“Caroline is coming into Ledlington with me,” said Richard.
But if there was relief on Caroline’s face, there was no gratitude. The defenceless look which had brought Richard to her rescue sank a little deeper into her eyes, but it was still there.
He spoke to her for a moment as they came out of the dining-room together.
“You needn’t come, but-I won’t worry you-”
She took a quick breath.
“It’s not that. I’ve got to pack.”
She walked off towards the stairs, but he caught her up.
“How do you mean, you’ve got to pack?”
She took hold of the banisters and stood half turned from him.
“I think-I’ve got-to go away-”
“What do you mean? You needn’t-I’ll go.”
She said “No” in a heart-broken voice, and ran from him up the stairs.
When Rachel came up after seeing the housekeeper she found Richard in her sitting-room. He turned from the window as she came in and said without any preamble,
“Why is Caroline going away?”
Rachel felt an acute distress. It seemed to flow to her from Richard. It took hold upon her heart. She said quickly,
“But I didn’t know she was going. Have you quarrelled?”
He was very pale.
“Listen, Rachel. You must have known-what I feel- about Caroline! Everyone must have known. I’ve never tried to hide it-never wanted to. She’s been everything to me as long as I can remember. I was only waiting-till I was in a position-”
“I know. What has gone wrong?”
“I don’t know-I tell you I don’t know. I asked her to marry me-yesterday-after tea. We went out for a walk on the cliffs-it was dark. I didn’t mean to do it, but I found myself telling her-asking her. And she said ‘No.’ ”
“Richard!”
“It was damnable. I don’t know what made me choose an idiotic place like that. I couldn’t see her face. I couldn’t get any sense out of her. she was all frozen up, and when I tried to take hold of her she ran away. I tell you I don’t know what to make of her. And this morning-she’s just told me-she’s going to pack-”
Rachel took him by the arm.
“Wait a minute-I want to ask you something. You say you were on the cliffs. What time were you there, and what part of the cliff were you on?”
He said impatiently, “I don’t know! Does it matter? I got back about six. We went by the upper path, and after Caroline left me I came back along the edge. I must have just missed you, I suppose.”
He felt her grasp tighten.
“Did you see anyone-meet anyone?”
“No, I don’t think so. Why?”
“And you’re sure you did change the battery in my torch yesterday morning?”
“Quite sure. Rachel, what is all this about?”
She said in a low, steady voice, “Richard-” and before she could say any more the door opened and Miss Silver came into the room with her head a little on one side and a pleasant if somewhat foolish smile upon her face.
“I do hope I don’t intrude, but you did say in a quarter of an hour’s time, and I make it exactly the quarter. My watch keeps excellent time. A twenty-first birthday gift from my parents, and I do not think it has ever been out of order-but that was before the days of cheap watches. Dear me-what a charming room this is. And what a delightful view. It reminds me of a picture which I remember seeing in the Royal Academy-well now, it would be quite twenty years ago. That headland, and the rocks, and the peculiar greenish grey color of the sea-”
As she tripped to the window for a nearer view, Richard turned a face of barely suppressed fury upon Rachel. It inquired, “Is she going to stay?” and a flicker of Rachel’s eyelids replied, “She is.”
She went with him to the door and squeezed his arm.
“I won’t let her go if I can help it,” she said in a whisper.
They were both looking across at Caroline’s door.
Richard said, “Thank you” in a stifled voice and made off.
Rachel went back into her sitting-room and shut the door.
Chapter Twenty-one
Miss Silver turned round from admiring the view. Her hand was raised and her lips primmed in reproof.
“Oh, dear, dear, dear! That was very bad,” she said. “Very bad indeed, Miss Treherne. If I had not come in when I did-oh, dear me! You were, I am afraid, about to commit a very grave imprudence.”
Rachel had the oddest sense of guilt. Amusement contended with offence.
Miss Silver came nearer.
“Shall I tell you what you were about to say when I came into the room? You said, ‘Richard-’ and what you were going to say was, ‘I didn’t fall over the cliff-I was pushed.’ Is that not correct?”
Rachel’s eyes sparkled a little.
“Quite correct. And why shouldn’t I have said it?”
Miss Silver shook her head.
“Most, most imprudent. But there-we will say no more about it. Shall we sit down?”
When they were seated she resumed with a good deal of briskness in her voice.
“As far as it is possible, I have verified the movements of every member of this household between the hours of five and ten minutes past six yesterday evening. That covers the time you were out, does it not?”
“I left here just before five-about ten minutes to, I think. And I got up to say good-bye to Nanny at a quarter to six, but she kept me for a little while after that. It must have been about five minutes to six when I-fell.” Her voice dropped to the word.
Miss Silver nodded.
“Yes-I have a little margin. Now, if you will listen-”
She opened a shiny notebook and began to read from it in a quick, matter-of-fact voice:
“Miss Comperton:-Seen going upstairs when tea was being cleared-say 5.15. Not seen again until Ivy took her water at half past seven. She was then in her dressing-gown.
“Miss Caroline and Mr. Richard:-Went out together at five o’clock. Mr. Richard returned alone at ten minutes past six. I had just arrived myself, and I saw him come in. No one seems to know when Miss Caroline came in.”
“Have you been questioning the servants?” said Rachel in a tone of distaste.
Miss Silver shook her head.
“It was not necessary. Louisa has supplied me with those details which did not come under my own observation. It was quite easy for her to do so.”
“And you trust her?” There was a faint trace of bitterness in Rachel’s tone.
“In a matter of this kind-yes, implicitly. And she knows how to hold her tongue. Let me resume.
“Mr. Frith:-Retired to the study after tea. He had a portfolio of sketches and appeared to be sorting them when the maid called Gladys answered the bell at half past five. He gave her a letter for the post in case anyone should be going out. She said he seemed to be very busy with his paintings, and he had the wireless on. The wireless was still on when I entered the hall at nine minutes past six, and about a minute later Mr. Frith opened the study, looked out into the hall, and, seeing a stranger, drew back again.
“Mr. and Mrs. Wadlow:-Were not seen by anyone between a quarter past five when tea was cleared and half past seven when Gladys took them their hot water. Mrs. Wadlow was then in her bedroom lying down on the bed, and Mr. Wadlow was in the adjoining sitting-room. The communicating door being wide open, Gladys was able to see him as she crossed to the washstand.
“As to the members of the domestic staff, I find that from half past five until my arrival at nine minutes past six they were in the servants’ hall listening to a wireless programme from Luxembourg -with three exceptions. These were the girl Gladys, Louisa, and the chauffeur. Gladys says she went up to her room after answering the study bell at half past five. She had a pair of stockings that she wanted to darn and a letter to write. She stayed up there until she heard the car. The chauffeur was in Ledlington meeting my train.