“Yes, Miss Lang,” he replied, “I have come to ask you for certain information. We have, of course, every desire to trouble you as little as possible.” “Oh,” she interrupted, “I only wish I had more to tell you. By all means, ask me what you will.” “I am afraid some of my questions may seem to you rather impertinent.” “No, inspector. I understand it is your business to get at the truth. I shall answer, whatever you may ask.” “Then, first of all, will you tell me about Mr. Walter Brooklyn. I understand that he came to see you last Tuesday here. Is that so?” “I confess I am surprised at the question. I thought it was about Mr. George Brooklyn and Mr. Prinsep that you wished to question me. But I can answer at once. Mr. Walter Brooklyn did come to see me.” “Do you know Mr. Walter Brooklyn well?” “No, hardly at all. Indeed, until that day I had scarcely spoken to him. I had met him a few times in large gatherings at Liskeard House and elsewhere.” “Then he is not a friend of yours?” “By no means.” The answer was so decided as to startle the inspector. “Have you any objection,” he asked, “to telling me on what business Mr. Walter Brooklyn visited you on Tuesday?” “It is not a thing I like to speak about; but I am fully prepared to tell you. Mr. Brooklyn came to make to me a dishonourable suggestion that I should help him to extract money from Mr. Prinsep.” “In what way?” “Mr. Prinsep had refused to give Mr. Walter Brooklyn a certain sum of money which he wanted. He came to ask me to bring pressure to bear on Mr. Prinsep to give it to him. He suggested that I had a hold over Mr. Prinsep—I suppose I must tell you what made him think that too—and that if I was to ask he would get the money.” “And on what ground did he ask you to do this?” “He threatened that if I did not he would tell Sir Vernon about me and Mr. Prinsep. He made the most horrible insinuations.” “You were friendly with Mr. Prinsep?” “Two years ago John Prinsep asked me to marry him, and I accepted him. Our engagement was kept secret at his request.” “Miss Lang, I am sorry if I give you pain; but I must ask you whether you were engaged to Mr. Prinsep at the time of his death.” The answer came clearly, but in a voice totally devoid of expression. “I do not know,” said Charis Lang. “The engagement had at least not been formally broken off.” “And of course you rejected Walter Brooklyn’s proposal?” “I did.” “Did you tell Mr. Prinsep about it?” “No. It was not a matter I could bring myself to mention to him.” “You understood that Walter Brooklyn intended to carry the story to Sir Vernon?” “Yes, and of course Sir Vernon would have been very angry. He has always wanted John to marry his ward, Miss Cowper.” “What had Walter Brooklyn to gain by telling Sir Vernon?”