Part 46 (1/2)
”What?”
”That she was the mother of Rosanna Moore.”
”Yes!”
”And that Sal Rawlins was Rosanna's child.”
”And the father?” said Brian, in a low voice.
”Was Mark Frettlby.”
”Ah!”
”And now what have you to tell me?”
”Nothing!”
”Nothing,” echoed Calton, surprised, ”then this is what Rosanna Moore told you when she died?”
”Yes!”
”Then why have you made such a mystery about it?”
”You ask that?” said Fitzgerald, looking up, in surprise. ”If I had told it, don't you see what difference it would have made to Madge?”
”I'm sure I don't,” retorted the barrister, completely mystified. ”I suppose you mean Frettlby's connection with Rosanna Moore; well, of course, it was not a very creditable thing for her to have been Frettlby's mistress, but still--”
”His mistress?” said Fitzgerald, looking up sharply ”then you don't know all.”
”What do you mean--was she not his mistress?”
”No--his wife!” Calton sprang to his feet, and gave a cry of surprise.
”His wife!”
Fitzgerald nodded.
”Why, Mother Guttersnipe did not know this--she thought Rosanna was his mistress.”
”He kept his marriage secret,” answered Brian, ”and as his wife ran away with someone else shortly afterwards, he never revealed it.”
”I understand now,” said the barrister, slowly. ”For if Mark Frettlby was lawfully married to Rosanna Moore--Madge is illegitimate.”
”Yes, and she now occupies the place which Sal Rawlins--or rather Sal Frettlby ought to.”
”Poor girl,” said Calton, a little sadly. ”But all this does not explain the mystery of Whyte's murder.”
”I will tell you that,” said Fitzgerald, quickly. ”When Rosanna left her husband, she ran away to England with some young fellow, and when he got tired of her she returned to the stage, and became famous as a burlesque actress, under the name of Musette. There she met Whyte, as your friend found out, and they came out here for the purpose of extorting money from Frettlby. When they arrived in Melbourne, Rosanna let Whyte do all the business, and kept herself quiet. She gave her marriage certificate to Whyte, and he had it on him the night he was murdered.”