"Perhaps," she admitted hoarsely. "But that had nothing to do with it. That was no reason!"
"No," assented Godfrey; "not in itself. But it was at the bottom of it—for it led to something totally unforeseen."
She shook herself together.
"You're speaking in riddles," she said. "It's scarcely fair."
"Pardon me," said Godfrey instantly. "I don't want to be unfair. Come with me and I'll show you the cause of this act. Bring the lamp, Lester."
Together we crossed the kitchen to the door which gave entrance to the cellar stairs. It seemed to me that Miss Kingdon shrank back a little as she saw where we were taking her. But it may have been only my fancy. Certainly she followed promptly enough when Godfrey started down.
At the foot he paused.
"You've not been down here for some days, I take it, Miss Kingdon?" he asked.
"No," she answered, her eyes glancing from right to left. "I very seldom come down here. Harriet always attended to the household affairs. But I see nothing wrong."
"Come this way," and he passed around the angle of the wall into the recess.