“Will madama explain what she means by its being too late?”
Her eyes came down to him, with the strangest challenge.
“Did you know him, and think to take him so easily? Look where you will; you will not find him here.”
“We shall avail ourselves very fully of your permission, madam,” said Mr Shapter civilly. “It obviates for us the unpleasant necessity to fall back upon our search warrant. Mr Dalston is gone, then, you say. Will you perhaps acquaint us where?”
“He is gone abroad—a long journey. I have a letter from him. You can see it if you like.”
She turned and led the way into the house, and we all followed her into a low dark inky-panelled sitting-room. Melancholy green light flowed in here through a wide lozenge-paned window at the back. A round-headed bush was stooped to the glass outside, as if listening with its ear to it. It was an unchancy creepy place, and shudderingly cold.
We exchanged some significant glances while the unhappy woman was searching a bureau for the letter. Crazed—that was their common implication; and perhaps by reason of her madness spared much. It was very pitiful.
Presently she found what she sought, and brought it to us. Our heads crowded together to read it. It was indisputably his, couched in affectionate terms, and dated from some port in Spain, a week back. It related the writer’s sudden inducement to seize a business chance which had offered, talked of a short absence, and gave some directions for his wife’s abandonment of the farm and withdrawal to a certain address in London, which was mentioned. Valombroso, finishing with it, shrugged his shoulders and handed the sheet on to Jannaway, who put it in his pocket.
“It is very well, then. And now, with your permission, madama, we will get to work,” said the Italian.
She answered not a word, but stood leaning on the desk, and looking strangely after us as we trooped out of the room. Mr Shapter, leading us across the passage, halted in a little dull study which had presumably been the master’s, and faced the detectives with a question—“Well?”