“You made a clumsy mistake there, Guerchard,” said M. Formery, with a touch of gratified malice in his tone.
Guerchard took no notice of it: “I want you to give orders that nobody leaves the house without my permission,” he said, in a low voice.
“No one except Mademoiselle Kritchnoff, I suppose,” said M. Formery, smiling.
“She less than any one,” said Guerchard quickly.
“I don’t understand what you’re driving at a bit,” said M. Formery. “Unless you suppose that Mademoiselle Kritchnoff is Lupin in disguise.”
Guerchard laughed softly: “You will have your joke, M. Formery,” he said.
“Well, well, I’ll give the order,” said M. Formery, somewhat mollified by the tribute to his humour.
He called the inspector to him and whispered a word in his ear. Then he rose and said: “I think, gentlemen, we ought to go and examine the bedrooms, and, above all, make sure that the safe in M. Gournay-Martin’s bedroom has not been tampered with.”
“I was wondering how much longer we were going to waste time here talking about that stupid pendant,” grumbled the millionaire; and he rose and led the way.
“There may also be some jewel-cases in the bedrooms,” said M. Formery. “There are all the wedding presents. They were in charge of Victoire.” said Germaine quickly. “It would be dreadful if they had been stolen. Some of them are from the first families in France.”