She broke off once more, evidently afraid that she was letting her feelings get the better of her. For a moment or two Sir Clinton made no reply. He seemed to be considering something carefully before he spoke.
“I suppose you know, Miss Deepcar,” he said at last, “that Dr. Silverdale is under arrest.”
The girl's expression changed in an instant. Something like fear replaced her earlier anger.
“Dr. Silverdale? Arrested?” she demanded, with a tremor in her voice. “What do you mean?”
“He was arrested yesterday in connection with the affair at the bungalow.”
Avice Deepcar's eyes showed her amazement at the news.
“The affair at the bungalow?” she repeated. “But he had nothing to do with that! He couldn't have had.”
All her indignation seemed to have been swept away by this fresh information. She had the appearance of someone upon whom a wholly unexpected peril has descended. Sir Clinton seemed satisfied by the effect of his words; but without giving her time for thought, he pursued his narrative.
“Several things have turned up which seem to implicate him in that affair, and when we tried to extract some information from him about his movements on the night of the bungalow murder, he refused to say anything. He wouldn't tell us where he had been at that time.”
Avice Deepcar clasped and unclasped her hands mechanically for a second or two. It was obvious that she was thinking swiftly and coming to some decision upon which much might turn.