“Certainly. He has been twenty years in my service, and knows exactly what provision I have made for his future. He will not need to work after my death, and has no personal interest in my will. Moreover, I trust him as I would myself.”
Mr Farrell spoke sharply, evidently annoyed that any doubt should be cast upon his favourite. As he finished his eyes met Mollie’s fixed upon him with an angry challenge, to which he was not slow to respond—
“Well, what have you to say, young lady? Can you throw any light on this mystery?”
“I have not opened your desk and pried among your papers, if you really mean to ask me such a question. I have lots of faults, but I’ve never been suspected of anything so mean as that, and I don’t care to stay in a house where anyone can believe it possible! I don’t want to see the horrid old will! We should all have been content and happy if it had not been for the thought of it; and I never want to hear it mentioned again. I don’t know how you dare insult us so, Uncle Bernard!”
“That will do, Mollie; you have given me your answer. There is no need to get excited. You had better go back to the drawing-room while I speak to your companions.”
The squire leant back in his chair, waiting for her to go; and, willing or unwilling, there was no defying that grim silence. Mollie marched across the floor with defiant tread, opened the door, and closed it behind her with a bang, so expressive of temper that Jack could not resist a smile. It vanished quickly enough, however, as he listened to Mr Farrell’s next words—
“I must ask you to tell me in so many words whether you know anything of this matter. If a sudden access of curiosity should have proved too strong for resistance, a candid confession would be the best means of obtaining forgiveness. I could overlook anything better than deceit.” He looked at the three young faces before him with a scrutiny that had something pathetic in its earnestness; but, as it met with no response, his expression hardened. “Perhaps you would be good enough to tell me, in the first place, whether any of you were in the library on Wednesday?”
He looked at Victor as he spoke, and the dark eyes met his without a moment’s hesitation.
“I went out for a long walk immediately after breakfast, and returned when luncheon was on the table. Afterwards Melland and I smoked on the terrace until it was time to drive over to a tennis-tea. I forget which house it was held at, but I remember we heard that the carriage was at the door, and had to rush for it. That was so, wasn’t it, Melland? I think I should have little difficulty in proving an alibi for the whole day.”
Mr Farrell hesitated for a minute, then turned towards Jack.