Captain Grey stiffened perceptibly. He couldn’t see what possible connection [Pg 358]anybody’s fiancé could have with his affairs. He shook hands with Houseman, but not very nicely; and Houseman was not excessively cordial.
Lexy took no notice of this nonsense. Her mood of happy confidence had passed now, and the dark and mysterious shadow had come back. There was something of greater importance to think about than her personal affairs.
“Captain Grey,” she said, with a sort of directness, “I didn’t tell you before, but I’m going to tell you now. I saw Caroline in that house, and this morning I found—this.”
He looked at the handkerchief, and then at Lexy.
“But—” he began.
“It means that she’s been there, or that she’s there now,” Lexy went on. “It’s time we found out. Of course, I know how you feel about Dr. Quelton. He’s your sister’s husband, and you didn’t want—”
“It doesn’t make much difference now,” he said. “If you’ll wait a day or so, she—”
He turned away abruptly, and took out his cigarette case.
“What do you mean?” cried Lexy.
“It won’t be long,” he said quietly. “She—my sister—he says it won’t be more than twenty-four hours, at the most.”