“Good heavens, what do you mean, sir? What has the law to do with Lady Violet Bredwardine?”
“Very little, I hope, but it was necessary for us to see her ladyship and put a few questions to her, for her own sake.”
The Earl turned suddenly. “Henderson, leave the room.”
“One moment, please.” The physician detained the woman by a gesture. “Can you tell me if this costume has been where you just found it during the whole of last week? Would it have been possible for anyone to take it without your knowledge, send it away, and put it back again afterwards?”
It was a fatal question, the one question I ought to have anticipated and prepared for. Violet’s face must have betrayed her to a duller eye than my shrewd chief’s. As for Henderson, she gazed stupidly at her mistress in the evident need of prompting.
The irascible father could see this as plainly as ourselves.
“The truth, woman!” he thundered. “Tell the truth this instant.”
Henderson turned very red.
“I had no wish to tell anything else, my lord. The drawer wasn’t locked, that’s all I can say. I can’t tell whether anyone might have taken the costume out and put it back again, I’m sure.”
“Thank you. That is all I have to ask of you at present.” Nothing in Tarleton’s tone or look showed what amount of importance he attached to the answer he had received; and the woman, after gazing uneasily round at us all in turn, went out of the room with a subdued mien.