Dorothy's Double. Volume 1 (of 3)Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
History
Dorothy's Double. Volume 1 (of 3)
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
Great Britain -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction
'No, father; here it is, you see--"Lunch with Mrs. Milford;" nothing
else. I remember about that afternoon now. I drove in the carriage to
Mrs. Milford's, and had lunch at half-past one; there was one other lady
there. Mrs. Milford had tickets for a concert, at St. James's Hall I
think it was, but I am not sure about that. I had a headache, and would
not go with them; and, besides, I had some shopping to do. I got out of
her brougham in Hanover Square. I went into Bond Street certainly, and I
got some gloves and scent; then I went into Cocks' and looked through
the new music and chose one or two pieces, then I went into the French
Gallery. Mrs. Milford had been talking about it at lunch, so I thought I
would drop in. There were very few people there, so I sauntered round
and sat down and looked at those I liked best. It was quiet and
pleasant. I must have been in there a long time. When I came out I took
a cab and drove straight home. It was six o'clock when I got back, and I
remember I went straight up to my room and had a cup of tea there, then
I took off my gown and my maid combed my hair, as it was time for me to
dress for dinner. My head was aching a good deal and it did me good. We
dined at the Livingstones' that evening.'
'It is unfortunate, certainly, Dorothy. I had hoped we might have been
able to have fixed you somewhere that would have proved conclusively
that you could not possibly have been at Gilliat's that afternoon. As it
is, your recollections do not help us at all, for your time from
somewhere about three till six is practically unaccounted for. The
people you bought the gloves and scent from could prove that you were
there, but you probably would not have been many minutes in their shop.
Cocks' may remember that you were there a quarter of an hour or so.'
'I think I was there half-an-hour, father.'
'Well, say half-an-hour; the rest of the time you were really in the
picture gallery, but it is scarcely likely that, even if the man who
took your money at the door or the attendant inside noticed you
sufficiently to swear to your face, they would be able to fix the day,
still less have noticed how long you stayed. At any rate it is clear
that it would be possible for you to have done all you say you did that
afternoon and still to have spared time for that visit to Gilliat's.'
'I see that it is all terrible, father, but what can it all mean?'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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