A Coin of Edward VII: A Detective StoryHume, Fergus
Philosophy
A Coin of Edward VII: A Detective Story
Hume, Fergus
Detective and mystery stories; Fiction
"That is quite true. But Walter--I may speak of my father so for the
sake of clearness--used to come sometimes to Florence. George never knew
that he was there, thinking that he was in London. I learned all this
lately. At the time my father and I lived in Florence I knew nothing of
the relationship between George and Walter. My father knew that if Daisy
died his brother would inherit the money, and he kept a watch on George
so as to see if he would come into the property. But I knew nothing of
this, neither did Mark, although he was deep in my father's confidence.
Well, as I say, my father was supposed to have died. I expect another
corpse was buried in his place. Mark no doubt agreed to the fraud,
whatever was the reason. But I have not seen Mark since immediately
after the death, and can't get an explanation. I saw him in Florence,
and he told me that my father was dead and buried. Since then I have not
seen him."
"So you returned to England, thinking your father was dead?"
"Certainly. He left me a little money. I went back to my situation.
Afterwards I came down here. On that New Year's Eve I entered the
library and saw my father speaking to Mr. Morley. I disguised my
feelings, as I was certain he did not wish to be recognized. But the
shock was so great that I nearly fainted. I went up to my room, and
afterwards to church to see my father. He was there, as you know. I saw
him pass a paper to Daisy. She went out ten minutes later; he followed.
I wished to see him, and I was curious to know why he had come to
Rickwell and had let me think he was dead. Shortly afterwards I went
outside. It was snowing fast. I could not see my father or Daisy.
Suddenly I came across my father. He was beside the grave of Mr. Kent.
Daisy was lying on the ground. He gasped out that she was dead, and
implored me to save him."
"Do you think he killed her?"
"No. Afterwards he denied that he did. But at the time I believed that
he was guilty. I saw that he would be arrested, and in a frenzy of alarm
I cast about for some means to save him. I remembered your motor-car was
waiting at the gates. I sent Trim away on an errand----"
"I know, I know! You deceived him!"
"To save my father," replied Anne quietly. "I got the car in this way
and went off with my father. He told me to go to Gravesend, where he had
a yacht waiting. Near Gravesend the car upset. We left it on the
roadside and walked to Tilbury. A boatman ferried us across the river,
and we went on board the yacht."
"Did you know your father was the owner of the yacht?"
"No, I did not. He said that it belonged to a friend. We departed in the
yacht and went to a French port, then on to Paris."
"And it was from Paris that you sent me the drawing of the coin."
"Yes; I knew that appearances were against me, and could not bear to
think that you should believe me guilty. I did not dare to send any
letter, but I knew you would recognize the drawing of the Edward VII.
coin, and so sent it as you saw."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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