CHAPTER NINE
BLIND GROPING
Ailsa Lorne gave a little start as she examined the fragment.
"I thought at first that it was torn from my own dress," she saidfrankly, looking up at him, "for, as it happens, I was wearing a pinkdress, but not quite of this shade. I will show it to you if you like."
"There is no need, Miss Lorne," said Cleek, his eyes shining. "If youtell me that you were not at Gleer Cottage last night, then there is nomore to be said," and with a little laugh of sheer happiness hecarefully replaced the bit of chiffon in his pocketbook. "Just one morequestion, please, Miss Lorne. Tell me: has Lady Katharine a certain kindof bracelet to which there is attached a small capsule by a link ofgold, and which smells adorably of violets?"
"Yes. Anybody that knows her could tell you that. Her father, Lord St.Ulmer, brought it to her from South America. He had her name and the St.Ulmer arms engraved upon it. At least, upon what you have called the'capsule,' which contains some highly concentrated perfume that makesthe whole room fragrant whenever she removes a tiny gold stopper fromthe delightful thing."
"Thank you! I supposed as much. Now will you tell me, Miss Lorne, howlong it is since Lady Katharine lost that little golden capsule from herbracelet? Was it, as I am hoping, on the day when you visited GleerCottage in company with her, or since?"
"What a strange question. She hasn't lost it at all. At least, she hasmade no mention of having done so, as I am sure she would if it _had_been lost. Always, of course, providing it wasn't lost without herknowledge. At any rate, she wore it last night when we went to ClaveringClose. I know that, because I remarked at the time that she had betterlet a jeweller look at it, as the ring of the scent globe was verynearly worn through."
"Was that before you left the Grange or after?"
"After--a long while after--at Clavering Close; in fact, while we weretaking off our wraps preparatory to going down to the drawing-room."
"Hum-m-m!" said Cleek, puckering up his lips and looking grave. "You areestablishing a very unpleasant fact by that statement. It proves that,in spite of your belief to the contrary, Lady Katharine revisited GleerCottage last night, and that, too, _after_ the affair at ClaveringClose."
"How perfectly absurd! Why, she wasn't out of my sight for a singleinstant."
"Nevertheless, she certainly visited Gleer Cottage last night," repeatedCleek with calm persistence. "I know that beyond all possible doubt,Miss Lorne; for I myself found the capsule of that bracelet there,crushed and broken, but still showing that the St. Ulmer arms and thename 'Katharine' had been engraved upon it. Don't look at me like that,please, or you will make me hate myself for having to tell you this."
"But I tell you it is impossible," she still protested. "I tell you shewas never out of my sight for one instant from the time we left thishouse to the time we returned. No, not for one, Mr. Cleek, up to thevery moment she left me to go to bed."
"Just so. But after that?"
"After that? After----" she began; and then stopped, and grew very paleand very, very still, for there had come to her a recollection of thatmoment when, as she had said, she fancied she heard Lady Katharine'sdoor open and shut in the night when all the house was still.
"And after that?" repeated Cleek, driving the question home.
"How should I know?" she gave back, in something akin to panic. "Howcould I? We do not sleep together. But"--with sudden brightening--"thisI do know, however: the bracelet was still on her wrist and the scentglobe still attached to it, even then. I saw it with my own eyes."
"A clear proof that, as the capsule was dropped after that time, sheleft the house last night without your knowledge, Miss Lorne."
"I can't believe it; I will not believe it!" protested Ailsa loyally. "Iknow that she did not! I _know_!"
"How?"
"It is likely that you have not heard it, but Katharine is anaccomplished violoncellist, Mr. Cleek. She loves her instrument, and intimes of sorrow or distress she flies to it for comfort, and plays andplays until her nerves are soothed. Last night, after she left me, Iheard her playing in her room."
"For long?"
"No. Of a sudden something went snap and the music ceased. She openedher door and called across the passage to me: 'Ailsa, pray for me. I amso wretched, so abandoned by fortune, that even the solace of my 'cellois denied me. I have broken the A-string and have not another in thehouse. Good-night, dear. I wish I could break the String of Life aseasily!' After that she closed and locked the door, and I heard her goto bed."
_The A-string!_
Cleek turned away his head and took his chin between his thumb andforefinger. _The A-string!_ And it was with a noose of catgut that theCount de Louvisan had been strangled!
"I'll not believe that she left the house," went on Miss Lorne. "She isthe soul of honour, the very embodiment of truth, and she told meherself that she 'slept like a log until morning.' If she had gone outafter I left her, after I fell asleep----"
"It could be proved and proved easily," interposed Cleek. "The night wasmoist and foggy, the roads were wet and muddy. Her clothes, the hem ofher skirt, the state of her shoes---- But I will not ask you to playthe spy upon your friend, Miss Lorne."
"Nor would I do it!" she flashed back spiritedly; then stopped and gavea little excited exclamation and laid a shaking hand upon Cleek'ssleeve. An automobile had swung suddenly into view in the drive leadingup from the gates to the house, and in it were two men: one white ofhair and snowy of beard but as erect as a statue; the other slim andyoung and fashionably dressed, and so clearly of the order "Johnnie"that he who ran might read. The General and his son had returned fromtheir visit to Gleer Cottage.
Miss Lorne made that fact clear to Cleek in a few words.
"Now we shall have the full account of everything in Harry Raynor'soriginal and detestable style," she whispered. "You are so shrewd inguessing riddles, Mr. Cleek, tell me, if you can, why it is that lionsso often breed asses, and that heroes so often father clowns? If youwere to search the world you could find no truer gentleman, in speech,in manner, in instincts, in everything, than dear old General Raynor;and yet, if you were to search it thrice over, you could find no greatercad than his son."
"From what I can see at this distance he certainly does look like a fineexample of the genus bounder, I must confess," said Cleek. "You do notappear to have much of an opinion of the young man, Miss Lorne."
"I have not. I detest him! I never did care for 'scented' men; and whenthey come down to the 'curling iron' and the 'dye stick' they are simplyabominable!"
"The 'dye stick'?"
"Yes. You mustn't be deceived by that waxed and delicately darkenedmoustache of Mr. Harry Raynor's, Mr. Cleek. It would be as sandy as hishair if the wretched little dandy didn't darken it with black cosmeticbecause he is ashamed of the cow colour which nature so appropriatelybestowed upon it."
Cleek screwed round on his heel and looked at Mr. Harry Raynor withrenewed interest.
"I suppose I ought not to have said that," she continued, "but I dodetest him so. I think I had better run and tell Kathie that they havecome back, but I will not keep you waiting many minutes." She smiledbrightly at Cleek, and with a little nod ran lightly off, leaving him toawait her return.
But, despite his interest in Mr. Harry Raynor, Cleek dropped discreetlyout of sight and into one of the many winding paths with which thegrounds abounded. A few minutes' gentle stroll along this particular onebrought him to the rear of the house, and before he quite realized it hefound himself within the precincts of the stable. The yard itself wasdeserted save for a single groom who was evidently hard at workpolishing a boot, and which, judging from the muddy appearance of itscompanion, must have proved no easy task.
Cleek gave one look at the expensively cut article of footgear, then helounged across the yard.
"That's a pretty tough job, isn't it?" said he offhandedly. The groomlooked up, but meeting the visitor's disarming smile, only gave vent toa grunt.
; "Should think it is a tough job," he muttered. "They're his lordship'sboots, an' 'ow 'e comes to make 'em in such a state beats me to fits.Fair caked with mud, and 'im in bed with a sprained ankle. It's thatvalet of 'is, I s'pose----" He broke off, then looked questioningly atCleek.
"I've lost my way," he said, plunging his hand into his pocket. "Istrolled down a path from the lawns in front of the house. Which onewill take me back?"
"First path to the right, sir, and thank you," said the gratified groom,and a minute later found Cleek back at the spot where Ailsa had lefthim.
He certainly had to admit that the whole affair was most perplexing, andhe was still pondering over the various points of the case when AilsaLorne returned, and for a few moments they paced the lawn in silence;then Cleek turned with a little smile.
"I suppose we shall have to go and meet the General," said he serenely."Shall we meet Lady Katharine's father as well?"
"Oh, dear, no! The man's in bed with a sprained ankle. Can't put hisfoot to the ground."
"Oh! Indeed? Then that explains it, of course. I wondered."
"Explains it? Explains what?"
"Why, his not being about at such a time--not appearing to take anyinterest in his daughter's affairs, especially her deliverance from aloveless marriage. It struck me as curious when I saw her. But I set itdown to the possibility of there being bad blood between them. Isthere?"
"No, there is not," said Ailsa, falling unconsciously into the trap."Kathie is not the kind of girl to hold a grudge against any one, Mr.Cleek. She is intensely emotional, but she is also intensely loyal. Thevery last person in the world she would be likely to treat spitefullywould be her father."
"I see. She is fond of him, then? Probably I have heard the wrongversion of the story. Have I? I was told that it was he who compelledher, very much against her will, to accept the attentions ofthe--er--Count de Louvisan and to become engaged to him. That she beggedher father to save her from marrying the man, but he would not--or couldnot--consent."
"That is quite true. You have not been misinformed. She did just whatyou have been told. Indeed, I happen to know that she even went so faras to get down on her knees to Lord St. Ulmer and implore him to killher rather than to compel her to give up Geoff--and especially for a manshe loathed as she did the Count de Louvisan. It was useless, however.That same night Lord St. Ulmer asked her to come to him alone in thelibrary at Ulmer Court. They were together for two hours. The next dayshe accepted the Count de Louvisan."
"I see!" said Cleek. "Of course, his lordship told her something whichinfluenced her beyond her own will and desires. Do you happen to knowwhat that something was?"
"No. She has never told me one word beyond that she went into thatlibrary with a breaking heart, and came out of it with a broken one."
"And in spite of all that, she still loves this father who compelled herto give up all that life held, eh?"
"I didn't say that. I said that she was loyal to him, not that she lovedhim. How could she love a father whom she had not seen since she was ababy--whom she did not even know when he came back to claim her? Why,she hadn't even a picture to tell her what he looked like, and in allthe years he was away he never wrote her so much as one line. A girlcouldn't love a father like that. She might like him, she might begrateful to him, as Katharine is, for loading her with all the thingsthat money can buy; but to love him---- What is the matter, Mr. Cleek?What in the world made you say 'Phew' like that?"
"Nothing! Do you happen to know if the late Count de Louvisan was everin Argentina, Miss Lorne?"
"No, I do not. Why?"
"Oh, mere idle curiosity, that's all. Turned up suddenly at Ulmer Court,didn't he? Any idea from where?"
"Not the slightest. He called quite unexpectedly one evening after weall--Kathie, his lordship, and I--had been over to the autumn races atFourfields. That was an unfortunate day altogether. We did not see theconclusion of even the first race. Lord St. Ulmer was suddenly takenill, although he had been quite well a moment before, and was so badthat we had to leave immediately. Nothing would do him but that we mustdrive home as quickly as possible, so that he could consult our localdoctor."
Cleek glanced at her swiftly. "Hum-m-m! Bad as that, was he?" he asked."What did the local doctor think caused the illness? Or did his lordshiprecover on the way home, and find it unnecessary to call him in at all?Ah, he did, eh? Queer things those sudden attacks; you never know whenthey will come on or when they will go off again. Possibly his presentillness came just as suddenly. Did it?"
"I don't know, I'm sure," replied Miss Lorne. "I wasn't there when ithappened. Nobody was. Kathie and I had just gone into the refreshmentroom at the railway station for tea-- Lord St. Ulmer said he didn't carefor any, and would just step round to the news stall and get anafternoon paper--and when we came out there he was, poor man, sitting ona seat and groaning. He stepped on a banana peel, he said, and turnedhis ankle. A few minutes later Count de Louvisan put in an appearance.He had arranged to join us at Liverpool Street Station, and, no doubt,would have done so, but at the last minute Lord St. Ulmer had made uphis mind to journey up to town by an earlier train than originallyarranged. Anyway, his lordship made him go and wire to General Raynorthat he was afraid our visit would have to be postponed indefinitely, ashe had met with an accident and was going direct to the Savoy Hotel. Ofcourse the General came with his motor, and wouldn't listen to hisstopping there; so we all came on, as agreed, to Wuthering Grange. Thatwas the day before yesterday, and Lord St. Ulmer has been in bed eversince."
"Very neat, very neat indeed," commented Cleek. "Couldn't tell me, Isuppose, where I might get a peep at-- I--er--mean who is the doctorattending to him?"
"He hasn't a doctor. He wouldn't have one. He is a very obstinate man,Mr. Cleek, and simply would not allow General Raynor to call in thelocal practitioner. Claims that he brought some wonderful ointment withhim from Argentina which, as he phrases it, 'beats all the doctorshollow in the matter of sprains and bruises'; and simply will not allowanybody to do anything for him."
Cleek puckered up his brows. Obviously it would be useless to representhimself as an assistant to the local doctor, or even to make himself upto pass muster for that doctor himself, for the purpose of examining aman who would not see any medical man upon any pretext whatsoever. Andyet---- He gave a little toss of his shoulders, as if to throw awaythese fresh ideas, and came back again to Lady Katharine. What otherproof could he secure? Why had she played the 'cello at all at such atime? Was it to secure that very string? Was it but a cloak to hide herdesigns? A swift idea flashed across his mind, as he recalled Lennard'sstory of a lady in an ermine cloak. He turned suddenly to his companion.
"Miss Lorne," he asked, "did Lady Katharine bring her ermine cloak withher when she came up from Suffolk?"
"No," said Ailsa in reply. "And for the very best of reasons: she hasn'tone."
"Oh, I see. Know anybody who has?"
"Yes, I have. Lady Chepstowe gave me hers when she went to India. Why?"
"Oh, just a fancy of mine, that's all," replied Cleek with apparentoffhandedness. "I seem to fancy that I heard something about LadyKatharine having had her portrait painted wearing a very superb erminecloak. But, of course, if she hasn't one--or--yes, she might haveborrowed yours. You'd lend it to her, I know--lend it like a shot. Didyou?"
"I certainly did not. For one thing, she never in her life asked me to;and for another, whoever told you that tale about her having herportrait painted wearing one must be blessed with a very remarkableimagination. She had no such portrait painted. And I never lent her thecloak for any purpose at any time."
"I see. Couldn't have left it lying about where anybody might pick itup, could you?"
"How like a man that is," she said gayly. "Fancy a girl, especially onein my position, being possessed of so valuable a thing as an erminecloak, and then leaving it about like a fan or a garden hat! No, I didnot leave it about. Indeed, I couldn't if I had wanted to."
"Why?"
r /> "For the very good reason that I sent it to the furrier's to have itmade into a muff and stole."
"May I ask when? Recently?"
"No; quite two months ago. They are storing it for me, and will make thealterations in time for next winter's wear. As a cloak, of course, it isquite useless to a girl in my position. But really, I must go now.Kathie will think it very heartless of us if we do not fly to hear theGeneral's report. Wait for me here, please. I shall be back directly."
Then she hurried out of the summerhouse and taking a path which ledround to the rear of the Grange, passed from sight and left Cleek to hisown devices.