"This is very extraordinary," said Mr. Chandos, as he turned the envelope about. It was addressed to London, to a medical man.
"Yes, it is extraordinary, sir," said Mrs. Penn, with some slight temper, which I am sure he considered excusable. "I did. The note was a private note to the gentleman who has attended me for some years; I didn't write it for the perusal of the world. But that is not the chief question. There must be false keys in the house."
"Did you leave your key in the bag, Mrs. Penn?"
"No, sir. I had my keys in my pocket. The lock has not been hurt, therefore it can only have been opened with a false key."
Remembering my own boxes and Mr. Chandos's desk, I felt no doubt that false keys must be at hand. Mrs. Penn said she had not yet spoken to the servants, and Mr. Chandos nodded approval: he would wish to deal with it himself. For my part I had not seen the bag in my room, except in her possession, and did not notice whether she had carried it away or left it.
She quitted the parlour, taking the bag and note and envelope. Mr. Chandos called Hickens and desired that Emma should be sent to him. The girl arrived in some wonder. But she could tell nothing; except that she found the bag lying on the floor by the window-seat, and carried it at once to Mrs. Penn. Harriet was next questioned. She had seen the bag lying in the window-seat the previous evening, she said, when she put the room to rights after Miss Hereford went down to dinner, and left it there, drawing the curtains before it.
"Did you touch it?" asked Mr. Chandos.
"Yes, sir. I took it up in my hand, and thought what a pretty thing it was: I had never seen it before."
"Did you open it?"
"Open it? No, sir, that I did not. I think it was locked, for I saw there was a key-hole: at any rate, it was close shut. I did not keep it in my hands a moment, but put it down where I found it, and drew the curtains."