He felt sorry for her, see, and he wanted to marry her, or at least he wanted to do the right thing by her at the very last there.
Not before, not before, remember, but AFTER he had spent a night with her in Utica and another one in Grass Lake.
But once she was drowned — and accidentally, of course, as he says, there was his love for that other girl.
He hadn’t ceased loving her even though he was willing to sacrifice her in order to do the right thing by Roberta.
See?”
“I see.”
“And how are they going to prove that he didn’t experience a change of heart if he says he did and sticks to it?”
“I see, but he’ll have to tell a mighty convincing story,” added Belknap, a little heavily.
“And how about those two hats?
They’re going to have to be explained.”
“Well, I’m coming to those now.
The one he had was a little soiled.
And so he decided to buy another.
As for that story he told Mason about wearing a cap, well, he was frightened and lied because he thought he would have to get out of it.
Now, of course, before he goes to that other girl afterwards — while Roberta is still alive, I mean, there’s his relationship with the other girl, what he intends to do about her.
He’s talking to Roberta, now you see,” he continued, “and that has to be disposed of in some way.
But, as I see it, that’s easy, for of course after he experiences a change of heart and wants to do the right thing by Roberta, all he has to do is to write that other girl or go to her and tell her — about the wrong he has done Roberta.”
“Yes.”
“For, as I see it now, she can’t be kept out of the case entirely, after all.
We’ll have to ring her in, I’m afraid.”
“All right; then we have to,” said Belknap.
“Because you see, if Roberta still feels that he ought to marry her — he’ll go first and tell that Finchley girl that he can’t marry her — that he’s going away — that is, if Roberta doesn’t object to his leaving her that long, don’t you see?”
“Yes.”
“If she does, he’ll marry her, either at Three Mile Bay or some other place.”
“Yes.”
“But you don’t want to forget that while she’s still alive he’s puzzled and distressed.
And it’s only after that second night, at Grass Lake, that he begins to see how wrong all his actions have been, you understand.
Something happens.
Maybe she cries or talks about wanting to die, like she does in those letters.”
“Yes.”
“And so he wants a quiet place where they can sit down in peace and talk, where no one else will see or hear them.”
“Yes, yes — go on.”
“Well, he thinks of Big Bittern.
He’s been up there once before or they’re near there, then, and just below there, twelve miles, is Three Mile Bay, where, if they decide to marry, they can.”
“I see.”
“If not, if she doesn’t want to marry him after his full confession, he can row her back to the inn, can’t he, and he or she can stay there or go on.”
“Yes, yes.”
“In the meantime, not to have any delay or be compelled to hang about that inn — it’s rather expensive, you know, and he hasn’t any too much money — he takes that lunch in his bag.
Also his camera, because he wants to take some pictures.
For if Mason should turn up with that camera, it’s got to be explained, and it will be better explained by us than it will be by him, won’t it?”
“I see, I see,” exclaimed Belknap, intensely interested by now and actually smiling and beginning to rub his hands.
“So they go out on the lake.”
“Yes.”
“And they row around.”
“Yes.”
“And finally after lunch on shore, some pictures taken —”
“Yes.”
“He decides to tell her just how things stand with him.
He’s ready, willing —”
“I get you.”