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"Besides, if she had talked to any of the others, they would have told you about it." "Yes; there is that. I think it would be a good thing if you were to give her a hint to keep it to herself. It may have no bearing whatever on the crime. It's not probable that it has. But it's the kind of thing to set people talking and do both Lady Loudwater and Colonel Grey a lot of harm."
"What really happened was that Lord Loudwater was grousing about the allowance at being reminded every six months that he had behaved like a cad. I suggested that he should pay her a lump sum and be done with the business. He jumped at the idea. The cheque had come from his stockbrokers that morning; he directed me to write that letter of instructions to his bankers; I wrote it, and he signed it.
She didn't seem a bit put out, your lordship," said William Roper simply. "And what happened then?" bellowed Lord Loudwater, and he got to his feet. "They walked on to the pavilion, your lordship. An' they had their tea there. Leastways, I seed'er ladyship come to the door an' empty hot water out of a tea-pot." "Tea? Tea?" said Lord Loudwater in the tone of one saying: "Arson! Arson!"
Carruthers said you wished to speak to me, sir?" she said quickly. "Yes. I propose to break the news of this very shocking affair to Lady Loudwater myself. She's rather fragile, I fancy. And I think that it needs doing with the greatest possible tact so as to lessen the shock," said Mr. Manley in an impressive voice. Elizabeth Twitcher gazed at him with a growing suspicion in her eyes.
It was no more than gentle, arresting pricks; but the tender nobleman sprang from his chair with a short howl, kicked with futile violence a portion of the empty air which Melchisidec had just vacated, staggered, and nearly fell. Lady Loudwater did not laugh; but she did cough. Her husband, his face a furious crimson, glared at her with reddish eyes, and swore violently at her and the cat.
Flexen studied the photographs and the report which stated this fact with a lively interest and a growing sense of its great importance. For one thing, it settled the question of suicide for good and all. Lord Loudwater had worn no glove. Also, it strengthened the case against the mysterious woman. She had come, apparently, from a distance, and probably in a motor-car.
But she spoke the last sentence just a little more quickly. The rest of the story rang true, or, at any rate, truer. "Twelve thousand pounds," he said slowly. "And did Lord Loudwater tell you when he instructed his bankers?" "No. But it must have been that very day.
Again, he asked himself, had either of them murdered Lord Loudwater to save the other? At any rate, they knew who had committed the murder. Of that he was sure. Could they be shielding a third person? If so, who was that third person? Mr. Flexen sat pondering this question of a third person for a good twenty minutes. It could not be Hutchings.
Thanks to the shock he had had and thanks to Elizabeth, he wore a more subdued air, and was much more amiable with his fellow-servants. The Daily Wire, the Daily Planet, and the rest of the newspapers had let the Loudwater mystery slip quietly out of their columns. Mr. Flexen was waiting with quiet expectation for information about the unknown woman.
"I seed Colonel Grey the gentleman as is staying at the 'Cart and 'Orses' kiss 'er in the East wood," said William Roper. The first emotion of Lord Loudwater was incredulous amazement. It was his very strong conviction that his wife was a cold-blooded, passionless creature, incapable of inspiring or feeling any warm emotion. He had forgotten that he had married her for love violent love.
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