“I shall be quite glad to give any help I can,” she said in a level voice.
Flamborough, studying her expression, noticed a swift shift of her glance from one to the other of the three men before her.
“She's a bit over-selfconscious,” he judged privately. “But she's the regular look-monger type, anyhow; and quite likely she makes play with her eyes when she's talking to any man.”
Sir Clinton seemed to be making a merit of frankness:
“I really haven't any definite questions I want to ask you, Miss Hailsham,” he confessed. “What we hoped was that you might have something to tell us which indirectly might throw some light on this affair. You see, we come into it without knowing anything about the people involved, and naturally any trifle may help us. Now if I'm not mistaken, you knew Mr. Hassendean fairly well?”
“I was engaged to him at one time. He broke off the engagement for various reasons. That's common knowledge, I believe.”
“Could you give us any of the reasons? I don't wish to pry, you understand; but I think it's an important point.”
Miss Hailsham's face showed that he had touched a sore place.
“He threw me over for another woman—brutally.”
“Mrs. Silverdale?” Sir Clinton inquired.