The very day that Flora left, Cary came back to me.
"Well," she said, tentatively, "what do you think of her?"
"Well," I answered, cautiously, "I don't know."
Cary looked at me in disgust.
"Your loyalty amounts to nothing short of blindness and stupidity," she remarked, severely. "As for me, I am going to look at the nest the viper has left."
So saying, she got up and went into the blue room, Aubrey and I meekly following.
Pinned to the pillow was a note directed to me. Cary unpinned and handed it to me.
"Cleverest and best of women," it began, "Many thanks for your delightful hospitality. I have enjoyed it to the full—far more, indeed, than you know. Look under the mattress of this bed and you will understand."
We tore the bed to pieces without speaking. Then Aubrey and Cary looked at each other and laughed.
"Now will you believe," said Cary.