"No, my lord, we are by no means sure of this. Quite the contrary. It is true that we have, so to speak, kept an eye on you, but, till yesterday, we had no reason to suspect that you had any connection with the murder, so we did not think it necessary to have you closely followed. There have been hours when we have had no idea where you were." "You surprise me!" "It is quite possible," continued the inspector without heeding Cyril's interruption, "that you have met either Prentice or Lady Wilmersley, the dowager, I mean." "Really! And why should they have given this bag to me, of all people? Surely you must see that they could have found many easier, as well as safer, ways of disposing of it." "Quite so, my lord, and that is why I am inclined to believe that it was not through either of them that the bag came into your possession. I think it more probable that her Ladyship brought it with her." "Her Ladyship? What do you mean?" Cyril's voice grew suddenly harsh. "You told me yourself that her Ladyship met you in Newhaven; that, in fact, she had spent the night of the murder there." Cyril clutched the table convulsively. Amy! They suspected Amy. This was too horrible! Why had it never occurred to him that his lies might involve an innocent person? "But this is absurd, you know," he stammered, in a futile effort to gain time. "Let us hope so, my lord." "There has been a terrible mistake, I tell you." "In that case her Ladyship can no doubt easily explain it." "Her Ladyship is ill. She cannot be disturbed." "I am afraid that cannot be avoided. I must see her at once. But if you wish it, I will not question her till she has been examined by our doctors." Cyril rose and moved automatically towards the door. The inspector stepped forward. "Sorry, my lord, but for the present you can see her Ladyship only before witnesses. May I ring the bell?" "What is the use of asking my permission? You are master here, so it seems," exclaimed Cyril. His nerves were at last getting beyond his control. "I am only doing my duty and I assure you that I want to cause as little unpleasantness as possible." A servant appeared. The inspector remained discreetly in the background. "Ask her Ladyship please to come here as soon as she can get ready. If she is asleep, it will be necessary to wake her." "Very good, my lord." The two men sat facing each other in silence. Cyril was hardly conscious of the other's presence. He must think; he knew he must think; but his brain seemed paralysed. There must be a way of clearing his wife without casting suspicion on Anita. Yet he could think of none. Was it possible that he was now called upon to choose between the woman he hated and the woman he loved, between honour and dishonour? No, there must be a middle course. Time would surely solve the difficulty. The door opened and Amy came slowly into the room. She looked desperately ill.