“I’ll see you when you get back?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know. I’m not certain when I shall return. I may go away for a bit.”
The door closed behind Lady Underhill. Derek sat down again at the writing-table. He wrote a few words on a sheet of paper, then tore it up. His eye travelled to the mantelpiece. Jill’s photograph smiled happily down at him. He turned back to the writing-table, took out a fresh piece of paper, thought for a few moments, and began to write again.
The door opened softly.
“The cab is at the door, Sir Derek,” said Parker.
Derek addressed an envelope, and got up.
“All right. Thanks. Oh, Parker, stop at a district-messenger office on your way to the police-station, and have this sent off at once.”
“Very good, Sir Derek,” said Parker.
Derek’s eyes turned once more to the mantelpiece. He stood looking for an instant, then walked quickly out of the room.