“ Yes, one letter.”
“ From whom?”
“ From his father.”
“ Do you open the boys’ letters?”
“ No.”
“ How do you know it was from the father?”
“ The coat of arms was on the envelope, and it was addressed in the Duke’s peculiar stiff hand. Besides, the Duke remembers having written.”
“ When had he a letter before that?”
“ Not for several days.”
“ Had he ever one from France?”
“ No, never.
“ You see the point of my questions, of course. Either the boy was carried off by force or he went of his own free will. In the latter case, you would expect that some prompting from outside would be needed to make so young a lad do such a thing. If he has had no visitors, that prompting must have come in letters; hence I try to find out who were his correspondents.”
“ I fear I cannot h
