"I want an answer to that," said Meeking, after a pause.
"Well," replied Wellesley at last, "I can't say. What I mean by that is that I am not in a position to say. I am not sufficiently acquainted with—let me call them facts to be able to say. What I do say is that Mrs. Mallett's business with me and with Wallingford that evening was of an essentially private nature and had nothing whatever to do with what happened in the Mayor's Parlour just about the time she was in my drawing-room."
"That is, as far as you are aware?"
"As far as I am aware—yes! But I am quite sure it hadn't."
"You can't give this court any information that would help to solve this problem?"
"I cannot!"
"Well, a question or two more. When Mrs. Mallett left you at your door in Piper's Passage—I mean, when you let her out, just before a quarter to eight, what did you next do?"
"I went upstairs again to my drawing-room."
"May I ask why?"