“Who discovered her?”
“The maid.”
Lenora rose to her feet. She seemed a little calmer but the healthy colour had all gone from her cheeks and her lips were twitching.
“Her ladyship had just come in from the Opera,” she said. “She was sitting in her easy-chair. I was in the bedroom. She looked toward the handle of that door. She thought it moved. She called me. I tried it and found it fast locked. She sent for Mr. Macdougal.”
“Macdougal,” Mr. Marsham explained, “is a confidential servant of Lord Ashleigh’s. He was sent over here with Lady Ella.”
The Inspector nodded.
“Go on.”
“I found Mr. Macdougal’s door locked. He must have gone out. When I came back here, I found this!”
The Inspector made a careful examination of the room.
“Tell me,” he enquired, “is this the young lady who owned the wonderful Ashleigh diamonds?”