“And has always been very friendly towards the unfortunate girl?”
“Always.”
“The only thing taken from the young lady appears to have been a diamond brooch. Do you know anything of it?”
“Of what?” gasped Liane nervously, her face paling almost imperceptibly behind her black veil.
“Of the brooch, of course.”
“I only know that she prized it very much, as it was a present from a gentleman she had met while on the Riviera eighteen months ago.”
“He was not her lover?” inquired the grave-faced man, without looking up from the sheet of blue foolscap whereon he was writing her statement.
“Not exactly. I have no knowledge of her possessing any admirer.”
The Coroner at last paused and put down his quill. “And this miniature, which was discovered beside the body, have you ever before seen it in the possession of the deceased?” he asked, holding it up to her gaze.
“No,” she answered. “Never.”