"All's well up till now! I must tell Bernie."
She dashed to the telephone, and, asking for a number, spoke rapidly:
"Lilla speaking," she said. "Bernie. He's here, and he's been taken suddenly ill. You'd better come round at once."
She listened. Then she said:
"Right—you'll get here in a quarter of an hour. He's asleep now!"
Then the pretended invalid and her pseudo-sister, leaving Gerald in the drawing-room, where he had collapsed so suddenly after drinking the glass of "doctored" port, went into the dining-room and mixed themselves a stiff brandy and soda each.
Afterwards the Red Widow, descending to where the taxi was waiting, gave the man another ten shillings, and said:
"The gentleman has changed his mind. He's staying here."
"All right, mum," the man replied. "Thank you very much. Good-night."
Starting his engine, he drove away well satisfied.