"On May 1st the boy arrived, that being the beginning of the
summer term. He was a charming youth, and he soon fell into
our ways. I may tell you -- I trust that I am not indiscreet,
but half-confidences are absurd in such a case -- that he was
not entirely happy at home. It is an open secret that the Duke's
married life had not been a peaceful one, and the matter had
ended in a separation by mutual consent, the Duchess taking up
her residence in the South of France. This had occurred very
shortly before, and the boy's sympathies are known to have been
strongly with his mother. He moped after her departure from
Holdernesse Hall, and it was for this reason that the Duke
desired to send him to my establishment. In a fortnight the boy
was quite at home with us, and was apparently absolutely happy.
"He was last seen on the night of May 13th -- that is,
the night of last Monday. His room was on the second floor,
and was approached through another larger room in which two
boys were sleeping. These boys saw and heard nothing, so that
it is certain that young Saltire did not pass out that way.
His window was open, and there is a stout ivy plant leading to
the ground.
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