"No! no!" he stammered, wondering how he was to get out of confessing about the opening of the front door without appearing rude.
"Nonsense. Confess! Confess, you silly man!"
But Leonard was too loyal. To lead her away from the point he asked a question. "Mrs. Ward, that yellow holly?"
"Yes. What about it?" She leaned forward eagerly.
"Did you give a sprig of it to any one else?"
"No. I only gave a bit to my daughter, and she----"
"She gave it to Brendon. Yes, I know. But did Miss Ward give any of it to a third person?"
"Certainly not. To do so she would have had to get it from me. But beyond the sprig that was given, and which Mr. Brendon had, no holly went out of this house."
"It is very rare, is it not?"
"I believe so. I dare say there wasn't another bunch in London on that particular night. Of course there might have been, still--but why do you ask all this?"