Boardinghouses -- Fiction; Inheritance and succession -- Fiction; Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction; Mystery and detective stories
Evidently she could tell him nothing, so George reverted to more
immediate matters. "How about that night? You knew that I was going to
Mrs. Jersey's on that night?"
"Ah, but yes. You did tell me."
"Then what made you come also? Was it to see me?"
Lola put her finger in her mouth and looked down. "No, my George. I
did want that confessions of the fat old lady, to stop you being
milor, and then I thought you would marry only poor Lola."
"How did you know about the confession?"
"That pig-man told me."
"Bawdsey? Why did he tell you?"
"Pschutt!" said Lola, contemptuously. "He loves me so, I can twist and
twist him so," she made a rapid motion with her fingers. "We did talk
of the death of your fathers. I lamented that my poor mother did loves
your fathers unhappily, as I did love you. And I was enraged to think
that your fathers had died. I did ask Bawdsey who made the stab--gave
the death?--eh, it is, so I asked," she added, nodding. "He could not
say, but he declares that Mrs.--what you call her--eh, but my friend,
Mrs.----"
"Mrs. Jersey. Bawdsey declared that she knew?" Lola nodded. "It was
so," she assented. "Mrs.--what you call that fat ladys--she write out
all she know,--of your father's death and of his marriages. I say to
myself that I would get that confession and learn where the marriage
was made. Then I would burn the book that no one might learn. After I
would say to you, that I could tell who killed your father if you made
me madame your wife."
"That's a very pretty plot," said Brendon, not knowing whether to be
angry with her wrong-doing or touched by a love that to gain him would
not hesitate to commit a crime. "So far you have carried it out. You
have the confession----"
Lola put her hand on her breast. "He is here," she said, nodding. "I
carries him always--always!"
"Give it to me, Lola."
Her eyes opened in wide alarm. "Ah, no, you will not ask me. I keep
him to myself all."
George saw that the moment was not propitious. But he was determined
to get the confession before he left her. However, he begged her to
continue her story. "How did you know the house?" he asked.
"It was the scarlet windows----"
"I remember. Bawdsey gave you that for guide."
"Bah! He knew not I was going," said Lola with a shrug. "I got out of
him the fool-man all that I did want. I thought I would get to the fat
ladys on the night you were with her, that I might have you for helps
if she was enraged."
"It seems to me that you protected yourself very well."
"With the daggers--oh, yes. I said to myself that if my George did not
come for the fogs, that Mrs.--what you say--Jarsey, oh, yes, would be
enraged, and I would have trouble. I took the stiletto to save
myself."
"How did you get into the house?"
"Wait, ah, wait! I did not dance all that night. I said I was ill and
I came aways. I took the daggers and a cloak, and I went to the
Square--it is not far from my houses----"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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