“That statement is not enough for me. I do not doubt the truth of what you say, but I must be informed of all the details before I can drop further proceedings against you. Who is the lady you speak of?”
“A former maid of honour to the late Queen.”
“Her name?”
“Countess Clementine Arselaarts.”
“How did you come to know her?”
“She is a friend of my wife, who made her acquaintance last year when staying in Brussels.”
“And your wife is English?”
“Yes; her maiden name was Irwin.”
At the sound of this name a flood of painful recollections rushed over Heideck’s mind.
“Irwin?” he repeated. “Has the lady by chance any relatives in the British army?”