Part 2 (2/2)

Amberley who actually did steal it.”

Frank laughed suddenly. He was accustomed to suck amus.e.m.e.nt out of the most unlikely sources, and his father, whether unlikely or not, was one of them. ”Why does she think Mrs. Amberley found it?” he asked.

”Because she showed her the hiding-place in a moment of expansion. It isn't just a cupboard behind the panelling. When you've found that you have only begun. There is another secret place behind the cupboard itself. Only Sedbergh and his wife knew of it. It's a secret that has been handed down; and well kept.”

”Then why on earth did she tell a woman like Mrs. Amberley about it?”

enquired the Squire.

”I don't know; though it's just like her to do it. I think Mrs.

Amberley was at school with her, or something of that sort. She had a big party at Brummels, and then emptied the house and went through a month's rest cure there. At the end of the month she looked for her necklace, and found it gone. A diamond star had gone as well; but other things she had put away had been left.”

”So, whoever the thief was, she had a month's start,” said Frank.

”Yes. Sedbergh was called in, and they both went straight to Rachel Amberley and offered to hush it all up if she would give back the necklace.”

The Squire snorted.

”Rachel Amberley bluffed it out. She said she would have them up for scandal if they breathed a word of suspicion anywhere. They have been breathing a good many. In fact, it's all over the place. And nothing has happened yet. Everybody is wondering who will make the first move.”

”_She_ won't,” said the Squire, who had never met Mrs. Amberley. ”I am not in the way of hearing much that goes on amongst people of that sort, now, but she's a notoriously loose woman. That's why I was so annoyed when I heard that Joan had been taken to a house where she was staying. By the by, this affair didn't take place at that particular time, did it?”

”Yes. That's when it happened.”

The Squire's face was blacker than ever. ”Then it will be known who was of the party,” he said. ”Our name will be dragged into one of these disgraceful scandals, and every d.i.c.k, Tom, and Harry in the country will be talking about us. Upon my word, it's maddening. I suppose I can't prevent Humphrey and Susan keeping what company they please, but it makes me furious every time I think of it--their taking Joan there.”

”I don't suppose Joan's name will come out,” said d.i.c.k. ”There were lots of people in the house at the time, and they are not likely to mention all of them.”

The Squire was forced to be content with this. ”Well, don't say anything about it to her,” he said. ”It's an unsavoury business, and the less she knows about that sort of thing the better.”

”You can't keep her shut up for ever,” said d.i.c.k; but his father pressed more insistently for silence. ”I don't want it mentioned,” he said irritably. ”Please don't say anything to her--or you either, Frank.”

Frank was mindful of this injunction when he next found himself alone with his sisters, which was at tea-time the next day. But he saw no harm in mentioning the name of Mrs. Amberley. What had Joan thought of her during that visit to Brummels, made memorable by the disturbance that had affected her home-coming?

”Oh, I'm sick of Brummels,” she said. ”Anyone would think it was--well, I won't sully my lips by repeating the name of the place.

Anyhow, it was a good deal more amusing than Kencote.”

”Kencote is the jolliest place in the world,” said Frank. ”You and Nancy are always running it down.”

”It may be the jolliest place in the world to you,” said Nancy, ”because you are here so seldom, and you do exactly what you want to do when you _are_ here. It is pretty slow for Joan and me, boxed up here all the year round.”

”Well, never mind about that,” said Frank, ”I want to know how the notorious Mrs. Amberley struck you, Joan.”

”Is she notorious?” asked Joan. ”She struck me as being old, if you want to know. Much older than mother, although I suppose they are about the same age, and mother's hair is white, and hers is vermilion.”

”Did you talk to her at all?”

”Not much. She isn't the sort of person who would care about girls.

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