“What did you hear?” asked David Blake. The words came from him with a sort of startled hardness.
“I heard everything you said to Edward—about Mr. Mottisfont. You said it was poison. I heard you say it.”
“Yes,” said David Blake.
“And Edward took him the tea,” said Mary quickly. “Don’t you see, David—don’t you see how dreadful it is for Edward? People who didn’t know him might say—they might think such dreadful things—and if there were an inquest—” the words came in a sort of strangled whisper. “There can’t be an inquest—there can’t. Oh, David, you’ll sign the certificate, won’t you?”
David’s face had been changing while she spoke. The first hard startled look went from it. It was succeeded by a flash of something like horror, and then by pain—pain and a great pity.
“No, Mary, dear, I can’t,” he said very gently. He looked at her, and further words died upon his lips. Mary came nearer. There was a big chair in front of the fireplace, and she rested one hand on the back of it. It seemed as if she needed something firm to touch, her world was shifting so. David had remained standing by the door, but Mary was not a yard away from him now.
“You see, David,” she said, still in that low tremulous voice, “you see, David, you haven’t thought—you can’t have thought—what it will mean if you don’t. Edward might be suspected of a most dreadful thing. I’m sure you haven’t thought of that. He might even”—Mary’s eyes widened—“he might even be arrested—and tried—and I couldn’t bear it.” The hand that rested on the chair began to tremble very much. “I couldn’t bear it,” said Mary piteously.
“Mary, my dear,” said David, “this is a business matter, and you mustn’t interfere—I can’t possibly sign the certificate. Poor old Mr. Mottisfont did not die a natural death, and the matter will have to be inquired into. No innocent person need have anything to be afraid of.”
“Oh!” said Mary. Her breath came hard. “You haven’t told any one—not yet? You haven’t written? Oh, am I too late? Have you told people already?”
“No,” said David, “not yet, but I must.”