Penny could not be certain whether or not the young man was telling the truth. It was entirely possible that he had become confused in the dark hallway. She could not imagine any reason why he would have wished to investigate the attic.
Before Penny could frame a reply Mr. Nichols' door opened and the detective peered out.
"Anything wrong?" he asked.
"I am afraid I have disturbed the entire household," the young man apologized. "I was only looking for a drink of water."
"There's no harm in that, I'm sure," replied Mr. Nichols pleasantly. "I'll get you one."
"It really doesn't matter," the young man murmured.
Just then Mrs. Masterbrook's door swung open. The housekeeper, garbed in an old-fashioned nightgown and with her hair done up in curlers, looked out into the hall.
"Dear me, what is going on here?" she asked crossly. "After working hard all day I'd like to get a little sleep."
"It was all my fault," Michael Haymond apologized again.
The housekeeper turned to gaze at him. As their eyes met, Mrs. Masterbrook made a strange rasping sound in her throat. Her hand moved instinctively toward her face as if to ward off a blow.