Is there meaning in the question? Wyndham looks at her steadily before replying.
‘I was in France at the time,’ says he carelessly. ‘If she had a motive, how could I know it?’
Crosby leans back and crosses his arms negligently. ‘What an idiotic equivocation!’ thinks he.
‘You certainly ought to speak to her about it.’
‘Of course I shall speak to her.’
Crosby smiles.
‘I really think you ought,’ says Mrs. Prior. ‘You can’—severely—‘mention me if you wish. I consider she behaved extremely badly. And I quite tremble for the dear little old place. You know it was an uncle of ours—a grand-uncle of yours—who left the place to your mother, and as girls we—that is, your aunts and I—used to be very fond of running up from your grandfather’s place in Kerry to spend a few weeks in it. We were all girls then—your mother, and I, and your——’ She stops, and sneezes most opportunely behind her lace handkerchief. The innocent Josephine had touched her foot under cover of her gown. Of course the aunt who had disappeared so unpleasantly had better not be mentioned.
‘I hope, Paul, you will see that this woman keeps the dear old place in order,’ says Mrs. Prior rather hastily.
‘To confess a dreadful truth,’ says Wyndham, smiling somewhat briefly, ‘I have almost made up my mind to let the Cottage. It has been rather a burden to me of late. And——’
‘To let it. But why?’