"That is true," admitted the Inspector. "I would not have thought it of the cailleach! Was it a Duke she meant to get for her daughter?"
"According to what I've managed to gather it was Terrible Timothy she had her eye on, if "the calyack" means Mrs. Haddington, which I take it it does! It gives me a better idea of her than I had before, but I agree with you it isn't what you'd have expected of her. What I can't make out is why she kept on inviting Lord Guisborough to the house, if she didn't like his politics. You can't suppose he ever made any secret of them! Perhaps she suddenly found out that he hadn't got any money to speak of or -" He stopped, reminding his sulordinate irresistibly of a terrier winding a rat. "Good God, Sandy!" he exclaimed. "Don't tell me I've missed something!"
"I will not, then," said the Inspector soothingly.
"You keep quiet, and whatever you do don't start spouting Gaelic at me! You're putting me off!" said Hemingway. "What did that lawyer-chap say? She rang him up about repairs and they had a little chat after that about the Marriage and Legitimacy Acts. Then she tells Lord Guisborough she'd like to see him, and he comes, and - Here, the man I want is Terrible Timothy!"
"Och, what will you be wanting him for?" demanded the Inspector protestingly.
"I want him because he's the handiest lawyer I can think of!" replied Hemingway.
Mr.. Harte was discovered in the library, arguing with his betrothed on the propriety of her accepting his mother's urgent invitation to her to seek asylum in Berkshire. Miss Birtley was moved by the news that Lady Harte, hearing her story, had been seized with a crusading fervour, and was not only determined to spread the mantle of her approval over her but was already formulating stern, and rather alarming, plans to bring her late employer to belated justice; but she maintained that until such time as Miss Pickhill had coerced or persuaded her niece to retire with her to Putney, her duty chained her to Charles Street.
"Hallo, here's Hemingway!" said Timothy as the Chief Inspector walked in. "Let's put it up to him!"
Appealed to by both parties, the Chief Inspector firmly refused to become embroiled in matters beyond his ken.
"Cowardly, very cowardly!" said Timothy. "All right, my girl, you'll have my Mamma descending upon you, that's all! What brings you back again, Hemingway?"