It was just at this moment, by one of those odd coincidences not uncommon in life, that Miss Perry Toat made her appearance from behind the rocks. She appeared so pat to the moment, and so suddenly upon the mention of her name, that Ralph almost believed she had been listening behind the rocks for the dramatic moment of appearance. But it seemed from her very first speech that this was not the case.
"Good-day, Mr. Shawe--good-morning, Mrs. Shawe," said Perry Toat, looking more like a sharp little rat than ever. "I just came down this morning from London by the early train, and guessing that you would be on the beach, I came in search of you. Your voices attracted me as I was poking about the rocks, so here I am."
"Yes, here you are," said Ralph, rather glumly.
"You don't seem pleased to see me," said Miss Toat, drily.
"Would any man on his honeymoon be pleased to see a detective?" he retorted; then he laughed, and looked at his wife. "What do you say, Audrey?"
The girl flushed. "I say now what I said before, that I wish the whole case to drop," she said, with a frown.
"It is impossible to drop it now, Mrs. Shawe," replied Perry Toat, in a quiet voice. "In your own interests it is necessary that the matter should be gone into. I am sorry to interrupt your honeymoon, but what I have found out left me no alternative but to come down and report progress."
"What have you discovered?" asked Ralph, eagerly. And even Audrey, in spite of her late speech, seemed anxious to hear what the little woman had to say.
But Miss Toat did not seem very ready to satisfy their curiosity. Sitting down on the rocks she tucked her feet under her, and produced a cigarette. When this was lighted she began to smoke and went on talking, as if the barrister had not asked a pertinent question.
"Besides, I am too anxious to earn that thousand pounds to drop the case," she said quietly. "I am in love as well as you are, Mrs. Shawe, and I can only marry if I get this money."