The Clock Strikes Twelve

Chapter 37

Miss Silver went briskly to the dining-room, where she found Lane laying the table for lunch. Her slight cough having attracted his attention, he straightened up and turned towards her.

“Do you require anything, madam?”

“Thank you, Lane, I should be glad if you would answer one or two questions. I think you are aware that Mr. Mark Paradine has asked me to enquire into the circumstances of his uncle’s death.”

“Yes, madam.”

“I should be glad to know what time it was when you took the tray of drinks into the study on Thursday night.”

Lane looked worried.

“I don’t know that I could say-not to be exact, madam. It was after the quarter to, but it was some way off ten o’clock, I should say.”

“Would that be your usual time?”

“No, madam. Ten o’clock was my time, but if Mr. Paradine wished for the tray earlier he would ring. On the Thursday night his bell went at a quarter to ten. I’d just come back from letting Mr. Ambrose and his party out, when Mrs. Lane told me that the bell had gone.”

Miss Silver said, “Thank you.” And then, “Mr. Paradine was alone in the study when you went in with the tray?”

“Why, no, madam.”

Miss Silver looked brightly expectant.

“Indeed? Pray, who was with him?”

“Well, madam, it was Mr. Pearson. But I don’t want to give any wrong impression. He was just going into the room as I came through the baize door from the hall with my tray.”

“And did he see you?”

“I hardly think so. He was going into the study as I came through.”

“Did he shut the door behind him?”

“He had not time to do so, madam. He must have heard me coming before he could close the door.”

“Did you hear him speak to Mr. Paradine, or Mr. Paradine speak to him?”

The worried look became intensified.

“I hardly like to say.”

Miss Silver looked at him steadily.

“You were with Mr. Paradine for a great many years?”

“Yes, madam.”

She said, “He was murdered.”

Lane had been holding a cut-glass decanter in his hand. It shook. He set it down.

Miss Silver went on speaking.

“Innocent people are under suspicion. There is one guilty person. I hope to find out who it is. Everyone in this house knows something that may help. If everyone will tell me what they know, those innocent people can be cleared. Was it Mr. Pearson who spoke, or Mr. Paradine?”

He had turned a little away to put down the decanter. He remained like that, looking down. He said in a very low voice,

“It was Mr. Paradine.”

“Did you hear what he said?”

“Yes, madam.”

“Will you please tell me what you heard.”

“Madam-”

“Yes, Lane? It will be better if you will tell me.”

He said, “Mr. Paradine said-well, madam, he said, ‘Hullo, Albert, have you come to confess?’ But if I may say so, I took it to be one of Mr. Paradine’s jokes. Being with him as long as I’ve been, I wouldn’t say that it was meant seriously. That was the way Mr. Paradine talked-he’d sound very angry, and be laughing at you all the time. I’ve told you what he said, but I wouldn’t like to think I’d given a wrong impression.”

Miss Silver coughed.

“You have not done so. How long did you remain in the study?”

“No longer than it took me to set down the tray and retire.”

“And where was Mr. Pearson whilst you were doing this?”

“He stayed near the door, madam. If I may say so, he seemed to be rather upset, which I put down to his not being so well accustomed to Mr. Paradine as to relish his way of joking. I can remember being very much taken aback myself when I first come to the River House. Very unexpected, Mr. Paradine could be when you were not accustomed to his way of putting things.”

Miss Silver smiled.

“I can quite understand that. Perhaps it will make you feel easier to know that Mr. Paradine addressed a very similar remark to Mrs. Wray that evening.”

Lane appeared to be very much relieved.

“Then there would be no doubt about its being a joke, madam. Very fond indeed of Mrs. Wray, Mr. Paradine was.”

Miss Silver nodded.

“Well then, Lane, that was all? You came out of the study, leaving Mr. Pearson with Mr. Paradine?”

“You may put it that way, madam. In point of fact Mr. Pearson left the room before me, but just as I was going out Mr. Paradine called him back. I could not avoid hearing what passed. He said, ‘Don’t post that letter to Lewis-I may want to alter it. I’ll see you about it some other time.’ And Mr. Pearson said goodnight and came out and shut the door.”