"Perhaps not. The yashmak was a very good mask. I often wondered why Flora wore it, if not for business purposes; as her birthmark was not so disfiguring as the one which I painted on my face."
"It was very faint," said Colonel Ilse, speaking for the first time, and in his crisp, military voice--"over twenty years ago, that is. But then Mrs. Askew, as she called herself, was a much younger woman."
"And not so fat," supplemented Lady Branwin, calmly. "Yes, I remember Flora then. After she left Bleakleigh as a widow she tried many ways in which to make money. I told you some of them, Audrey, although I don't think that I mentioned she had been an hospital nurse."
"And for an obvious reason," put in Perry Toat, in an acrid voice. The little woman was annoyed that her search for the hospital nurse had ended in this unexpected way. "You were afraid."
"Why should I be afraid?" demanded Lady Branwin, coolly. "It was Flora who kidnapped Colonel Ilse's daughter, not I. She told me all about it, and did so out of jealousy. She was in love with the Colonel."
"I certainly was not in love with her," said the soldier, stiffly, and the flush which Audrey had noticed on a former occasion appeared on his tanned face. "She made my life a burden to me, and finally took away my own child. I was left lonely," added Ilse, pathetically, "as my dear wife died when Elsie was born. Perhaps, Lady Branwin, you can tell me what your sister did with my child."
"I can tell you many things which will astonish you," said the unmasked woman, drily, "and I intend to. Perhaps had this fool"--she shot a glance of scorn and wrath at the unhappy Vail--"not torn off my veil I would not have revealed myself. But you can see from the fact that I have washed off the pretended birthmark that I intended to do so if it were necessary. I now see that it is very necessary."
"I think it is," said Perry Toat, sharply, "as we have yet to learn who murdered Madame Coralie."
"Are you going to accuse me of the crime? Why not accuse Eddy here, who put back the still-room clock?"
Vail became violently emotional. "I put it back because I intended to return and steal the diamonds," he said loudly. "I don't mind owning that, as I have already told the story to Miss Toat. But when I came back after you turned me out of the house and found that my wife was strangled, I--"