“The police believe that you went to the Villa Amette and murdered Mademoiselle out of revenge.”
“Let them prove it!” said the young fellow defiantly. “Let them prove it!”
“Prove what?” asked Louise, as she suddenly reopened the door, greatly to the woman’s consternation.
“Oh! Only somebody—that Spicer woman over at Godalming—has been saying some wicked and nasty things about Mr. Henfrey,” replied Mrs. Bond. “Personally, I should be annoyed. Really those gossiping people are simply intolerable.”
“What have they been saying, Hugh?” asked the girl.
“Oh, it’s really nothing,” laughed Henfrey. “I apologize. I was put out a moment ago, but I now see the absurdity of it. Forgive me, Louise.”
The girl looked from Mrs. Bond to her guest in amazement.
“What is there to forgive?” she asked.
“The fact that I was in the very act of losing my temper. That’s all.”
Presently, when Louise was ascending the stairs with Mrs. Bond, the girl asked: