Suddenly he raised his head.
"When did his Grace dismiss you ?" he asked.
Now Ormonde had been the Duke last spoken of, but Mr.Lovel's precarious wits fell into the trap.

He denied indignantly that he had fallen from his master's favour.
A grim smile played round Talbot's mouth.
"You have confessed," he said.

Then to the others: "This fellow is one of Malbrouck's pack.

He has been nosing in the Scotch westlands.

Here are the numbers of Kenmure and Nithsdale to enable the great Duke to make up his halting mind.