"What else, indeed?" said he, and took his leave
like a man overwrought, as indeed he was. He had never considered that
so obvious a conclusion must follow upon his work so fully to explain
the happening and to set at rest any doubt concerning it.
He returned to Penarrow, and bluntly told Nicholas what Sir John
suspected and what he feared himself must be the true reason of Sir
Oliver's disappearance. The servant, however, was none so easy to
convince.
"But do ee believe that he done it?" cried Nicholas. "Do ee believe it,
Master Lionel?" There was reproach amounting to horror in the servant's
voice.
"God help me, what else can I believe now that he is fled."
Nicholas sidled up to him with tightened lips. He set two gnarled
fingers on the young man's arm.
"He'm not fled, Master Lionel," he announced with grim impressiveness.
"He'm never a turntail. Sir Oliver he don't fear neither man nor devil,
and if so be him had killed Master Godolphin, he'd never ha' denied it.
Don't ee believe Sir John Killigrew. Sir John ever hated he."
But in all that countryside the servant was the only one to hold this
view. If a doubt had lingered anywhere of Sir Oliver's guilt, that
doubt was now dispelled by this flight of his before the approach of the
expected orders from the Queen.
Later that day came Captain Leigh to Penarrow inquiring for Sir Oliver.
Nicholas brought word of his presence and his inquiry to Master Lionel,
who bade him be admitted.
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