“And you are Miss Maynard. We have not met before, but I have heard a great deal about you.”
She read suspicion in his use of the conventional phrase and she decided to meet it.
“I came out to look at the old place—at the scene of this dreadful tragedy—before finally deciding what I ought to do.”
He realized that having said so much she had more to say, and he gave her no assistance.
“Perhaps Mr. Marsland has not told you, Mr. Crewe, that I was with him in the house when he discovered the body.”
“He has not,” replied Crewe.
“That makes it all the more difficult for me. I do not mind telling you, for you are his friend, and you are such a clever man that I feel I will be right in taking your advice.”
Crewe’s mental reservation to be slow in offering her advice was an indication that his suspicions of her were not allayed.
“I also sought shelter here from the storm on that fateful night,” she continued. “But because I was afraid of the gossip of Ashlingsea I asked Mr. Marsland if he would mind keeping my name out of it. And he very generously promised to do so.”
“A grave error on both sides,” said Crewe.