After one inquiring glance from Bernard to which he returned a nod of triumph they waited in silence for Miss Mount, listening to the indistinguishable murmur of voices from within.
At length the voices ceased. The door opened to afford them a glimpse of Joel in a white nightshirt, reaching out of bed to snap off the lamp beside it. Darkness engulfed the room and Miss Mount closed the door. She looked from one to the other and smiled very slightly.
“Sorry to keep you waiting!”
Aware that she had an uncanny knack for making all he did seem highly unnecessary, Landis accepted the fact with unruffled amusement and instantly forgot it.
“That doesn’t matter if you’ve learned anything,” he told her quietly.
“I’m afraid I haven’t, though! ‘Uncle Joel’ seems to have remained in his bedroom on both occasions except for his single trip to Anita’s door, when Susan screamed.”
“Is that all he could tell you?”
“All that would interest you, Mr. Landis.”
“Let’s have it all, please,” Bernard cut in wearily.