The Benevent Treasure

Chapter Twenty-five

Candida came into the room and took a chair at the side of the writing-table. She had seen the Inspector when he arrived, but the young man with his writing-pad on his knee was new to her. They were both part of the horrid dream which had taken the place of normal everyday life. She felt giddy and a little sick. Things seemed to be a long way off. She was glad to sit down.

The Inspector had a pleasant voice. He asked her to tell him about what had happened when they came back from the party at the Deanery. She answered with simplicity.

‘I went up with Aunt Cara. She was very tired. I had to help her up the stairs. When we got to her room she sat down, and I rang for Anna. She didn’t want to talk, so I went out into the passage. I thought I would wait there till I saw Anna coming, but Aunt Olivia came first. She asked what I was doing there, and I said Aunt Cara wasn’t feeling well and I was waiting for Anna. She wasn’t pleased.’ She paused, and added in a hesitating voice, ‘Then Anna came, and I went to my room.’

Rock said, ‘Are you not leaving something out, Miss Sayle?’

She was pale, but a momentary colour sprang up and then ebbed again.

‘What do you mean?’

‘There is some evidence of a quarrel between you and Miss Benevent outside Miss Cara’s door. I would like to have your account of what took place.’

Candida bit her lip.

‘I didn’t want to speak about it. It hadn’t anything to do with – with what has happened.’

‘I’m afraid I must ask you to tell me about it.’

She said in a distressed voice.

‘It seems so horrid – now. I was feeling worried about Aunt Cara. She was very tired, and I thought that she was ill, and that Aunt Olivia didn’t realise it. So I said what I thought, and – she was angry.’

‘Will you tell me just what you said?’

‘I don’t know – I think I said that Aunt Cara seemed so tired, and that I thought she was ill. And – oh, yes, I said that people at the Deanery party had noticed it. Aunt Olivia said they ought to mind their own business. She told me to hold my tongue – ’ Her voice faltered.

Looking at her sharply, Rock could see the faint mark on her cheek and the line of the scratch on her chin. He spoke very directly.

‘That is what she said. You haven’t told me what she did. I think she did do something. Didn’t she?’

There were tears in Candida’s eyes, deepening and darkening the blue.

‘She couldn’t bear to hear about Aunt Cara being ill – Anna told me afterwards.’

‘She struck you?’

‘Please – ’

‘Well, she did, didn’t she? She says so herself, so you needn’t mind admitting it. Now, Miss Sayle, I want to know just what you said to provoke her into doing that.’

Candida’s head lifted a little.

‘I said Aunt Cara was ill.’

‘Did you say that she was old?’

‘No – no – I wouldn’t say that!’

‘Or that she would die, or that she would soon be dead?’

‘Of course not!’ Her voice rang on the words.

‘You are quite certain about that?’

She used the very words that Miss Olivia had used.

‘I am perfectly certain.’

He left it there and took her through the previous evening. Her story fitted in well enough with Anna’s. She had gone to her room. Anna had come to fetch her because Miss Cara was unhappy, but Miss Olivia had sent them away and locked the door. When she had done, Rock said,

‘Was there any reason why Miss Cara should have been sad? Was something troubling her?’

Candida hesitated. How much had one to tell?

He said quickly, ‘Was she upset about the quarrel between you and Miss Olivia?’

‘There wasn’t any quarrel.’

‘Really, Miss Sayle – when she had struck you in the face only the evening before!’

She had an impulse to be frank.

‘I know. But there wasn’t any quarrel. Anna told me Aunt Olivia would never mention it again, and she didn’t. We met in the morning as if nothing had happened. Derek and I were together when she came down. She kissed us both. And I’m sure Aunt Cara never knew anything about it at all.’

‘Then what reason had she for being unhappy?’

It was better to tell him than to have him imagining things. She said,

‘There was someone who used to be their secretary before Derek Burdon. They were very fond of him. He went off suddenly about three years ago.’

Rock nodded.

‘Thompson,’ he said, ‘Alan Thompson. There was a lot of talk about it when I first came here.’

‘He is supposed to have gone off with a diamond brooch and a good deal of money. Aunt Cara cared for him a lot, and it nearly broke her heart. She was ill, and Aunt Olivia took her away. When the same time of year comes round it all comes back to her. She came into my room the other night and told me about it. That is why she was sad. Anna thought she would like it if I just went in to see her and say good night.’

‘You were on affectionate terms with her?’

Candida said,

‘I was very fond of her.’