Lady Matthews shut the door. "Very worrying," she said. "Must try and get Frank."
Her husband declared himself quite unable to see why she should be worried, and once more settled himself with his book on the sofa. Lady Matthews sat down at the desk, sighing, and rang up Carchester police station. Sir Humphrey evinced a certain surprise, for only in moments of great stress could his wife be induced to use the telephone.
The sergeant on duty could give her no certain intelligence. Mr. Amberley had been in Carchester during the morning, but had gone out with the chief constable. Since then he had not been seen.
Lady Matthews, sighing more heavily still, rang up Colonel Watson's house. The colonel was out.
"Sometimes," said Lady Matthews pensively, "one can't help believing in a malign providence."
When Amberley had not come in by four o'clock, she said that he was just like his father. This pronouncement roused all Felicity's curiosity, for matters must indeed be serious if her mother said that. Lady Matthews refused to unburden her mind either to her or to Sir Humphrey. When she absently refused first a scone, then bread-andbutter, and lastly cakes, her relatives became quite worried and hailed the appearance of Amberley at a quarter past five with considerable relief.
"Thank goodness you've come!" exclaimed Felicity. "Wherever have you been?"
He glanced indifferently down at her. "Investigating last night's affair. Why this sudden desire for my company? Can I have some tea, Aunt Marion?"
His aunt chose two lumps of sugar from the bowl with extreme deliberation and spoke without looking up from this delicate task. "Two messages, dear Frank. Burdening my soul. That girl wants you. Either the Boar's Head or the cottage. Such a disagreeable place."
Amberley looked at her with a curious little smile in his eyes. "I wondered whether she would. All right."