Yet he was aware of the figure of a young man, not very tall, but slim and, to the Earl’s complete astonishment, masked.
For a moment both the Earl and the intruder just stood gazing at each other.
Then the masked man raised a pistol that he held in his right hand and said,
“Unless you are prepared to pay me the sum I ask of you, I intend to inform the Ambassador of Spain of your scandalous behaviour with his wife!”
Because what was happening was so unexpected, the Earl stood still, as if he were stunned.
Then he asked,
“Who are you? What the devil are you doing here?”
“I have just told you the reason,” the masked man replied, “and I want two thousand pounds to keep my mouth shut!”
“And you really think I will give you that?”
“I think you have no choice,” the intruder replied. “Th
