“I know about you,” said Penelope then. “It,”—her voice quivered—“has broken my heart! But there is only one thing to be done. You must come back with me to Beverley Castle, and bring the bangle with you.”
“The bangle?” said Brenda.
She had been fairly cool until now. But now she trembled exceedingly, and leaned up against the wardrobe. She did not even ask what bangle.
“You stole Nellie Hungerford’s bangle on the day of the break-up at Hazlitt Chase,” pursued Penelope. “You put people on the wrong scent with regard to it. Where you found it and how—I don’t know, but you did find it.”
“How can you possibly, possibly tell?” gasped Brenda then.
“For the beat of all reasons—I have seen it.”
“Seen it—seen it? the lost bangle?”
“I saw it last night. Mademoiselle got possession of it—I can’t exactly say how—but she managed to get to your drawer and found it.”
“I don’t believe a word of it!” began Brenda.
“It is true,” said Penelope. “There is no way out, Brenda, except by the one painful way. You and I must see Mrs Hungerford to-day, and return the bangle. There is no other possible way out.”