He listened gravely; then, before Albemarle had time to question him on the score of the name that might have been upon the enfolding wrapper of the letter, he begged that he might confer apart a moment with Mr.Trenchard.
"But Mr.Wilding," said Colonel Luttrell, surprised not to hear the immediate denial of the imputation they had expected, "we should first like to hear..." "By your leave, sirs," Wilding interrupted, "I should prefer that you ask me nothing until I have consulted with Mr.Trenchard." He saw Luttrell's frown, observed Sir Edward shift his wig to scratch his head in sheer perplexity, and caught the fore-shadowing of denial on the Duke's face.

So, without giving any of them time to say him nay, he added quickly and very seriously, "I am begging this in the interests of justice.

Your Grace has told me that some lingering doubt still haunts your mind upon the subject of this letter--the other charges can matter little, apart from that treasonable document.

It lies within my power to resolve such doubts most clearly and finally.

But I warn you, sirs, that not one word will I utter in this connection until I have had speech with Mr.Trenchard." There was about his mien and voice a firmness that forewarned Albemarle that to insist would be worse than idle.