"It is better than I expected," she said, nodding, "I must tell you, Mr. Herries, to explain for the way in which Maud has acted, that she is not quite right in the head."
"Mad!" was the young man's startled exclamation.
"Not exactly mad. She has no moral principles, and if she does not get her own way, will not hesitate even at a crime to get it. Her mother, a frivolous, foolish woman, who came of a decayed family, was the same. Maud at times is not responsible for her actions. Sir Simon was devoted to her, and therefore, after Maud's education was finished, he kept me here, to look after her."
"I noticed that you had great power over Maud."
"The power of a strong mind over a weak one," said Mrs. Mountford in her deep voice, "yet at times Maud is too difficult and cunning even for me to manage. You know how she escaped and went to Desleigh. I dreaded lest she should meet her father, for then----" Mrs. Mountford hesitated.
"Would she have murdered him?"
"Not deliberately. But she would have fallen into a frenzy of rage and the first weapon to hand would have been used by her. In these rages, she goes, what the Norsemen called baresark, and stops at nothing to gain her ends. She loves this Captain Kyles so much that she would do anything to become his wife. You know that she was quite ready to sacrifice you, Mr. Herries."
"And Señora Guzman also," said the young man, rather startled at what he had heard, "since she accuses her wrongfully."
Mrs. Mountford looked gravely at him.
"I believe that Captain Kyles killed Sir Simon," she said decisively, "and Señora Guzman may not be so innocent as you imagine. The Captain was certainly at the 'Marsh Inn' on that night, since you say Maud saw him looking up at the window wherein Sir Simon had placed his signal. Also Señora Guzman was in the neighbourhood and had that policeman kidnapped."