“Did you see her enter the house?�
“No. I have thought about that since this—this terrible thing has happened. I supposed I had seen my daughter enter her home, but, as I recall it now, I only saw her mount the steps in front of it. I did not actually see her enter the house.â€�
“You took your daughter to the reception with you—was Mrs. Babbington with you at that time?â€�
“No. It had been arranged that we were to meet at Madame de Seville’s. It was my intention to take them both in my car when we came away.�
“Then your daughter was aware of the engagement between you and Mrs. Babbington?�
“If you will pardon me for just one word of protest, Mr. Carter, I confess that I do not in the least see what all this private matter has to do with the subject in hand.�
“Did your daughter know about the engagement?� Nick asked again, without a change of his tone.
“She did not,� replied Lynne, with just a little show of heat. “It was my intention to tell her about it last night. The fact that she did not feel well, and that she wished to return home early, spoiled that intention.�
“Miss Lynne was well enough to start for the reception, but not well enough to remain, so I assume that she became ill after she arrived there—or do you suppose that she only pretended to be ill?â€�
“In the light of what has happened since, I can only suppose that she purposely deceived me, since in some manner, as soon as she parted with me, she must have started for Pleasantglades, though why——â€�