"Ah, that was acting on Captain Kyles' part," said Mrs. Mountford contemptuously. "He wanted to see you hanged, so that the question of the assassination should be settled. Maud was quite willing that this should be so, provided she married him. Ah, Mr. Herries, you must forgive Maud. She loves so much."
"Even to hanging me; a nice foundation for a marriage, I must say."
"It is infamous, talking in this way," cried Elspeth, who was white with indignation.
"What can ye expect frae a wumon wha wull nae dischairge her lawful indebtedness? The fair sex, they ca' ye, the unfair limmers ye are, the hail clamjamfarry. Adaam wis respectable beside Eve, the cutty, wi' her stolen fruit, and nae clothing."
Herries began to laugh. The extreme humour of Mrs. Mountford, although quite unconscious, appealed to him, and the indignation of Gowrie was not less amusing. Everyone had his or her own axe to grind, as the saying goes, and each was ready to sacrifice everyone and anyone to get what he or she wanted. It was a Gilbert and Sullivan opera without music.
"Come, Mrs. Mountford," said Angus, suddenly becoming serious, "tell me what you want."
"I want you to have Captain Kyles arrested."
"Why?"
"Because I am quite sure that he murdered Sir Simon."
"Impossible. I understood that you declared he was with Maud at the Hall on the night of the murder."