Part 12 (2/2)

”I can't,” she said in a tone of regret. ”I couldn't very well open the library door. If the door between the library and the smoking-room was open, I should have been certain to hear something that was not meant for my ears. And it generally is open in summer time. But I should think it very likely that the lady came in by that window. It's always open in summer time. In fact, his lords.h.i.+p always went out into the garden through it, going from his smoking-room.”

”And what time was it that you heard this?” he said.

”A few minutes past eleven. I looked round the drawing-room and the two dining-rooms, and it was a quarter-past eleven when I came into my room.”

”That's the first exact time I've got from any one yet,” said Mr. Flexen in a tone of satisfaction. ”And that's all you heard?”

She hesitated, and a look of distress came over her face. Then she said: ”You have questioned Elizabeth Twitcher. Did she tell you anything about his lords.h.i.+p's last quarrel with her ladys.h.i.+p?”

”She did not,” said Mr. Flexen. ”Mr. Manley told me that she had told him about the quarrel. But I did not question her about it. I left it till later.”

Mrs. Carruthers hesitated; then she said: ”It's so difficult to see what one's duty is in a case like this.”

”Well, one's obvious duty is to make no secret of anything that may throw a light on the crime. Was it anything out of the way in the way of quarrels? Wasn't Lord Loudwater always quarrelling with Lady Loudwater?

I've been told that he was always insulting and bullying her.”

”Well, this one was rather out of the common,” said Mrs. Carruthers reluctantly. ”He accused her of having kissed Colonel Grey in the East wood and declared that he would divorce her.”

”It was Colonel Grey, was it?” said Mr. Flexen.

”That is what Elizabeth Twitcher told me after supper last night. It seems that his lords.h.i.+p burst in upon them when she was dressing her ladys.h.i.+p's hair for dinner and blurted it out before her. I've no doubt she was telling the truth. Twitcher is a truthful girl.”

”Moderately truthful,” said Mr. Flexen in a somewhat ironical tone.

”Of course she may have exaggerated. Servants do,” said Mrs. Carruthers.

”And how did Lady Loudwater take it?” said Mr. Flexen.

”Twitcher said that she denied everything, and did not appear at all upset about it. Of course, she was used to Lord Loudwater's making scenes. He had a most dreadful temper.”

”M'm,” said Mr. Flexen, and he played a tune on the table with his finger-tips, frowning thoughtfully. ”Was Colonel Grey--I suppose it is Colonel Antony Grey--the V.C. who has been staying down here?”

”Yes,” said Mrs. Carruthers. ”He's at the 'Cart and Horses' at Bellingham.”

”Was he on good terms with Lord Loudwater?”

”They were quite friendly up to about a fortnight ago. The Colonel used to play billiards with his lords.h.i.+p and stay on to dinner two or three times a week. Then they had a quarrel--about the way his lords.h.i.+p treated her ladys.h.i.+p. Holloway, the footman, heard it, and the Colonel told his lords.h.i.+p that he was a cad and a blackguard, and he hasn't been here since.”

”But he met Lady Loudwater in the wood?”

”So his lords.h.i.+p declared,” said Mrs. Carruthers in a non-committal tone.

”Do you know how Lord Loudwater came to hear of their meeting?”

”Twitcher said that he must have had it from one of the under-gamekeepers, a young fellow called William Roper. Roper asked to see his lords.h.i.+p that evening and was very mysterious about his errand, so that it looks as if she might be right. None of the servants ever went near his lords.h.i.+p, if they could help it. It had to be something very important to induce William Roper to go to him of his own accord.”

”I see,” said Mr. Flexen thoughtfully. ”Well, I'm glad you told me about this. Do you suppose that this Twitcher girl has talked to any one but you about it?”

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