“Someone wishes to speak to your ladyship on the telephone,” the girl announced.
“On the telephone, at this time of night?” Lady Ruth exclaimed. “Ridiculous! They must send a message, whoever they are!”
“Parkins told them so, your ladyship,” the girl answered; “but they insisted that the matter was important. They would give no name, but said that they were speaking from Mr. Wingrave’s rooms.”
Lady Ruth raised her eyebrows.
“It is very extraordinary,” she said coldly, “but I will come to the telephone.”
“IT WAS AN ACCIDENT”
Lady Ruth took up the receiver. Some instinct seemed to have prompted her to close the door of the study.
“Who is there?” she asked. “Who is it that wants me?”
A thin, unfamiliar voice answered her.