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‘Well, since we’re being so nice and open,’ retorted the Inspector, ‘I don’t mind telling you that I don’t like your story, sir. You’d better consider your position.’
The Prince said uneasily
: ‘You ask me what I do not understand. Certainly I use a nail-file! Why should I not tell you, since you are so curious?’
‘Don’t happen to have lost one lately, do you, sir?’
‘No!’
‘Ah, well!’ said the Inspector. ‘Then I won’t detain you any longer.’
He waited until the door had closed behind the Prince before turning an expressive gaze upon his Sergeant. That grave-eyed man shook his head. ‘I wouldn’t have believed it!’ he said.
‘Yes, I reckon we’re seeing life,’ agreed Hemingway. ‘Wonderful how frank and above-board he got as soon as he found he wasn’t going over big with me!’
‘Do you think he did it, sir?’
‘I wouldn’t put it above him. All the same, this is a highly intricate case, and it won’t do for you and me to go jumping to conclusions.’
‘He’s a real nasty piece of work,’ said the Sergeant sternly. ‘He fairly made my gorge rise!’
‘Yes, I never have thought that new way they have at the zoo of keeping snakes was safe,’ said Hemingway. ‘If I weren’t a very conscientious man, I’d arrest his Highness right now, and go off and get a bit of supper, which is what I need.’
The Sergeant frowned. ‘I wouldn’t say, myself, we’d got quite enough on him, sir,’ he suggested diffidently.
‘That’s another reason why I’m not arresting him,’ said the Inspector.
He went out into the hall. The door into the drawing-room stood open, and he could see Vicky Fanshawe, perched on the arm of a chair. He walked across the hall, and went into the drawing-room. Only the two girls and Hugh Dering were there, for Ermyntrude had gone upstairs to dress for dinner, and the Prince seemed to have followed her example.
‘I do hope I’m not intruding,’ said Hemingway cheerfully. ‘Of course, if I am, you’ve only got to tell me.’
‘And then I suppose you’d go away?’ said Vicky.
‘I’d be in a very awkward position,’ confessed the Inspector. ‘Because, as it happens, I want to ask both you young ladies one or two questions.’
‘Right, then I’ll clear out,’ said Hugh, knocking out his pipe, and putting it in his pocket.
Vicky flung out a hand. ‘Don’t leave us!’ she said throbbingly. ‘Can’t you see that we may need you?’
‘Can it, Vicky!’ said Hugh, unimpressed.
‘I wish you would stay,’ said Mary nervously.
‘I’m sure I’ve no objection,’ said the Inspector. ‘There’s no need for anyone to get the shudders yet. What I want to know first, is whether it’s true that you, miss, are Mr Carter’s heiress?’
Mary stared at him in dawning dismay. ‘Who’s been telling you that nonsense?’
‘Alexis!’ said Vicky tensely.
‘Well, that’s what I want to know, miss. Is it nonsense, or had Mr Carter got a fortune to leave?’
‘No. At least, he himself was heir to a lot of money. It’s quite true that it comes to me. He always said he should leave it to me, and, as a matter of fact, I believe he made out some kind of a will, which two of the servants witnessed. I don’t know whether it was legal, of course.’
‘Just a moment!’ interposed Hugh. ‘What is all this about Carter’s expectations? Something was said about them the other day, but where are you supposed to come into it?’
‘It’s Wally’s Aunt Clara,’ explained Mary. ‘She’s been in a lunatic asylum for years, but she’s frightfully rich, and Wally was her next-of-kin. I believe she’s going on for eighty, so she must die fairly soon. Not that I ever set much store by it. I mean, Wally’s expectations were practically a family joke.’
‘But it’s you who’ll come into the money now that Mr Carter’s dead?’ said the Inspector.
