"Your stepmother's intentions," I remarked to Eve, "may be excellent, but
I don't think they'll bring her so far as the Austrian Tyrol."
Eve's eyes were lit with laughter. A moment later, however, she sighed.
"Poor dad!" she murmured. "I'm afraid he'll have a terrible time when she does come out!"
"He'd have a worse if she knew!" I rejoined, half to myself.
Eve looked at me suspiciously. She drew a little nearer.
"Paul," she whispered in my ear, "is it true that the inspector who had her followed all that morning was a friend of dad's?" I shook my head.
"I am giving nobody away," I replied firmly. "Of course there were certain troubles to be got over in connection with your mother's presence to-day. You remember her saying, for instance, that she would break every bottle of wine she found being served?"
Eve nodded.
"Perhaps," she murmured, with a half smile, "it is for the best. Where is dad?"
I glanced round the room and at that moment I saw Mr. Bundercombe making signs to me from the doorway. I hurried toward him and he drew me out into the hall.