“Why not? Several people have said the secretary often wrote notes purporting to be from the mistress.”
“Oh, yes; formal society notes. But I don’t mean that. I mean, do you suppose Cicely could have written of her own accord—even unknown to Madeleine—as if—as if, you know, it were Madeleine herself writing?”
“Oh, on purpose to deceive you!”
“Yes, on purpose to deceive me. It could easily be done. I’ve seen so much of both their penmanship, and I never noticed it especially. I’ve always taken it for granted that a purely personal note was written by Madeleine herself. But now—I wonder.”
“Do you mean notes of importance?”
“I mean notes that annoyed me. Notes that voluntarily referred to her going driving or walking with Willard, when there was no real reason for her referring to it. Could it be that Cicely—bah! I cannot say it of any woman!”
“I see your point; and it is more than possible that Miss Dupuy, knowing of the strained relations between you and Miss Van Norman, might have done anything she could to widen the breach. It would be easy, as she wrote so much of the correspondence, to do this unnoticed.”
“Yes, that’s what I mean. Often Madeleine’s notes would contain a gratuitous bit of information about her and Willard, and though she frequently teased me when we were together, I was surprised at her writing these things. I feel sure now that sometimes, at least, they were the work of Miss Dupuy. I can’t describe it exactly, but that would explain lots of things otherwise mysterious.”
“This is getting beyond us,” said Rob, with a quick sigh. “I think it my duty to report this to the coroner and to Detective Fairbanks, who is officially on the case. I thought I liked detective work, but I don’t. It leads one toward too dreadful conclusions. Will you go with me, Carleton? I shall go at once to Mr. Benson.”
“No, I think it would be better for you to go alone. Remember I am practically an accused man, and my word would be of little weight. Moreover, you are a lawyer, and it is your right and duty to make these things known. But unless forced to do so, I do not wish to testify against Miss Dupuy.”