Read "The House of the Schemers" by Fred M. White online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
It was an awkward business altogether, as Ronald Braybrooke was fain to admit. He was more than a little curious to know what Cecil Wanless was doing here at this time of the night, and he had not the smallest scruple in listening to the conversation. It was just possible that he could hear something to his advantage.
On the other hand, his retreat at No. 13 was cut off altogether. He could not get back there, except by means of the boudoir, and until he returned he felt quite sure that Ailsa would not retire to rest. There was, of course the chance of creeping quietly down the stairs, and then into the street by means of the front door, after which it would have been a very easy matter to enter No. 13 by the aid of a latch-key.