"What's she going to do?" inquired Hawthwaite. "Divorce?"
"She said something about a legal separation," answered Wellesley. "I suppose it will come to the other thing."
"And how do you think this is related to Wallingford's murder?" asked Hawthwaite with sudden directness. "Let's be plain, doctor—do you suspect Mallett?"
Wellesley showed signs of indecision.
"I don't like to say that I do," he replied at last. "And yet, I don't know. I've rather wondered if there'd been any meeting between Mallett and Wallingford after Wallingford knew about this: I believe they did meet, on business, during the day. Now, to tell you the truth, Wallingford was much more—shall we say upset?—about this affair than I was: he was very much gone on Mrs. Saumarez. It's struck me that he may have threatened Mallett with exposure; and exposure, of course, would mean a great deal to a man in Mallett's position—a bank-manager, and Town Trustee, and so on. And——But I really don't know what to think."
"There's a thing I'd like to know," said Brent. "What do you think about the woman in the case? You've had chances of knowing her."
Wellesley gave his questioner a searching look.
"I would rather not say, Mr. Brent," he replied. "Discoveries of this sort, substantiated, are—well, disconcerting. Besides, they tend to a revision of opinion; they're sidelights—unfortunate ones."
"Look here," said Brent, "were you greatly surprised?"