The girl smiled, but quickly composed her features again.
“Now let us come to this particular morning. Tell me exactly what happened.”
“My aunt wakened me and said would I straighten Sir Philip’s study for her, as he would be down early. I think she said he was going to London.”
“What time would it be when she wakened you?”
“I should think about a quarter to seven. I can’t say to the minute, because I did not look at my watch.”
“And what happened then?”
“I dressed, and went downstairs to the study. As I opened the door I saw that the light was still burning, and that Sir Philip was lying on the couch. I thought he had fallen asleep there overnight. I went to him and put my hand on his shoulder, intending to waken him, and then I saw—”
She paused there, and her face whitened a little at the recollection.
“You saw that he was dead?”
“Yes.”