Part 11 (2/2)
”Well, I'm sure I hope you will. Lord Loudwater had a bad temper--an infernal temper, in fact. But that's no excuse for murdering him,” said Dr. Thornhill.
”None whatever,” said Mr. Flexen. ”What about the inquest? I suppose we'd better have it as soon as possible.”
”Yes. Tomorrow morning, if you can,” said the doctor, rising.
”Very good. Send word to the coroner at once, Perkins. Don't go yourself.
I shall want you here,” said Mr. Flexen.
He shook hands with the doctor and bade him good-day. As Inspector Perkins went out of the room to send word to the coroner, he bade him send Elizabeth Twitcher to him.
She was not long coming, for, in obedience to Olivia's injunction, she was engaged in learning what the other servants knew, or thought they knew, about the murder.
When she came into the dining-room, Mr. Flexen's keen eyes examined her with greater care than he had given to the other servants. On Jane Pittaway's showing, she should prove an important witness. Now Elizabeth Twitcher was an uncommonly pretty girl, dark-eyed and dark-haired, and her forehead and chin and the way her eyes were set in her head showed considerable character. Mr. Flexen made up his mind on the instant that he was going to learn from Elizabeth Twitcher exactly what Elizabeth Twitcher thought fit to tell him and no more, for all that he perceived that she was badly scared.
He did not beat about the bush; he said: ”You had a conversation with James Hutchings last night, about eleven o'clock, in the blue drawing-room. Did you let him in?”
Elizabeth Twitcher's cheeks lost some more of their colour while he was speaking, and her eyes grew more scared. She hesitated for a moment; then she said:
”Yes. I let him in at the side door.”
He had not missed her hesitation; he was sure that she was not telling the truth.
”How did you know he was at the side door?” he said.
She hesitated again. Then she said: ”He whistled to me under my window just as I was going to bed.”
Again he did not believe her.
”Did you let him out of the Castle?” he said.
”No, I didn't. He let himself out,” she said quickly.
”Out of the side door?”
”How else would he go out?” she snapped.
”You don't know that he went out by the side door?” said Mr. Flexen.
Elizabeth hesitated again. Then she said sullenly: ”No, I don't. I left him in the blue drawing-room.”
”In a very bad temper?” said Mr. Flexen.
”I don't know what kind of a temper he was in,” she said.
Mr. Flexen paused, looking at her thoughtfully. Then he said: ”I'm told that you and he were engaged to be married, and that he broke the engagement off.”
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