Part 9 (1/2)
”You knew he had provided for you in his will?”
”He told me several times that he intended to leave me everything. You see, he has no relatives!”
”I see!” said the Inspector in a reflective voice.
”Had he any enemies, do you know? Anybody who would drive him to a thing like this?”
The girl shook her head vehemently.
”No!”
The monosyllable came out emphatically. Again the Inspector darted one of his quick, shrewd glances at the girl. She met his scrutiny with her habitual serene and candid gaze. The Inspector dropped his eyes and scribbled in his book.
”Was his health good?”
”He smoked far too much,” the girl said, ”and it made him rather nervy.
But otherwise he never had a day's illness in his life.”
Humphries ran his eye over the notes he had made.
”There is just one more question I should like to ask you, Miss Trevert,” he said, ”rather a personal question.”
Mary Trevert's hands twisted the cambric handkerchief into a little ball and slowly unwound it again. But her face remained quite calm.
”About your engagement to Mr. Parrish ... when did it take place?”
”Some days ago. It has not yet been announced.”
The Inspector coughed.
”I was only wondering whether, perhaps, Mr. Parrish was not quite ...
whether he was, maybe, a little disturbed in his mind about the engagement ...”
The girl hesitated. Then she said firmly:
”Mr. Parrish was perfectly happy about it. He was looking forward to our being married in the spring.”
Mr. Humphries shut his notebook with a snap and rose to his feet.
”Thank you very much, ma'am,” he said with a little formal bow. ”If you will excuse me now. I have the doctor to see again and there's the Coroner to be warned ...”
He bowed again and tramped towards the door with a tread that made the chandelier tinkle melodiously.
The door closed behind him and his heavy footsteps died away along the corridor. Mary Trevert had risen to her feet calm and impa.s.sive. But when he had gone, her bosom began to heave and a spasm of pain shot across her face. Again the tears welled up in her eyes, brimmed over and stole down her cheeks.
”If I only _knew!_” she sobbed, ”if I only _knew!_”