"Scotland Yard!" ejaculated Ermyntrude, letting fall the second newspaper, which she had been holding out to Hugh. "Am I never to be left in peace? Haven't I had enough to worry me? I wish to God Wally had never been shot!"
Inspector Hemingway at once won Hugh's respect by his instant grasp of the situation. He responded promptly: "I'm sure I'm not surprised. But don't you get thinking I've come to badger you, madam, because I'm a feeling man myself, and I know just how you feel. You've had reporters pestering you, have you? Regular body-snatchers, that's what they are. So this is the Prince! Well, I must say I wouldn't have thought it!"
Ermyntrude wrested the paper from his grasp. "It's nothing like him! What's all this about your suspecting my girl? I never heard of such a thing!"
"That was just Miss Fanshawe trying to have a little game with me," replied the Inspector. "As a matter of fact, it wasn't Miss Fanshawe I came to see. It wasn't, strictly speaking, you either, madam, but I'm sure it's a pleasure. Ever see that before?" He held out the hair-slide as he spoke.
"Nasty, cheap thing!" said Ermyntrude, after a cursory glance at it.
"Can I see it?" asked Mary. "I sometimes wear one."
The Inspector held it out to her. She looked at it, and shook her head. "No, it's not one of mine. Who is it you wish to see, Inspector?"
"The Prince, miss, if you please."
"Well, I suppose it's no good my trying to stop you," said Ermyntrude. "The way you policemen behave, anyone would think the house belonged to you! Oh Hugh, you know all about the law! Have they got to go worrying Alexis? I can't bear it if on top of everything else they get him all upset, which is what they very likely will do, for he's very sensitive, and what with that photograph, and the papers getting his name wrong, and one of them calling him a Baron instead of a Prince, he's very put-out already."
"I'm afraid," began Hugh, but broke off short, as the object of this discussion stepped in through the French window. "Here is the Prince, Inspector."