.

"Father has it," Polly answered. "He is going to return it to Uncle John; he will be sure to see him this afternoon at the office. Oh, Aunt Janie, say you don't think Roger took it!"

"I don't know what to say or think," sighed poor Mrs. Marsh. "Does Roger know where the coin was found?"

"Oh yes! He was so amazed when Cousin Becky told him and showed it to him. He said at once, 'Why that's Uncle John's Calais Noble!' Didn't he, mother?"

"Yes, he recognised it immediately," said Mrs. Trent.

Then she remembered how silent Roger had afterwards become, and she grew a little uneasy again. He had suggested taking the coin to school and giving it to Edgar to deliver to Mr. Marsh; but his father had negatived the idea, saying he would return it to his brother-in-law himself. Roger had appeared rather dissatisfied with that arrangement, she reflected; she wondered why. She longed for him to return from school so that she might question him upon the point. Of one thing she was certain, however, that her boy was not a thief. That there was a mystery in connection with the Calais Noble was evident, but she never for a moment doubted that Roger would be able to clear himself from blame.

"My husband will be pleased to get his coin back, for he set great store by it," Mrs. Marsh observed, as she rose rather hurriedly to take her departure. "I am extremely sorry I mentioned his suspicion of Roger. I feel sure you are right and that he did not take the coin, though I cannot understand its having been found in Edgar's suit. I think the best way will be to let the matter stand as it is. You don't agree with me? Well, I will question Edgar and see if he can throw any light on the subject. Dear me, what constant worries boys are!"

After she had gone, mother and daughter looked at each other questioningly, and the latter cried:

"Oh, mother, how dreadful to think that Uncle John believes Roger to be a thief! How dare he?"

"He will learn his mistake, my dear," Mrs. Trent responded soothingly, with difficulty concealing her own indignation. "He has misjudged my boy terribly, I am positive of that."

"He thinks Roger took the coin because it is valuable," the little girl proceeded, her voice quavering with anger. "He wouldn't think it if we had plenty of money like himself. Oh, mother, how hard it is to be poor! I believe that somehow this is Edgar's fault. Oh, whatever happens don't let him go to Norfolk with us! I shall beg Cousin Becky not to take him."

"Do nothing of the kind, Polly and I must forbid you to interfere in this affair of the Calais Noble, my dear, it will be sifted out, never fear; your father will see to that. It will be better, for everyone concerned, not to make a fuss about it. I have not the slightest fear on Roger's account, though I think it is not unlikely that he knows something about the Calais Noble, that I must find out. It has hurt me very deeply to hear of your uncle's suspicion, but I am confident Roger will be able to clear himself from it. The truth always prevails, you know."

Mrs. Trent's lips quivered as she spoke, and her eyes grew misty with tears. She had experienced a shock that afternoon, which had shaken her composure; and she was really quite as indignant as her little daughter that anyone should deem Roger so utterly devoid of right principle as to be capable of theft. Anxiously she awaited the boy's arrival; but, contrary to his custom, he was late for tea; and when five o'clock struck, Cousin Becky having returned, they had the meal without him. Miss Trent was informed of all that had occurred during Mrs. Marsh's visit, and her utter incredulity and amazement when she was told of Mr. Marsh's suspicion of Roger was witnessed with the keenest relief by the boy's mother and sister.

"I knew you'd believe in Roger," Polly said tearfully. "I would—against all the world!"