“I’m going to tell the truth,” cut in Rhoda brusquely. “I’m going to say that I watched the packing of Mr. Rotherfield’s luggage inside his car, that I saw the gun-case put in, that I took it out with my own hands, and that Mr. Rotherfield followed me back into the house, stopped me, and let me take the picture out.” “How did you know--supposing this strange story is true--that the picture was in the gun-case?” “I guessed it.” Lady Sarah looked alarmed. “You are very inquisitive,” she said sharply. “Oh, Lady Sarah, how can I help it, when such things happen as have happened here?” Lady Sarah drew a deep breath. “Things! What things?” escaped her lips in spite of herself. “Well, I know more than I have told you. Not through any curiosity on my part, but because I couldn’t help it.” Lady Sarah looked askance at her, but did not venture to ask any more questions. “Go on,” she said petulantly. “Go on with this fairy tale that you intend to tell Sir Robert.” “That’s all. It will be for Sir Robert himself to make inquiries. All I have to tell him is how I became possessed of the picture.” “Very well,” said Lady Sarah, in an attitude and with an expression of calm despair. “And do you know what will happen when you’ve told him?” “It will not concern me. I shall have done what I had to do, and I shall go away.” “After having succeeded in wrecking Sir Robert’s happiness and mine. Oh, yes, it is of no use to shake your head, that is what you will have done. Do you think he will be content to receive back the picture, and to accept your story, without making any inquiries? It is absurd to think such a thing. He will certainly find out that you have not told him the truth, because he knows Jack, and can trust him, and Jack will assure him that there is no truth in your preposterous story. But you will have sown the seed of mistrust in my husband, and you will have spoilt every chance there was of our continuing to live happily together. And that after your lectures to me, after your assurance that you were so grateful to him that all you wished for was his happiness!” Rhoda was crying quietly, with her face hidden. She knew that the picture drawn by Lady Sarah would probably prove to be, in its main outlines, correct. Jack and Lady Sarah would certainly deny all that Rhoda said, and it was scarcely likely that, in the long run, with his admiration for his wife and his fondness for Jack at war with his confidence in Rhoda, he would end by taking her part against the other two. Nevertheless, even if he allowed Rhoda to go away in disgrace, perhaps herself under suspicion of having committed the theft, it was probable that, as Lady Sarah suggested, the seeds of mistrust would have been sown within him, and there would be a change for the worse in the domestic life of the household. Suddenly Rhoda looked up, in desperation.