“Some days ago. It has not yet been announced.”
The Inspector coughed.
“I was only wondering whether, perhaps, Mr. Parrish was not quite ... whether he was, maybe, a little disturbed in his mind about the engagement ...”
The girl hesitated. Then she said firmly:
“Mr. Parrish was perfectly happy about it. He was looking forward to our being married in the spring.”
Mr. Humphries shut his notebook with a snap and rose to his feet.
“Thank you very much, ma’am,” he said with a little formal bow. “If you will excuse me now. I have the doctor to see again and there’s the Coroner to be warned ...”
He bowed again and tramped towards the door with a tread that made the chandelier tinkle melodiously.
The door closed behind him and his heavy footsteps died away along the corridor. Mary Trevert had risen to her feet calm and impassive. But when he had gone, her bosom began to heave and a spasm of pain shot across her face. Again the tears welled up in her eyes, brimmed over and stole down her cheeks.
“If I only knew!” she sobbed, “if I only knew!”