Without another word Pauline bowed in a way to include the lady and the Count also, and went away to her own room.
“Stuck-up thing!” exclaimed Mrs. Frothingham, and Anita nodded her golden head in agreement.
Inspector Brunt instructed Hardy to hear the story of Mrs. Frothingham, and he devoted his own attention to Count Charlier, of whom he had heard as being a friend of Miss Carrington’s.
He quizzed the Frenchman rather pointedly as to his friendship with the unfortunate lady and the Count became decidedly ill at ease.
“Why do you ask me so much?” he objected; “I was a friend, yes; I may have aspired to a nearer relation, yes? That is no crime?”
“Not at all, Count,” said Mr. Brunt; “I only want to find out if Miss Carrington’s strange reference to something about to happen to her could have had any reference to you.”
“It might be so; I cannot say. But all that has no bearing on the poor lady’s death.”
“No. At what time did you go away from here, Count Charlier?”
“At about midnight.”
“You went directly home?”