Max Pemberton - Murder Mysteries Boxed-Set - 40+ Books in One Edition

Max Pemberton

Published by

Books

- Advanced Digital Solutions & High-Quality eBook Formatting -

musaicumbooks@okpublishing.info

2021 OK Publishing

EAN 4064066380250

Novels NOVELS Table of Contents

A Gentleman's Gentleman A GENTLEMAN'S GENTLEMAN Table of Contents

The Diamond Ship THE DIAMOND SHIP Table of Contents

The Sea Wolves THE SEA WOLVES Table of Contents

The Lady Evelyn

Aladdin of London

White Motley

Short Stories

Jewel Mysteries, from a Dealer's Note Book

Signors of the Night

The Man Who Drove the Car

Tales of the Thames

Barbara of the Bell House

The Carousal: A Story of Thanet

Jack Smith—Boy

The Donnington Affair

The Devil To Pay

Table of Contents Table of Contents Novels NOVELS Table of Contents A Gentleman's Gentleman A GENTLEMAN'S GENTLEMAN Table of Contents The Diamond Ship THE DIAMOND SHIP Table of Contents The Sea Wolves THE SEA WOLVES Table of Contents The Lady Evelyn Aladdin of London White Motley Short Stories Jewel Mysteries, from a Dealer's Note Book Signors of the Night The Man Who Drove the Car Tales of the Thames Barbara of the Bell House The Carousal: A Story of Thanet Jack Smith—Boy The Donnington Affair The Devil To Pay

Table of Contents Table of Contents Novels NOVELS Table of Contents A Gentleman's Gentleman A GENTLEMAN'S GENTLEMAN Table of Contents The Diamond Ship THE DIAMOND SHIP Table of Contents The Sea Wolves THE SEA WOLVES Table of Contents The Lady Evelyn Aladdin of London White Motley Short Stories Jewel Mysteries, from a Dealer's Note Book Signors of the Night The Man Who Drove the Car Tales of the Thames Barbara of the Bell House The Carousal: A Story of Thanet Jack Smith—Boy The Donnington Affair The Devil To Pay

Table of Contents

Chapter I. The Friendship of Lilian More

Chapter II. A House of Gloom in Chelsea

Chapter III. The Message

Chapter IV. Out of the Night

Chapter V. The Justification of Roderick Connoley

Chapter VI. We Make Ready the Wedding Garment

Chapter VII. Old Barker Shows His Books

Chapter VIII. The Best Man Loses

Chapter IX. We Open the Golden Egg

Chapter X. The Egg is Broken

Chapter XI. Michel Grey is Missing

Chapter XII. At the Maison d'Or

Chapter XIII. The Great White Diamond

Chapter XIV. Lobmeyr Apologizes

Chapter XV. Queen and Knave

Chapter XVI. At the Pavilion in the Wood

Chapter XVII. The Rehearsal

Chapter XVIII. I Leave My Master

Chapter XIX. Sir Nicolas Plays a Part

Chapter XX. The Honor of Count Fédor

Chapter XXI. I Go to America

Table of Contents

I have met a good many in my time who professed to know a lot about Sir Nicolas Steele. I am not going to contradict them here, nor do I wish to write the life of a man whom I have served, on and off, for more years than I care to remember. If ever that's to be done, it must be the business of one who got his learning at school. All that I can speak about is that which I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears during the days when I was servant to him. And if my word can do any thing to set him right before the world, in so far as he can be set right, I give that word willingly, as is his due.

No man, they say, is a hero to his own valet. Maybe they speak truth, though, for my part, I wouldn't pass that for a good saying. Scandal goes as the crow flies, while a reputation for what they call virtue is often long on the road. Sometimes she never gets there at all—a trick, I fancy, she played upon Sir Nicolas Steele. The world has called him most things, from blackmailer down to thief. There aren't many mortal sins which have not been written against his name at one time or other. I alone, perhaps, know the man as he was; know his weaknesses and his strength, his good deeds and his bad. What I shall write in these papers can add nothing to the calumnies which have been put upon him by lying tongues. It is even possible that they will serve him—which is the hope of a man who has to thank him for much!

I have said that, in attempting this task, I don't mean to write a book full of all the odds and ends which those who write novels busy themselves with. My purpose is to speak of some of those curious adventures into which fortune led us together, and in which I played as much the part of a friend as of a servant. For the matter of that, I had not been a year in Sir Nicolas's service before it was plain to me that he stood in need of just that sort of help which I could give him. Daring, and nerve, and generosity, and recklessness—all these he had; but the mind to foresee, and to scheme, and to invent—that he lacked. How far I was able to make up for this, it is not for me to say; my writing must speak for itself upon that point.

When I look back upon my life during the past five years, it seems to me but a few months ago since my master was at the very ebb of his fortunes. I can recall the day as if it had been yesterday when we found ourselves in a two-pair back off Gower Street, and God alone knew where the next sovereign was to come from. We had just returned from Ireland then—it was four years ago—staggering under lies heavy enough to sink a ship. There weren't four doors in all London open to Sir Nicolas; hardly a friend who did not cross the road when we met him. Even some of those he had most right to count upon were the first to show their backs to him. As for enemies, a sum wouldn't have numbered them. You couldn't open a society paper without finding some chatter, which was like fuel to the fire of their talk. Old Lord Heresford swore he'd horsewhip him in the club; the Dublin people posted him for a swindler; there was a dozen versions of the card trouble which had driven us out of Ireland; a hundred tongues could tell you all about Margaret King, the woman who was the first to set the scandal going. Most men would have sunk under circumstances such as these; Nicky Steele did nothing of the sort. He took a two-pair back by Gower Street, and waited for a fairer wind.

"A snap of the finger for the lot of them!" said he; it was the second night we were back. "Let them bark, and be d——d to them. Would I run away because some poor devil of a journalist is making a half a crown by me affairs? They'll shout themselves hoarse in a week, and I'll be on the road again."

"If you took my advice, sir," said I, "you'd be on the road now. You don't forget that Easter is three weeks off. There's plenty who'd be glad to see you in Paris just now."

"'Tis truth ye speak," he replied, "and if I had the money, this very night should see me moving. But what would I do in Paris with a five-pound note for my luggage? 'Tis greedy as a woman is that same city. And ten days yet to the, quarter! The devil take the luck we're having!"

"You don't hope to hear from Mr. Ames, sir?"

"'Twould be a miracle if I did, for 'tis two hundred that he owes me. Bedad, an artist who pays his debts should be put in a museum. And Jack Ames is likely to get no such distinction. But I'll be off after quarter-day, and thankful enough to shake my heels at this dirty country."