CHAPTER XIV
THE HOUSE IN JERSEY STREET
As her listeners made no comment on Miss Tyler's accusation of Mrs.Vrain, she paused only for a moment to recover her breath, and was offagain in full cry with a budget of ancient gossip drawn from a veryretentive memory.
"Of the way in which Lydia treated her poor dear husband I know little,"cried the fair Bella. "Only this, that she drove him out of the house byher scandalous conduct. Yes, indeed; although you may not believe me,Di. You were away in Australia at the time, but I kept a watch on Lydiain your interest, dear, and our housemaid heard from your housemaid themost dreadful things. Why, Mr. Vrain remonstrated with Lydia, andordered Count Ferruci out of the house, but Lydia would not let him go;and Mr. Vrain left the house himself."
"Where did he go to, Miss Tyler?"
"I don't know; nobody knows. But it is my opinion," said the spinster,with a significant look, "that he went to London to see about a divorce.But he was weak in the head, poor man, and I suppose let things go on.When next I heard of him he was a corpse in Geneva Square."
"But did my father tell his wife that he was in Geneva Square?"
"Dearest Di, I can't say; but I don't believe he had anything to do withher after he left the house."
"Then if she did not know his whereabouts, how could she kill him?"asked Denzil pertinently.
Brought to a point which she could not evade, Bella declined to answerthis question, but tossed her head and bit her lip, with a fine colour.All her accusations of Mrs. Vrain had been made generally, and, asLucian noted, were unsupported by fact. From a legal point of view thisspiteful gossip of a jealous woman was worth nothing, but in a broadsense it was certainly useful in showing the discord which had existedbetween Vrain and his wife. Lucian saw that little good was to be gainedfrom this prejudiced witness, so thanking Miss Tyler courteously for herinformation, he arose to go.
"Wait for a moment, Mr. Denzil," said Diana hurriedly. "I want to askyou something. Bella, would you mind----"
"Leaving the room? Oh, dear, no!" burst out Miss Tyler, annoyed at beingexcluded. "I've said all I have to say, and anything I can do, dearestDi, to assist you and Mr. Denzil in hanging that woman, I----"
"Miss Tyler," interrupted Lucian sternly, "you must not speak sowildly, for as yet there is nothing to prove that Mrs. Vrain is guilty."
"She is guilty enough for me, Mr. Denzil; but like all men, I supposeyou take her side, because she is supposed to be pretty. Pretty!"reflected Bella scornfully, "I never could see it myself; a painted upminx, dragged up from the gutter. I wonder at your taste, Mr. Denzil,indeed I do. Pretty, the idea! What fools men are! I'm glad I nevermarried one! Indeed no! He! he!"
And with a shrill laugh to point this sour-grape sentiment, and mark herdisdain for Lucian, the fair Bella took herself and her lean form out ofthe room.
Diana and the barrister were too deeply interested in their business totake much notice of Bella's hysterical outburst, but looked at oneanother gravely as she departed.
"Well, Mr. Denzil," said the former, repeating her earlier question,"what is to be done now? Shall we see Mrs. Vrain?"
"Not yet," replied Lucian quickly. "We must secure proofs of Mrs.Vrain's being in that yard before we can get any confession out of her.If you will leave it in my hands, Miss Vrain, I shall call on Mrs.Bensusan."
"Who is Mrs. Bensusan?"
"She is the tenant of the house in Jersey Street. It is possible thatshe or her servant may know something about the illegal use made of theright of way."
"Yes, I think that is the next step to take. But what am I to do in themeantime?"
"Nothing. If I were you I would not even see Mrs. Vrain."
"I will not seek her voluntarily," replied Diana, "but as I have been toBerwin Manor she is certain to hear that I am in England, and mayperhaps find out my address, and call. But if she does, you may be surethat I will be most judicious in my remarks."
"I leave all that to your discretion," said Denzil, rising. "Good-bye,Miss Vrain. As soon as I am in possession of any new evidence I shallcall again."
"Good-bye, Mr. Denzil, and thank you for all your kindness."
Diana made this remark with so kindly a look, so becoming a blush, andso warm a pressure of the hand, that Lucian felt quite overcome, and nottrusting himself to speak, walked swiftly out of the room.
In spite of the gravity of the task in which he was concerned, at thatmoment he thought more of Diana's looks and speech than of the detectivebusiness which he had taken up for love's sake. But on reaching hisrooms in Geneva Square he made a mighty effort to waken from these daydreams, and with a stern determination addressed himself resolutely tothe work in hand.
In this case the bitter came before the sweet. But by accomplishing thedesire of Diana, and solving the mystery of her father's death, Lucianhoped to win not only her smiles but the more substantial reward of herheart and hand.
Before calling on Mrs. Bensusan the barrister debated within himself asto whether it would not be judicious to call in again the assistance ofLink, and by telling him of the new evidence which had been found placehim thereby in possession of new material to prosecute the case. ButLink lately had taken so pessimistic a view of the matter that Lucianfancied he would scoff at his late discoveries, and discourage him inprosecuting what seemed to be a fruitless quest.
Denzil was anxious, as Diana's knight, to do as much of the work aspossible in order to gain the reward of her smiles. It is true that hehad no legal authority to make these inquiries, and it was possible thatMrs. Bensusan might refuse to answer questions concerning her ownbusiness, unsanctioned by law; but on recalling the description of MissGreeb, Lucian fancied that Mrs. Bensusan, as a fat woman, might only begood-natured and timid.
He therefore dismissed all ideas of asking Link to intervene, andresolved to risk a personal interview with the tenant of the JerseyStreet house. It would be time enough to invite Link's assistance, hethought, when Mrs. Bensusan--as yet an unknown quantity in thecase--proved obstinate in replying to his questions.
Mrs. Bensusan proved to be quite as stout as Miss Greeb had reported. Agigantically fat woman, she made up in breadth what she lacked inlength. Yet she seemed to have some activity about her, too, for sheopened the door personally to Lucian, who was quite amazed when hebeheld her monstrous bulk blocking up the doorway. Her face was whiteand round like a pale moon; she had staring eyes of a china blue,resembling the vacant optics of a wax doll; and, on the whole, appearedto be a timid, lymphatic woman, likely to answer any questions put toher in a sufficiently peremptory tone. Lucian foresaw that he was notlikely to have much trouble with this mountain of flesh.
"What might you be pleased to want, sir?" she asked Lucian, in themeekest of voices. "Is it about the lodgings?"
"Yes," answered the barrister boldly, for he guessed that Mrs. Bensusanwould scuttle back into the house like a rabbit to its burrow, did hespeak too plainly at the outset, "that is--I wish to inquire about afriend of mine."
"Did he lodge here, sir?"
"Yes. A Mr. Wrent."
"Deary me!" said the fat woman, with mild surprise. "Mr. Wrent left meshortly after Christmas. A kind gentleman, but timid; he----"
"Excuse me," interrupted Lucian, who wanted to get into the house, "butdon't you think you could tell me about my friend in a more convenientsituation?"
"Oh, yes, sir--certainly, sir," wheezed Mrs. Bensusan, rolling back upthe narrow passage. "I beg your pardon, sir, for my forgetfulness, butmy head ain't what it ought to be. I'm a lone widow, sir, and not overstrong."
Denzil could have laughed at this description, as the lady's bulk gavethe lie to her assertion. However, on diplomatic grounds he suppressedhis mirth, and followed his ponderous guide into a sitting-room so smallthat she almost filled it herself.
As he left the passage he saw a brilliant red head pop down thestaircase leading to the basement; but whether it was that of a man or awoman he could not say. Still, on recalling Mis
s Greeb's description ofthe Bensusan household, he concluded that the red head was the propertyof Rhoda, the sharp servant, and argued from her appearance in thebackground, and rapid disappearance, that she was in the habit oflistening to conversations she was not meant to hear.
Mrs. Bensusan sat down on the sofa, as being most accommodating to herbulk, and cast a watery look around the small apartment, which wasfurnished in that extraordinary fashion which seems to be the peculiarcharacteristic of boarding houses. The walls and carpet were patternedwith glowing bunches of red roses; the furniture was covered withstamped red velvet; the ornaments consisted of shells, wax fruit underglass shades, mats of Berlin wool, vases with dangling pendants ofglass, and such like elegant survivals of the early Victorian epoch.
Hideous as the apartment was, it seemed to afford Mrs. Bensusan--also asurvival--great pleasure; and she cast a complacent look around asLucian seated himself on an uncomfortable chair covered with anantimacassar of crochet work.
"My rooms are most comfortable, an' much liked," said Mrs. Bensusan,sighing, "but I have not had many lodgers lately. Rhoda thinks it mustbe on account of that horrible murder."
"The murder of Vrain in No. 13?"
"Ah!" groaned the fat woman, looking tearfully over her double chin, "Isee you have heard of it."
"Everybody has heard of it," replied Lucian, "and I was one of the firstto hear, since I live in Miss Greeb's house, opposite No. 13."
"Indeed, sir!" grunted Mrs. Bensusan, stiffening a little at the soundof a rival lodging-house keeper's name. "Then you are Mr. Denzil, thegentleman who occupies Miss Greeb's first floor front."
"Yes. And I have come to ask you a few questions."
"About what, sir?" said Mrs. Bensusan, visibly alarmed.
"Concerning Mr. Wrent."
"You are a friend of his?"
"I said so, Mrs. Bensusan, but as a matter of fact I never set eyes onthe gentleman in my life."
Mrs. Bensusan gasped like a fish out of water, and patted her fatbreast with her fat hand, as though to give herself courage. "It is notlike a gentleman to say that another gentleman's his friend when heain't," she said, with an attempt at dignity.
"Very true," answered Lucian, with great composure, "but you know thesaying, 'All is fair in love and war.' I will be plain with you, Mrs.Bensusan," he added, "I am here to seek possible evidence in connectionwith the murder of Mr. Vrain, in No. 13, on Christmas Eve."
Mrs. Bensusan gave a kind of hoarse screech, and stared at Lucian in ahorrified manner.
"Murder!" she repeated. "Lord! what mur--that murder! Mr. Vrain! Mr.Vrain--that murder!" she repeated over and over again.
"Yes, the murder of Mr. Vrain in No. 13 Geneva Square on Christmas Eve.Now do you understand?"
With another gasp Mrs. Bensusan threw up her fat hands and raised hereyes to the ceiling.
"As I am a Christian woman, sir," she cried, "I am as innocent as a babeunborn!"
"Of what?" asked Lucian sharply.
"Of the murder!" wept Mrs. Bensusan, now dissolved in tears. "Rhodasaid----"
"I don't want to hear what Rhoda said," interrupted Lucian impatiently,"and I am not accusing you of the murder. But--your house is at the backof No. 13."
"Yes," replied Mrs. Bensusan, weeping like a Niobe.
"And a fence divides your yard from that of No. 13?"
"I won't contradict you, sir--it do."
"And there is a passage leading from Jersey Street into your yard?"
"There is, Mr. Denzil; it's useful for the trades-people."
"And I daresay useful to others," said Lucian drily. "Now, Mrs.Bensusan, do you know if any lady was in the habit of passing throughthat passage at night?"
Before Mrs. Bensusan could answer the door was dashed open, and Rhoda,the red-headed, darted into the room.
"Don't answer, missus!" she cried shortly. "As you love me, mum, don't!"