“No, no!” Faith said imploringly.
No one heeded her. “Not entirely,” Charmian said. “I don’t say I think it, but what Con suggested might be true, particularly if Father had nipped Bart’s marriage plans in the bud. Loveday might have done it.”
“She didn’t! I know she didn’t!” Faith cried. “You mustn’t say such wicked things, Char! It isn’t true!”
“My dear Faith, I know you’re fond of the girl, but what do you know about her after all? However, she isn’t the only one who might have done it.” She regarded the end of her cigarette for a moment. “I don’t know what any of the rest of the family feels about it, but I could bear to know what brought Uncle Phin up here yesterday to see Father.”
“Uncle Phin? I never knew he had come up!” said Ingram. “What on earth did he want?”
“That’s what I should like to know. He came up after tea, and insisted on seeing Father in private.”
“But what an extraordinary thing!” Myra exclaimed. “I thought he hardly ever came to Trevellin!”
“Did he have a row with Father?” asked Ingram.
“I don’t know. Father was shut up with him in the Yellow room for nearly an hour. I didn’t see him at all. As far as I know, none of us did.”
“Damned odd!” Ingram commented. “All the same I don’t quite see what he could have had to do with it, Father never had any truck with him that I knew of.”