The Red Window by Fergus Hume — Read

After making Lucy the mistress of the Hall until the return of its legal master, Mark Durham returned to town. Having regard to the fact that Beryl had taken up his quarters at the Conniston Arms -- for what purpose the lawyer could not determine -- he thought it wiser not to arouse the crafty young man's suspicions by a visit to Cove Castle. Certainly this was a somewhat over-strained sense of caution, since, being Conniston's lawyer, he could easily have gone there without it being thought odd. But Durham knew that Julius, driven to desperation by the loss of the fortune, would stop at nothing to accomplish his wish to obtain it. Did he learn that Bernard was still alive he would undoubtedly blackmail him. And in the present position of the case, when the truth could not be arrived at, Bernard, for his own safety, would be obliged to make terms. And such terms as Beryl would demand could not be granted.

Durham therefore returned to his business, and at once set to work. So far he had done all that he could to settle the government of the property during Gore's absence, and it now remained to take such steps as would unravel the intricacy of what appeared to be a plot to oust him from his rights. That Julius was at the bottom of the whole affair Durham was certain, and that Julius had his eye on him he conjectured. Therefore it behooved him to move cautiously lest Beryl should counterplot him. And as in this game, which dealt with the issues of life and death, Durham's cards were all on the table and Beryl's were concealed, the chances of victory lay with the latter. And if Julius won, he would certainly have no mercy. Conniston had written a letter directed to the London office stating in full the conversation which had taken place between him and Sir Bernard.