'Of course I don't listen,' said Mrs. Kidder virtuously, 'I wouldn't put no stock in such tales myself. It beats me how people think up such things, let alone say them. All I hope is none of it gets to Miss Emma's ears. It might upset her and I shouldn't like that. She's a very nice lady, Miss Emma is, and I've not heard a word against her, not a word. And of course Mr. Alfred being dead nobody says anything against him now. Not even that it's a judgement, which they might well do. But it's awful, miss, isn't it, the wicked talk there is.'
Mrs. Kidder spoke with immense enjoyment.
'It must be quite painful for you to listen to it,' said Lucy.
'Oh, it is,' said Mrs. Kidder. 'It is indeed. I says to my husband, I says, however can they?'
The bell rang.
'There's the doctor, miss. Will you let 'im in, or shall I?'
'I'll go,' said Lucy.
But it was not the doctor. On the doorstep stood a tall, elegant woman in a mink coat. Drawn up to the gravel sweep was a purring Rolls with a chauffeur at the wheel.
'Can I see Miss Emma Crackenthorpe, please?'
It was an attractive voice, the R's slightly blurred. The woman was attractive too.
About thirty-five, with dark hair and expensively and beautifully made up.
'I'm sorry,' said Lucy, 'Miss Crackenthorpe is ill in bed and can't see anyone.'
'I know she has been ill, yes, but it is very important that I should see her.'
'I'm afraid,' Lucy began.
The visitor interrupted her. 'I think you are Miss Eyelesbarrow, are you not?' She smiled, an attractive smile. 'My son has spoken of you, so I know. I am Lady Stoddart-West and Alexander is staying with me now.'
'Oh, I see,' said Lucy.
'And it is really important that I should see Miss Crackenthorpe,' continued the other. 'I know all about her illness and I assure you this is not just a social call. It is because of something that the boys have said to me – that my son has said to me. It is, I think, a matter of grave importance and I would like to speak to Miss Crackenthorpe about it. Please, will you ask her?'
'Come in.' Lucy ushered her visitor into the hall and into the drawing-room.
Then she said, 'I'll go up and ask Miss Crackenthorpe.'
She went upstairs, knocked on Emma's door and entered.
'Lady Stoddart-West is here,' she said. 'She wants to see you very particularly.'
'Lady Stoddart-West?' Emma looked surprised. A look of alarm came into her face. 'There's nothing wrong, is there, with the boys – with Alexander?'
'No, no,' Lucy reassured her. 'I'm sure the boys are all right. It seems to be something the boys have told her or said to her.'
'Oh. Well…' Emma hesitated. 'Perhaps I ought to see her. Do I look all right, Lucy?'
'You look very nice,' said Lucy.
Emma was sitting up in bed, a soft pink shawl was round her shoulders and brought out the faint rose-pink of her cheeks. Her dark hair had been neatly brushed and combed by Nurse. Lucy had placed a bowl of autumn leaves on the dressing-table the day before. Her room looked attractive and quite unlike a sick room.
'I'm really quite well enough to get up,' said Emma. 'Dr. Quimper said I could tomorrow.'
'You look really quite yourself again,' said Lucy. 'Shall I bring Lady Stoddart-West up?'
'Yes, do.'
Lucy went downstairs again. 'Will you come up to Miss Crackenthorpe's room?'
She escorted the visitor upstairs, opened the door for her to pass in and then shut it.
Lady Stoddart-West approached the bed with outstretched hand.
'Miss Crackenthorpe? I really do apologise for breaking in on you like this. I have seen you, I think, at the sports at the school.'
'Yes,' said Emma, 'I remember you quite well. Do sit down.'
In the chair conveniently placed by the bed Lady Stoddart-West sat down. She said in a quiet low voice:
'You must think it very strange of me coming here like this, but I have a reason. I think it is an important reason. You see, the boys have been telling me things. You can understand that they were very excited about the murder that happened here. I confess I did not like it at the time. I was nervous. I wanted to bring James home at once. But my husband laughed. He said that obviously it was a murder that had nothing to do with the house and the family, and he said that from what he remembered from his boyhood, and from James's letters, both he and Alexander were enjoying themselves so wildly that it would be sheer cruelty to bring them back. So I gave in and agreed that they should stay on until the time arranged for James to bring Alexander back with him.'
Emma said: 'You think we ought to have sent your son home earlier?'
'No, no, that is not what I mean at all. Oh, it is difficult for me, this! But what I have to say must be said. You see, they have picked up a good deal, the boys. They told me that this woman – the murdered woman – that the police have an idea that she may be a French girl whom your eldest brother – who was killed in the war – knew in France . That is so?'
'It is a possibility,' said Emma, her voice breaking slightly, 'that we are forced to consider. It may have been so.'
'There is some reason for believing that the body is that of this girl, this Martine?'
'I have told you, it is a possibility.'
'But why – why should they think that she was this Martine? Did she have letters on her – papers?'
'No. Nothing of that kind. But you see, I had had a letter, from this Martine.'
'You had had a letter – from Martine?'
'Yes. A letter telling me she was in England and would like to come and see me. I invited her down here, but got a telegram saying she was going back to France . Perhaps she did go back to France . We do not know. But since then an envelope was found here addressed to her. That seems to show that she had come down here. But I really don't see…' She broke off.
Lady Stoddart-West broke in quickly:
'You really do not see what concern it is of mine? That is very true. I should not in your place. But when I heard this – or rather, a garbled account of this – I had to come to make sure it was really so because, if it is –'
'Yes?' said Emma.
'Then I must tell you something that I had never intended to tell you. You see, I am Martine Dubois.'
Emma stared at her guest as though she could hardly take in the sense of her words.
'You!' she said. 'You are Martine?'
The other nodded vigorously. 'But, yes. It surprises you, I am sure, but it is true. I met your brother Edmund in the first days of the war. He was indeed billeted at our house. Well, you know the rest. We fell in love. We intended to be married, and then there was the retreat to Dunkirk , Edmund was reported missing. Later he was reported killed. I will not speak to you of that time. It was long ago and it is over. But I will say to you that I loved your brother very much…
'Then came the grim realities of war. The Germans occupied France . I became a worker for the Resistance. I was one of those who was assigned to pass Englishmen through France to England . It was in that way that I met my present husband. He was an Air Force officer, parachuted into France to do special work. When the war ended we were married. I considered once or twice whether I should write to you or come and see you, but I decided against it. It could do no good, I thought, to rake up old memories. I had a new life and I had no wish to recall the old.' She paused and then said: 'But it gave me, I will tell you, a strange pleasure when I found that my son James's greatest friend at his school was a boy whom I found to be Edmund's nephew. Alexander, I may say, is very like Edmund, as I dare say you yourself appreciate. It seemed to me a very happy state of affairs that James and Alexander should be such friends.'
She leaned forward and placed her hand on Emma's arm. 'But you see, dear Emma, do you not, that when I heard this story about the murder, about this dead woman being suspected to be the Martine that Edmund had known, that I had to come and tell you the truth. Either you or I must inform the police of the fact. Whoever the dead woman is, she is not Martine.'
'I can hardly take it in,' said Emma, 'that you, you should be the Martine that dear Edmund wrote to me
