"What was the last your sister saw of him?"
"She was at the hotel and in our bedroom when I returned, which I did after looking vainly for her. She said that Mr. Vane had escorted her to the hotel and had left her at the gate at her earnest request, as Jenny was so afraid lest my father should hear of our escapade. She said good-night to Mr. Vane and then went to her room. When we heard of the murder next morning she became very ill and my father took her away. But she always declared to me that she did not know who murdered Percy Vane."
"Did your father ever know that she was in Vane's company on that night?" asked Ireland.
"Never! We kept our folly a profound secret from him."
"Did any one else know?"
"You did," said Mrs. Ward sharply; "and Mr. Vane did, and a servant at the hotel--an English servant who attended to us. In fact, it was she who procured the yellow holly by which Jenny and I were to identify one another."
"What was her name?" asked Derrington, quickly, and raising himself in his chair with eagerness to hear the answer.
"Eliza Stokes."
"Ah! I thought so. Mrs. Jersey?"
"Yes, Mrs. Jersey. And now, Lord Derrington, you know how I come to take such an interest in the death of that woman."