“Well, to the right is a small cloakroom and the big living room. It’s very large—it forms the whole ground floor of the right wing in fact. Over it are Mr. and Mrs. Ives’s rooms.”
“Did Mr. and Mrs. Ives occupy separate rooms?”
“Oh, no, there was a large bedroom, and on one side of it was Mrs. Ives’s dressing room and bath, and to the left Mr. Ives’s dressing room and bath. On the third floor were the nurseries and my room. On the left downstairs as you came in was a little flower room.”
“A flower room?”
“A room that was used for arranging flowers, you know. Mrs. Daniel Ives used it a great deal. It had shelves of vases and a sink and a big porcelain-topped table. The downstairs telephone was in there, too, and——”
“Your Honour, may we ask where all this is leading?” Mr. Lambert’s tone was tremulous with impatience.
“You may. The Court was about to make the same inquiry. Is this exhaustive questioning necessary, Mr. Farr?”
“Absolutely necessary, Your Honour. I can assure Mr. Lambert that it is leading to a very interesting conclusion, however distasteful he may find both the path and the goal. I will be as brief as possible, I promise.”
“Very well, you may continue, Miss Page.”
Miss Page raised limpid eyes in appealing deprecation. “I’m so frightfully sorry. I’ve absolutely forgotten where I was.”