'Have you heard nothing from any other quarter?' Beatrice asked, after a silence of almost a minute.
He looked at her, wondering what she knew of his relations to Emily. It was clear that his interest occasioned her no surprise.
'I came away immediately on hearing what your letter contained. There is no one else with whom I could communicate. I hesitated to go to the house, not knowing—Will you tell me what you know of this horrible event?'
Beatrice stroked one hand with the other, and seemed to constrain herself to lock up and to speak.
'I myself know nothing but the fact of Mr. Hood's death. It took place some ten days ago, on Monday of last week. I arrived here on the Wednesday.'
'Of course there was an inquest—with what results?'
'None, beyond the verdict of suicide. No definite cause could be discovered. It is said that he suffered from very narrow means. His body was found by Mr. Dagworthy.'
'Who is Mr. Dagworthy?'
'I thought you probably knew,' returned Beatrice, glancing quickly at him. 'He was employed by Mr. Dagworthy as clerk in a manufactory. He had just left for his summer holiday.'
'What evidence did his employer give?'