"Who is George Jernam?"
"The captain's younger brother—a merchant-captain himself—the owner of several vessels, and, I believe, a rich man. He came here, accompanied by a queer-looking fellow, called Joyce Harker—a kind of clerk, I believe—who was very much attached to the murdered man."
"Yes—yes, I know," murmured Honoria.
She had been so terribly agitated by the mention of Valentine Jernam's name, that her presence of mind had entirely abandoned her.
"You knew that humpbacked clerk!" exclaimed Mr. Larkspur.
"I have heard of him," she faltered.
There was a pause, during which Lady Eversleigh recovered in some degree from the painful emotion caused by memories so unexpectedly evoked.
"I may as well give you some preliminary instructions to-day," she said, re-assuming her business-like tone, "and I will write you a cheque for the first month of your service."
Mr. Larkspur lost no time in providing his visitor with pen and ink. She took a cheque-book from her pocket, and filled in a cheque for eighty pounds in Andrew Larkspur's favour.
The cheque was signed "Harriet Eden."