"Mineral water! What is the creature talking about I should like to know?"
Unmoved, the butler continued in reply to Roger's unspoken question.
"If her ladyship won't tell you sir, then I will. When I came in here to get the brandy, she had that bottle in her hand. She was just going to pour it down the bath, sir, when I managed to stop her."
"Pour it down the bath!"
"Yes, sir. You may believe it or not, sir, but I should say there was something in that water her ladyship would like get rid of."
Almost overwhelmed by the tumult of suspicion that rose within him, Roger found it hard to keep his head. Mastering himself with an effort and still holding Thérèse off with one arm he managed to ask evenly:
"What gave you this idea, Chalmers?"
"The nurse, sir," was the prompt reply. "There's something serious behind all this business, and it's my opinion the nurse knows."
Deeply shaken, Roger gazed into the old servant's eyes. What he saw convinced him that Chalmers had not spoken idly. For that matter he knew what a degree of certainty it must have required to make the man attempt such an unheard-of thing as to lay his hands on his mistress. The inference was staggering…. With a great effort he pulled himself together, remembering Esther.
"Take the brandy to Miss Clifford, Chalmers. I will stay here a moment."