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‘I never said she was.’
‘No. But with her memory gone, and in your absence, she was presented to your family in that light. Then you arrived, and I suppose that was a shock to her.’
‘I suppose it was.’
They were both talking so seriously that to neither of them did it seem at all strange that it should be put like that. Miss Silver leaned forward.
‘Do you not see, Mr Fancourt, how it was? I do not know what your feelings were for the poor girl who was murdered. I do not know whether the form of marriage you went through with her would have held water. But all that is now beside the point. I think you must see that A
‘Yes-yes, I can see that. But she’ll need money. Will you see that she has what she wants? I’ll give you a cheque. Will fifty pounds be all right?’
‘Yes, Mr Fancourt.’
‘Couldn’t you tell me where she is?’
She smiled.
‘I think it will be better if I do not.’
He leaned forward and took her hands. His were hard and strong, but she felt them tremble.
‘If I say I won’t see her-I won’t go near her-’
‘Do you think you could really keep to that?’
He said, ‘I don’t know. I suppose I couldn’t, but I would try.’
Miss Silver looked at him with a great degree of kindness. She said, ‘Let it alone for a little, Mr Fancourt. It will be better that way.’
CHAPTER 33
Having let go, it is always difficult to take things up again. A
She woke up suddenly after a week to think about how much money she had. She came down to breakfast with a troubled look, and was glad to find Janet alone.
‘I must get something to do.’
‘There’s no hurry.’
‘Oh, but there is. I must get a job. I haven’t much money.’
Janet hesitated.
‘You’ve got plenty for the present. I shouldn’t be in a hurry.’
A
‘You’re so good to me. But don’t you see I can’t go on taking it? You don’t know anything about me, and if you let a room you’ve a right to be paid for it, and-and I ought to be earning something.’
Janet went on putting out the breakfast things. She didn’t want to tell her, but she would have to. She hoped A
A
‘You’re so good-but I must.’
Janet stood there with the teapot in her hand.
‘You know you spoke about Miss Silver-I told her you had come to me.’
The blood ran up to the roots of A
‘-fifty pounds. Have you got that? You don’t look as if you had.’
A
‘Yes,’ said Janet firmly, ‘there’s fifty pounds for you.’
A
‘Miss Silver sent me fifty pounds, and it was for you.’
The colour came into A
‘He-he mustn’t,’ she said.
‘What do you mean?’
A
‘It’s from Jim. He mustn’t-’
‘Why?’
A
‘He-he mustn’t. I don’t want him to.’
Janet was frowning.
‘Look here, A
‘Is he?’
‘She says he is. Look here, if Miss Silver says it’s all right for you to take the money you really needn’t worry. She’s like all the maiden aunts in the world. If she says it’s all right, then it is, and that’s that.’
‘Does she say it’s all right?’
‘She wouldn’t send it on if she didn’t think so.’
A
‘Miss Silver thought I knew.’
‘You’ve seen her?’
‘Yes, I have. That’s when she gave me the money. She said it would be kind to take it because he was in such a state about you. You can pay it back, you know.’
A
The letter from Jim came next morning. She didn’t know it was from Jim at first, because it was enclosed in one from Miss Silver. She read Miss Silver’s first.
My dear A
I am very glad to have news of you, and to know that you are safe. Mr Fancourt has been in a great state about you. I have told him that he must wait until it is your wish to see him. Do not keep him too long, my dear. He is very much concerned for you, and quite trustworthy.
With affectionate regards,
Yours, Maud Silver.
A
When at last she moved, it was with a strong effort. She tore the envelope, and out came the package of sheets which were inside.
The letter began without any begi
Why did you go away like that? It was cruel of you and quite useless. Don’t you know-don’t you know that I care for you? You must know it. Let me come to you. I don’t know why you went away. I think Lilian had something to do with it. You need never see her again if she had. I can promise you that. There is nothing else that I can think of that would come between us. Miss Silver says that you are safe. She won’t tell me where you are. She says she only knows in confidence, and that she won’t tell me unless you say she may. Oh, A
There was a big bold ‘Jim’ scrawled across the bottom.
A