“Then once again they’re going to touch us up in the papers. It’s any odds on it,” said M. Formery gloomily. “Where’s the housekeeper? I should like to see her.”
“The fact is, we don’t know where she is,” said the inspector.
“You don’t know where she is?” said M. Formery.
“We can’t find her anywhere,” said the inspector.
“That’s excellent, excellent. We’ve found the accomplice,” said M. Formery with lively delight; and he rubbed his hands together. “At least, we haven’t found her, but we know her.”
“I don’t think that’s the case,” said the Duke. “At least, my future father-in-law and my fiancée had both of them the greatest confidence in her. Yesterday she telephoned to us at the château de Charmerace. All the jewels were left in her charge, and the wedding presents as they were sent in.”
“And these jewels and wedding presents—have they been stolen too?” said M. Formery.
“They don’t seem to have been touched,” said the Duke, “though of course we can’t tell till M. Gournay-Martin arrives. As far as I can see, the burglars have only touched these two drawing-rooms.”
“That’s very annoying,” said M. Formery.
“I don’t find it so,” said the Duke, smiling.