Detective and mystery stories; London (England) -- Fiction; Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction
"Lady Branwin did more than change her voice, grannie. She changed the
whole of her nature; and from being a meek, timid little woman she
became as hard and cruel as Madame Coralie had been."
"The twin natures got mixed up, I suppose," said grannie, flippantly.
"Well, both the sisters are dead, and so is the man who played with
them as a child, so let us say no more about them. What has become of
Sir Joseph's money?"
"Beyond the two thousand a year to Audrey, which was left to her as my
wife, and various legacies, the rest goes to his next-of-kin."
"Miss Pearl must have been angry that she did not get any money?"
"She was. Sir Joseph intended to make a new will after he married her,
as it was useless to make one before. But Lady Branwin, rising from
the grave, upset everything. Poor woman!" sighed the barrister. "She
is dead, so all we can say is 'Rest her soul.'"
Lady Sanby nodded solemnly. "By the way, where have Vail and Badoura
gone to, and who is going to carry on the Pink Shop business?"
"I don't know where they have gone. Bolted to America, I understand.
At all events, Lanton can't find them, and I don't expect they will
turn up in England again seeing what a record they have left behind.
As to the Pink Shop, it is closed for ever. I told you so."
"One last question," said Lady Sanby. "Who dropped the label near the
door of the court to make the police think robbery was the cause of
the crime?"
"Lady Branwin, masquerading as Madame Coralie, and Eddy Vail managed
the whole wicked business. He also got the diamonds, or the most part
of them, and it is with that money that he has bolted to America with
Badoura. Do you wish to hear any more? For I am anxious to stop
talking about this business."
"Tell me," said Lady Sanby, quite forgetting that she had asked what
she had called a last question, "What of Perry Toat?"
"Oh, she has got the reward, as, really and truly, it was through her
that the truth came to light. Sir Joseph's lawyers paid her the money
last week, and she told me that she intends to retire from business
and marry her purser. Any more questions?"
Lady Sanby thought, and was about to ask another, when the door of the
boudoir opened and Colonel Ilse, looking years younger, appeared on
the threshold.
"Pardon me for entering unannounced, Lady Sanby," he said, in his most
polite manner, "but I have brought my motor to the street door."
"You couldn't have very well brought it to this door, Colonel," said
the old dame, drily. "So you are going with the young couple?"
"Not immediately," said the newcomer. "I must allow Ralph and Elsie to
resume their interrupted honeymoon. I shall join them when they reach
New York, after their trip through Australia and New Zealand. Perhaps
it is selfish of me, but I have been without my daughter for so long
that I want to have her to myself."
"What do you say to that, Ralph?" asked Lady Sanby, with twinkling
eyes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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