Inwardly she was a little frightened, perhaps half wished that she had not begun. Yet it was sweet to foresee the thunderbolt that would fall on her enemy’s head. That her brother would suffer torments did not affect her imagination; she had never credited him with strong feeling for his wife; and it was too late to draw back.
‘You know that she met Mr. Eldon in the wood at Wanley on the day after she found the will?’
Mutimer knitted his brows to regard her. But in speaking he was more self-governed than before.
‘Who told you that?’
‘My husband. He saw them together.’
‘And heard them talking?’
‘Yes.’
Rodman had only implied this. Alice’s subsequent interrogation had failed to elicit more from him than dark hints.
Mutimer drew a quick breath.
‘He must be good at spying. Next time I hope he’ll find out something worth talking about.’