“This is very important,” he said. “It throws a new aspect on the case.”
Sergeant Westaway nodded.
“This girl,” pursued Inspector Murchison, “she is of fairly good position, is she not?”
Sergeant Westaway nodded again.
“Her mother is a lady of independent means.”
“I’ve heard of them, and I’ve seen the young lady and her mother once or twice when they’ve visited Staveley. Do you think the young lady is telling the whole truth here?”
“Undoubtedly.” Sergeant Westaway’s tone indicated that when a member of the leading family of Ashlingsea set out to tell the truth nothing was kept back.
The inspector got up from his chair and took a few turns up and down the office in a meditative way.
“It’s a most extraordinary disclosure that this young woman has made,” he said at length. “Extraordinary—and awkward. I do not know what Sir George Granville will say when he learns that his nephew, instead of assisting the police, made a false and misleading statement. It is a very grave thing; a very dangerous thing in such a grave crime as this. It will give Sir George Granville a dreadful shock.”
“It gave me a shock,” said Sergeant Westaway.