“No, no; nothing of the kind.” Lord Waldmere quickly shook his head. “Her sweet heart has been an open book for me to read at will. There is nothing in that, sir.”
“And you recall no incentive, or circumstance, that might have a bearing upon this matter?”
“No, none, Mr. Carter.”
“Let’s consider, then, the one nearest to it—your visit to the Imperial Loan Company,” said Nick. “I think you said that Lady Waldmere did most of the business.”
“She did the whole blooming business,” Lord Waldmere quickly assured him. “She’s jolly well fitted for it, is Mollie, while I’m a doughhead and——”
“I understand,” Nick cut in. “You went with her to redeem the jewels, which had been pledged for ten thousand dollars. Did she have the money on her person? That may have been the incentive for the crime, if such it turns out to be.”
“But that can’t be, don’t you know?” Waldmere at once protested. “Mollie had the bally ticket for the pledge, but she had no money. I had a certified bank check for the amount. Here it is, sir. See for yourself.”
Nick merely glanced at the check, which Lord Waldmere hastily drew from his pocketbook. It bore the current date and corroborated the Englishman’s statements.
“It seems to knock that theory on the head,” Nick said thoughtfully, after a moment. “Nevertheless, by Jove, it may be that the jewels——”
Nick broke off abruptly, not stating what he had in mind. Instead, drawing forward in his chair, he said, more earnestly: