I formed an instinctive dislike to the man, which probably would not
have happened had he been wearing the title for twenty years, or had I
met him as a business man, with no thought of the aristocratic honour
awaiting him. There seemed nothing in common between him and the
former holder of the title. He had keen, ferrety eyes, a sharp
financial nose, a thin-lipped line of mouth which indicated little of
human kindness. He was short of stature, but he did not possess the
club-foot, which was one advantage. He seated himself before I had
time to offer him a chair, and kept on his hat in my presence, which
he would not have done if he had either been a genuine nobleman or a
courteous business man.
'I am Lord Rantremly,' he announced pompously, which announcement was
quite unnecessary, because I held his card in my hand.
'Quite so, my lord. And you have come to learn whether or no I can lay
the ghost in that old castle to the north which bears your name?'
'Well, I'm blessed!' cried his lordship, agape. 'How could you guess
that?'
'Oh, it is not a guess, but rather a choice of two objects, either of
which might bring you to my rooms. I chose the first motive because I
thought you might prefer to arrange the second problem with your
solicitor, and he doubtless told you that Miss Sophia Brooks's claim
was absurd; that you were quite right in refusing to give up or
destroy the typewritten letter she had signed ten years ago, and that
it was weakness on your part, without consulting him, to offer her an
annuity of fifty-two pounds a year.
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