"But who do you think did it?" asked Mrs. Chudleigh, hurrying to keep up with her.
"Well, I won't mention any names," said Camillia darkly, "but we all know who had a simply frightful row with poor Sir Arthur the very day he was murdered, and was going to be thrown out of the house. Yes, and then, if you please, we are told that he'd broken off his engagement! Of course every one could guess that's simply a blind to lead the police off the scent, but if you ask me Inspector Harding's on to him already, and if there's any more talk of asking Basil a whole lot of insulting questions, I shall say right out that they'd better ask why that engagement was broken off so suddenly , that's all!"
"Good gracious, you don't think Geoffrey did it?" gasped the Vicar's wife. "Oh, but that can't be so! Such a nice boy, and so delicate! And besides he couldn't have done it, for I saw him myself that morning, quite a long way from the Grange."
"You saw him?" said Camilla, stopping in front of a draper's window.
"Yes, I saw him on my way home. I wonder if I ought to tell the Inspector? I think it is my clear duty to find him, and tell him. I suppose he will be at the Grange, won't he?"
"You could just as easily tell them at the police station," said Camilla maliciously.
"No, Mrs. Halliday, I shall do no such thing. I hope I should never shirk what I know to be my duty, and I am quite aware that it is the Inspector who is in charge of the case. It's most inconvenient, for I have a great deal on my hands, but I always say one can make time if one wants to, and I shall call at the Grange on my way home. And at the same time I shall hope to have a little quiet talk with Lady Billington-Smith."
"I expect she'll love that," said Camilla. "I don't know when you saw Geoffrey, but I do know it would take a lot to convince me he didn't do it!"
The first person to reach the Grange after the inquest was Inspector Harding. He was admitted by the footman, and had hardly set foot inside the house when Miss Fawcett came running downstairs, and leaned over the banisters. "Is that you, Geoffrey?" she called. "What happened?"
"No, it's not Geoffrey," said Harding, walking forward. "Nothing much happened. We asked for an adjournment."