Detective and mystery stories; Fiction; Love stories
"It was either a silly joke or my memory is in a bad shape," said Cyril.
"Luckily it is a matter of no consequence. What is of vital importance,
however," he continued, turning to the detective, "is that her ladyship
should be secured immediately. No one is safe while she is still at
large."
"It is unfortunate," replied the detective, "that no photograph of her
ladyship can be found, but we have telegraphed her description all over
the country."
"What is her description, by the way?"
"Here it is, my lord," said Judson, handing Cyril a printed sheet.
"Height, 5 feet 3; weight, about 9 stone 2; hair, very fair, inclined to
be wavy; nose, straight; mouth, small; eyes, blue; face, oval," read
Cyril. "Well, I suppose that will have to do, but of course that
description would fit half the women in England."
"That's the trouble, my lord."
"Mr. Twombley, when you said just now that no one knew her, did you mean
that literally?"
"Nobody in the county did; I'm sure of that."
"And you, Mr. James? Is it possible that even you never saw her?"
"I have never spoken to her."
"Then so far as you know, the only person outside the castle she could
communicate with was the doctor. What sort of a man is he?"
"What doctor are you speaking of?" inquired the vicar.
"Why, the doctor who had charge of her case, of course," replied Cyril
impatiently.
"I never heard of her having a doctor."
"Do you mean to say that Wilmersley kept her in confinement without
orders from a physician?"
"No, I suppose not. Of course not. There must have been some one,"
faltered the vicar a trifle abashed.
"You never, however, inquired by what authority he kept his wife shut
up?"
"I never insulted Lord Wilmersley by questioning the wisdom of his
conduct or the integrity of his motives, and I repeat that there was
undoubtedly some physician in attendance on Lady Wilmersley, only I do
not happen to know who he is."
"Well, I must clear this matter up at once. Please ring the bell,
Judson."
A minute later the butler appeared.
"Who was her ladyship's physician?" demanded Cyril.
"My lady never 'ad one; leastways not till yesterday."
"Yesterday?"
"Yes, my lord, yesterday afternoon two gentlemen drove up in a fly and
one of them says 'is name is Dr. Brown and that 'e was expected, and 'is
lordship said as how I was to show them in here, and so I did."
"You think they came to see her ladyship?"
"Yes, my lord, and at dinner her ladyship seemed very much upset. She
didn't eat a morsel, though 'is lordship urged 'er ever so."
"But why should a doctor's visit upset her ladyship?"
The butler pursed his lips and looked mysterious. "I can't say, my
lord."
"Nonsense, you've some idea in your head. Out with it!"
"Well, my lord, me and Charles, we thought as she was afraid they were
going to lock 'er up."
Cyril started slightly.
"Ah! If they had done so long ago!" exclaimed the vicar, clasping his
hands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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