“I have sent for you, Susan Fielding,” said Sir Ronald, “because I wish to ask you some very important questions. I will deal with you as with Conyers; I will pay you handsomely for the truth. If, by anything you can tell me, you can throw even the least light upon a dark mystery, I will reward you liberally.”
“I will do anything I can, Sir Ronald,” replied the maid, evidently much mystified.
“I need only tell you both this much, that I had a most particular letter to send to Lady Hermione Lorriston—a letter so important that it seems idle to repeat it was a matter of life and death. That letter, you remember, I sent by Stephen Conyers, the groom. He tells me, Susan Fielding, that it was placed in your hands, and you promised to give it to Lady Hermione. I will give you fifty pounds if you find out for me what became of that letter.”
The maid looked at him in sheer wonder—it was not feigned, he saw that plainly.
“I remember the letter perfectly well, Sir Ronald,” she said. “My lady had it; I placed it on her toilet-table, and asked her afterward if she had seen it, and she said, ‘Yes; it was all right.’”
“Remember,” interrupted Sir Ronald, “that I am trusting you both, and that which I say to you must never be repeated. You have touched the heart of the mystery, Susan Fielding. I believe you placed the letter there. Now, listen! Before Lady Hermione opened it, some one entered the room, opened the envelope, took from it my letter and placed inside it a white rose! I will give you fifty pounds if you find out for me who did this.”
“I do not think it could have been done, Sir Ronald.”
“I assure you it was. When Lady Hermione opened the envelope it contained nothing but one white rose. The letter I had written, and she had expected, was not there.”
If he had felt any doubt of Susan Fielding, the lingering look of wonder on her face dispelled it. No woman, be she ever so clever, could assume such an expression.
“I cannot think how it could be,” she said. “I remember the day so well. There was a large party, and they all rode out together. My lady returned and asked for some tea. I went downstairs to attend to it, and she sat down in the music-room with three or four ladies; they took tea there. Then she went to her room. I followed her. I said, ‘There is a packet on the table, my lady. Sir Ronald Alden’s groom brought it.’ Lady Hermione smiled very indifferently. ‘I have seen it,’ she replied; and I do not remember, Sir Ronald, from that hour to this, hearing the subject mentioned, except when Mr. Conyers spoke of it the other day.”