Supposing Superintendent Battle suspected her.
There had been something—yes, surely there had been something in his manner that vaguely suggested the idea. She couldn't help laughing as she crawled over the sill into her bedroom. Fancy the solid Superintendent suspecting her!
Though she had so far obeyed Battle's orders as to return to her room, Bundle had no intention of going to bed and sleeping. Nor did she think that Battle had really intended her to do so. He was not a man to expect impossibilities. And to remain quiescent when something daring and exciting might be going on was a sheer impossibility to Bundle.
She glanced at her watch. It was ten minutes to two. After a moment or two of irresolution, she cautiously opened her door. Not a sound. Everything was still and peaceful. She stole cautiously along the passage.
Once she halted, thinking she heard a board creak somewhere, but then convinced that she was mistaken, she went on again. She was now in the main corridor, making her way to the west wing. She reached the angle of intersection and peered cautiously round—then she stared in blank surprise.
The watcher's post was empty. Jimmy Thesiger was not there.
Bundle stared in complete amazement. What had happened? Why had Jimmy left his post? What did it mean?
And at that moment she heard a clock strike two.
She was still standing there, debating what to do next, when suddenly her heart gave a leap and then seemed to stand still.
The door handle of Terence O'Rourke's room was slowly turning.