She made a superhuman effort.
"Come in," she said again, and this time to her relief she heard the words distinctly.
The duke entered and held the door half closed.
"I feared to disturb you, my child," he said, "but it is unavoidable that I disturb you. It is a relief to find that you are not yet in bed and asleep. A very grave, a very sad event has happened which necessitates the presence of the police commissioner. Calm yourself, my Francesca, and my good friend the delegato will explain."
The official in the sash came in. Lord John stood in the doorway.
"Duchess," said the official, "I grieve to say that one of your guests of this evening, the Marchese di Maltagliala, has been assassinated in the garden, or possibly in the road, and his dead body was dragged into the garden afterwards. He was found just inside the east garden door, which by some mischance had been left unlocked."
A deathlike silence followed the delegato's words.
