"She's still there, sir."
When Joseph had begun to dismantle the Christmas tree, he had had a small wooden tub brought into the billiard-room. It was half-full of tinsel decorations and crackers, and when the Sergeant showed Hemingway into the room, Maud was engaged in turning these over in her search for the Life of the Empress of Austria. She acknowledged the Inspector's arrival with a nod and a small smile. She seemed to think that the Sergeant had fetched him to assist her, for she thanked him for coming, and said that it was extraordinary how things could get mislaid.
"A book, is it, madam?" asked Hemingway.
"Yes, and it is a library book, so it must be found," said Maud. "Of course, I expect it will turn up, because things very often do, and in the most unexpected places."
"Such as in a tub full of Christmas decorations?" suggested Hemingway, with a quizzical look.
"You never know," said Maud vaguely. "I once mislaid a shoehorn for three days, and it was eventually found in a coal-scuttle, though how it came there I never could discover. I daresay you will be searching the house yourself, and if you should happen to come upon my book I should be very grateful if you would tell me. It is called the Life of the Empress Elizabeth of Austria. A most interesting character: really, I had no idea! It is most annoying that I should have lost it, because I hadn't finished it. She must have been very lovely, but I can't help feeling sorry for her husband. He seems to have been a handsome man when he was young, but of course he grew those whiskers in later life. And then so fat! Not that I think that excused her altogether. No, the book isn't here. So tiresome!"
She smiled, and nodded again, and went out of the room, returning, however, in a few moments to tell the Inspector not to make a special point of looking for the book, as she knew he had other things to think about.
The astonished Sergeant exchanged a glance with his superior, but Hemingway assured Maud that he would keep his eyes open.
"Well!" ejaculated the Sergeant, when Maud had gone away again. "What do you make of that?"
"I'd say she was looking for her book."