Chapter XXVII
"Who were the haughty individuals interviewing Jean in the saloon?"asked Jack Glover, as Lydia's car panted and groaned on the stiff ascentto La Turbie.
Lydia was concerned, and he had already noted her seriousness.
"Poor Jean is rather worried," she said. "It appears that she had a loveaffair with a man three or four years ago, and recently he has beenbombarding her with threatening letters."
"Poor soul," said Jack dryly, "but I should imagine she could have dealtwith that matter without calling in the police. I suppose they weredetectives. Has she had a letter recently?"
"She had one this morning--posted in Monte Carlo last night."
"By the way, Jean went into Monte Carlo last night, didn't she?" askedJack.
She looked at him reproachfully.
"We all went into Monte Carlo," she said severely. "Now, please don't behorrid, Mr. Glover, you aren't suggesting that Jean wrote this awfulletter to herself, are you?"
"Was it an awful letter?" asked Jack.
"A terrible letter, threatening to kill her. Do you know that Mr.Briggerland thinks that the person who nearly killed me was reallyshooting at Jean."
"You don't say," said Jack politely. "I haven't heard about peopleshooting at you--but it sounds rather alarming."
She told him the story, and he offered no comment.
"Go on with your thrilling story of Jean's mortal enemy. Who is he?"
"She doesn't know his name," said Lydia. "She met him in Egypt--anelderly man who positively dogged her footsteps wherever she went, andmade himself a nuisance."
"Doesn't know his name, eh?" said Jack with a sniff. "Well, that'sconvenient."
"I think you're almost spiteful," said Lydia hotly. "Poor girl, she wasso distressed this morning; I have never seen her so upset."
"And are the police going to keep guard and follow her wherever shegoes? And is that impossible person, Mr. Marcus Stepney, also in thevendetta? I saw him wandering about this morning like a wounded hero,with his arm in a sling."
"He hurt his hand gathering wild flowers for me on the--"
But Jack's outburst of laughter checked her, and she glared at him.
"I think you're boorish," she snapped angrily. "I'm sorry I came outwith you."
"And I'm sorry I've been such a fool," apologised the penitent Jack,"but the vision of the immaculate Mr. Stepney gathering wild flowers ina top hat and a morning suit certainly did appeal to me as beingcomical!"
"He doesn't wear a top hat or a morning suit in Monte Carlo," she said,furious at his banter. "Let us talk about somebody else than myfriends."
"I haven't started to talk about your friends yet," he said. "And pleasedon't try to tell your chauffeur to turn round--the road is too narrow,and he'd have the car over the cliff before you knew where you were, ifhe were stupid enough to try. I'm sorry, deeply sorry, Mrs. Meredith,but I think that Jean was right when she said that the southern air hadgot into my blood. I'm a little hysterical--yes, put it down to that. Itruns in the family," he babbled on. "I have an aunt who faints at thesight of strawberries, and an uncle who swoons whenever a cat walks intothe room."
"I hope you don't visit him very much," she said coldly.
"Two points to you," said Jack, "but I must warn Jaggs, in case he ismistaken for the elderly Lothario. Obviously Jean is preparing the wayfor an unpleasant end to poor old Jaggs."
"Why do you think these things about Jean?" she asked, as they wererunning into La Turbie.
"Because I have a criminal mind," he replied promptly. "I have the sametype of mind as Jean Briggerland's, wedded to a wholesome respect forthe law, and a healthy sense of right and wrong. Some people couldn't behappy if they owned a cent that had been earned dishonestly; otherpeople are happy so long as they have the money--so long as it is realmoney. I belong to the former category. Jean--well, I don't know whatwould make Jean happy."
"And what would make you happy--Jean?" she asked.
He did not answer this question until they were sitting on the stoep ofthe National, where a light luncheon was awaiting them.
"Jean?" he said, as though the question had just been asked. "No, Idon't want Jean. She is wonderful, really, Mrs. Meredith, wonderful! Ifind myself thinking about her at odd moments, and the more I think themore I am amazed. Lucretia Borgia was a child in arms compared withJean--poor old Lucretia has been maligned, anyway. There was a woman inthe sixteenth century rather like her, and another girl in the earlydays of New England, who used to denounce witches for the pleasure ofseeing them burn, but I can't think of an exact parallel, because Jeangets no pleasure out of hurting people any more than you will get out ofcutting that cantaloup. It has just got to be cut, and the fact that youare finally destroying the life of the melon doesn't worry you."
"Have cantaloups life?" She paused, knife in hand, eyeing the fruit witha frown. "No, I don't think I want it. So Jean is a murderess at heart?"
She asked the question in solemn mockery, but Jack was not smiling.
"Oh yes--in intention, at any rate. I don't know whether she has everkilled anybody, but she has certainly planned murders."
Lydia sighed and sat back in her chair patiently.
"Do you still suggest that she harbours designs against my young life?"
"I not only suggest it, but I state positively that there have been fourattempts on your life in the past fortnight," he said calmly.
"Let us have this out," she said recklessly. "Number one?"
"The nearly-a-fatal accident in Berkeley Street," said Jack.
"Will you explain by what miracle the car arrived at the psychologicalmoment?" she asked.
"That's easy," he said with a smile. "Old man Briggerland lit his cigarstanding on the steps of the house. That light was a brilliant one,Jaggs tells me. It was the signal for the car to come on. The nextattempt was made with the assistance of a lunatic doctor who was helpedto escape by Briggerland, and brought to your house by him. In some wayhe got hold of a key--probably Jean manoeuvred it. Did she ever talkto you about keys?"
"No," said the girl, "she----" She stopped suddenly, remembering thatJean had discussed keys with her.
"Are you sure she didn't?" asked Jack, watching her.
"I think she may have done," said the girl defiantly; "what was thethird attempt?"
"The third attempt," said Jack slowly, "was to infect your bed with amalignant fever."
"Jean did it?" said the girl incredulously. "Oh no, that would beimpossible."
"The child was in your bed. Jaggs saw it and threw two buckets of waterover the bed, so that you should not sleep in it."
She was silent.
"And I suppose the next attempt was the shooting?"
He nodded.
"Now do you believe?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"No, I don't believe," she said quietly. "I think you have worked up avery strong case against poor Jean, and I am sure you think you'rejustified."
"You are quite right there," he said.
He lifted a pair of field glasses which he had put on the table, andsurveyed the road from the sea. "Mrs. Meredith, I want you to dosomething and tell Jean Briggerland when you have done it."
"What is that?" she asked.
"I want you to make a will. I don't care where you leave your property,so long as it is not to somebody you love."
She shivered.
"I don't like making wills. It's so gruesome."
"It will be more gruesome for you if you don't," he said significantly."The Briggerlands are your heirs at law."
She looked at him quickly.
"So that is what you are aiming at? You think that all these plots aredesigned to put me out of the way so that they can enjoy my money?"
He nodded, and she looked at him wonderingly.
"If you weren't a hard-headed lawyer, I should think you were a writerof romantic fiction," she said. "But if it will please you I will make awill. I haven't the slightest ide
a who I could leave the money to. I'vegot rather a lot of money, haven't I?"
"You have exactly L160,000 in hard cash. I want to talk to you aboutthat," said Jack. "It is lying at your bankers in your current account.It represents property which has been sold or was in process of beingsold when you inherited the money, and anybody who can get yoursignature and can satisfy the bankers that they are bona fide payees,can draw every cent you have of ready money. I might say in passing thatwe are prepared for that contingency, and any large cheque will bereferred to me or to my partner."
He raised his field glasses for a second time and looked steadily downalong the hill road up which they had come.
"Are you expecting anybody?" she asked.
"I'm expecting Jean," he said grimly.
"But we left her----"
"The fact that we left her talking to the police doesn't mean that shewill not be coming up here, to watch us. Jean doesn't like me, you know,and she will be scared to death of this _tete-a-tete_."
The conversation had been arrested by the arrival of the soup and nowthere was a further interruption whilst the table was being cleared.When the _maitre d'hotel_ had gone the girl asked:
"What am I to do with the money? Reinvest it?"
"Exactly," said Jack, "but the most important thing is to make yourwill."
He looked along the deserted veranda. They were the only guests presentwho had come early. From the veranda two curtained doors led into the_salon_ of the hotel and it struck him that one of these had not beenajar when he looked at it before, and it was the door opposite to thetable where they were sitting.
He noted this idly without attaching any great importance to the fact.
"Suppose somebody were to present a cheque to the bank in my name?" sheasked. "What would happen?"
"If it were for a large sum? The manager would call us up and one of uswould probably go round to your bank. It is only a block from ouroffice. If Rennett or I said it was all right the cheque would behonoured. You may be sure that I should make very drastic inquiries asto the origin of the signature."
And then she saw him stiffen and his eyes go to the door. He waited asecond, then rising noiselessly, crossed the wooden floor of the verandaquickly and pushed open the door, to find himself face to face with thesmiling Jean Briggerland.