"Was it your niece, Miss Bohun?"
Maurice sat down quietly. He was smiling again. "I should not think so, my friend. If the-ah-culprit was anybody, I should say it was the Honorable Louise Carewe, the daughter of my old friend Lord Canifest. However, if you will look round now, you will see my niece just behind you. You have my full permission to make inquiries."
CHAPTER NINE
Casual Alibis
Bennett pushed back his chair and turned. She had come in quietly, and was standing not far from the table. Bennett started to draw out a chair for her, before the imperturbable Thompson could move; but she shook her head.
"Is somebody accusing me," she said, "of trying to kill Marcia? And that remark about Louise. " She looked curiously at Maurice, as though she had never seen him before. "Don't you think it was rather a foul thing to say?"
She had put on what was probably the best dress in her wardrobe, as though in a sort of defiance. It was a sombre affair in gray. Momentarily her nervousness seemed almost gone, although she was twisting a handkerchief. Katharine Bohun stood with the firelight along one side of her face; and for the first time Bennett saw her clearly. She was more mature than he had thought. And in the soft, now brilliant face was a look as though she had come to a determination.
Round her neck was wound, as though carelessly, a gauze scarf that concealed bruises.
"Er-did you speak, Kate?" inquired Maurice. He was not looking at her, and seemed gently surprised. "Surely you must be aware that I am not — what shall I say? at all in the habit of discussing my assertions with anyone?"
She was trembling; biting at her lower lip; and the eyes had a hot, hard brightness as she came forward. Yet she was beaten, and seemed to know it the moment Maurice went on: "Tut! Er — extraordinarily stupid of me, I fear. It is, I see, another small mutiny. You were trying to say, — ah — 'Go to the devil,' were you not?"