Carshaw visited Helen Tower. She was fluttered. By note he had asked for a tête-à-tête interview. But his first words undeceived her.
“Where is Meiklejohn?” he asked.
“Do you mean Senator Meiklejohn?” she corrected him.
“Yes; the man who acted in collusion with you in kidnapping my intended wife.”
“How dare you—”
“Sit down, Helen; no heroics, please. Or perhaps you would prefer that Ronald should be present?”
“This tone, Rex—to me!” She was crimson with surprise.
“You are right: it is better that Tower should not be here. He might get a worse douche than his plunge into the river. Now, about Meiklejohn? Why did he conspire with you and my mother to carry off Winifred Bartlett?”
“I—don’t know.”