“ ‘Curse you’ I said advancing to him ‘I don’t want your dirty money; I only want justice and my rights.’
“ ‘Over my dead body’ he cried, and even at that moment it seemed that the words were theatrical, as though spoken for some purpose, but I was too far gone for thinking and I sprang for him. I can see now that he had been waiting for me, and a crashing blow descended on my head, bringing me to the ground. I rose, pouring with blood, and flew at him, and we grappled together, but loss of blood, and the shock were too much for me, and I suppose I must have fainted.
“When I recovered, I found Reckavile bending over me, surprisingly gentle, and full of apologies.
“ ‘I am sorry, my dear fellow’ he said ‘but you know you attacked me first, I hope you are better.’
“I murmured something, I suppose I was lightheaded, but he helped me to the sofa, and then to my intense surprise he said ‘You are knocked up tonight, but if you can get away without assistance it will save a scandal, and come tomorrow night at seven. Here is the marriage certificate, and you shall have it then.’ He walked to that desk, and pulled it out and showed it. If I had not been so weak I should have snatched it from him, but he held it away from me, with a mocking smile. ‘I swear that you shall be restored to your rights tomorrow’ he said, ‘but meanwhile not a word about tonight.’
“I gave my word, and at last was able to totter out of the room, and by slow stages to get home.
“The next day I spent in bed, but in the afternoon I walked to Bungalow Town as my head was splitting, and I had to think the whole thing out. I was sure there was some trap but could not fathom the plot. You know the rest. The wound broke open, and I nearly fainted. Mr. Sefton here found me in a broken condition, and bound me up at the Club. I staggered down to the Black Horse. By doing so I was too late to keep my appointment and I saved my neck from the halter,” he added gravely.
“You mean that had you gone to the castle, you would have been accused of the murder,” said Sefton.
“I believe he had planned the whole thing with diabolical cunning. When I read the account of the murder I recognised at once that the conversation heard by Giles and Brown was the one which took place the night before, and guessed a dictaphone, which had caused the ticking sound I had heard. He had arranged for me to come, and either was going to commit suicide, which is the Reckavile way, with damning evidence against me, or to bolt, in which case I should certainly have been arrested, and exposed to ignominy and degradation, though without the body they could not prove murder. There would be my footmarks and probably my presence, and the conversation, though how he would have disposed of the record without an accomplice I cannot say.”
“I begin to see light,” said Fletcher “then I suppose you and Southgate came to try and find the certificate?”