ensure your absence for at least a couple of hours. That should give me all the time I need.'
'But you do still think she is in danger from Romilly?'
'I am sure she is, and from that hazard I shall protect her.'
'She's an odd bod. Do you think she will tell you the truth about herself?'
'I know enough of it, I think, to be able to decide whether she is telling the truth or not.'
Laura, according to plan, was despatched to Bournemouth with a shopping list, and left the Stone House in her own little car at half-past ten. Rosamund was still at breakfast, and poured herself a last cup of coffee as Dame Beatrice came back into the pleasant morning-room after having seen Laura off.
'It's going to be a nice day, Dame Beatrice,' she said. 'Couldn't we go for a drive into the Forest?'
'I think I am a little tired of the car,' Dame Beatrice responded. 'I seem to have used it so much during the past week.'
'Oh, yes, I'm sorry. Of course, at your age, you must get worn out rather easily. I don't stop to think. Well, do you suppose George could take me on my own? I had such a dreadfully boring time in Scotland.'
'It is better, perhaps, to be bored than dead, although not much, I suppose. Would you like to return to Galliard Hall?'
'Return there? But I thought...'
'Romilly is no longer there, of course.'
'No, but Judith is.'
'Did you know Judith before Romilly took you to live there?'
'No, of course I didn't. How could I? I didn't know Romilly himself until after grandfather died.'
Dame Beatrice picked up the newspaper which was delivered from Brokenhurst each morning by a boy on a bicycle.
'Dear me! The Ides of March!' she observed, placing a thin yellow forefinger on the date at the top of the front page. Rosamund was unimpressed.
'Is it?' she said. 'Less than a month until Easter. Do you have Easter eggs?'
'No, it is not a custom I observe.'
'Why do you want me to go back to Galliard Hall?'
'I do not want you to go back to Galliard Hall. I asked whether you would like to return. I gather that you would not, neither have you chosen to remain in Scotland.'
'I don't want to stay here, either. It's Laura. I tell you I'm scared of her. I know she doesn't like me. Do you think I could go and stay with Binnie?'
'That is hardly for me to decide. It would depend on Mr Humphrey's views, would it not?'
'They're rather poor. I could pay them well.'
'Why not write to them?'
'I don't know their address.'
'I have it, but, before you put your suggestion to them, we had better find out what the legal position is.'
'The legal position? Oh, you mean consult grandfather's lawyers. Yes, I could do that, I suppose. They are the people who pay me my allowance.'
'I do not know whether that constitutes them your guardians under the terms of your grandfather's Will. Technically, of course, you are of age, but doubtless conditions will have been laid down for their guidance. That can be discussed later. As you will have guessed, I have sent Laura out on an errand, which will take her the rest of the morning to execute, so that you and I may have plenty of time for a chat.'
'What about?'
'Laura's niece told her of the conversation you had in her parents' house in Solihull.'
'Yes, I'm sorry about that. I'm afraid I interrupted her school work.'
'That is not my concern. Why did you confess to her that Romilly's story of your having thrown various articles into the sea was a true one?'
'Oh, that? I thought it might interest her.'
'It did. Where did you obtain the monkey?'
'Oh, I didn't, of course, or the cat or the baby doll.'
'How old were you when Willoughby became Felix Napoleon's secretary?'
'How old? I don't remember. I suppose I was about fifteen. We weren't living in Carlisle then. Grandfather never stayed long in one hotel. He said the staff got used to you, and the service became unsatisfactory and they thought they wouldn't get as much in tips as they did from people coming and going.'
'How old were you when Felix Napoleon adopted you?'
'I was ten when my father died.'
'Did you ever meet Hubert, Willoughby's brother?'
