At last she heard the distant sound of voices, and then she heard Mrs. Bean set ajar the kitchen door to listen. Louder and nearer the voices came, and then the foremost man opened the front door and tramped in, followed by the rest.
What had happened? Nothing, apparently, for again the uppermost thought with the men was the intense cold. They were clapping their hands, blowing on their fingers, stamping their feet.
“Like an icehouse, that place!” muttered one.
“They could keep the body there all the winter!” said another.
“Ah couldn’t hardly feel ma feet!” added a third.
In the meantime the housekeeper had come out, and greeted them with outward composure, which astonished Freda and excited her admiration.
“Well, gentlemen, and the verdict I suppose is——”
Somebody interrupted her.
“Hush, hush, my good woman. We haven’t got so far as that yet. You shall hear all in good time.”
The housekeeper apologised, and the coroner and jurymen returned to the drawing-room. In a very few minutes they issued forth again, drawing their mufflers more closely round their necks, and putting on their hats.