She believed in him, not knowing how he was plotting to get the Powell money.
Certainly Walter had resided in Florence under the name of Denham.
Ware quite believed this, and guessed that he did so in order to keep an eye on his brother George, who was to inherit the Powell money.
Probably he knew beforehand that Powell was ill, and so had feigned death that he might carry out his scheme without Anne's knowledge.
That scheme was to impersonate his brother; and Giles trembled to think of how he proposed to get rid of George when the time was ripe.
He must have intended to murder him, for since he had slain Daisy with so little compunction, he certainly would not stick at a second crime.
However, thus Giles argued, the first step to secure the money was for him to feign death and thus get rid of Anne.
Then he came to London, and as Wilson stopped with Mrs. Benker in order to spy on the Ashers through Alexander.
As soon as he knew for certain that Powell was dead and that the money was coming to Daisy, he came down to Rickwell on the errand of serving the summons, and then had lured the girl outside of the church to kill her.
But for Anne following him, he would have disappeared into the night and no one would have been the wiser.
But the appearance of his daughter in the library upset his plans.
She followed him into the church and came out to find him near the dead body.
He certainly made an excuse, but Giles believed that such was a lie.
If he had confessed to the crime, even Anne might not have stopped with him.
But here Giles remembered that at the time of the flight Anne really believed that her father was guilty.
At all events he had made use of her to get away, and thus had reached the yacht at Gravesend.
It was waiting for him there, in order that he might fly after the crime was committed.
Perhaps he intended to walk to Tilbury, and crossing the Thames get on board the yacht before the hue-and-cry was out.
Anne hampered his plans in some measure and then, by means of the stolen motor-car, assisted them.
Thus the man had got away, and by the murder of the girl had opened the way to George inheriting the money.
"They went to Paris," mused Giles, "then to Florence.
I daresay this Walter intended to send Anne away on some excuse and to murder his brother in Florence.
Then he could slip into the dead man's shoes, and come to inherit—as George—the property of Powell.
Probably George left Florence before Walter arrived, and thus escaped death.
He is safe so far, but how long will he be safe?"
Then a terrible thought occurred to Giles.
He wondered if Walter had placed his daughter at the Priory so as to have an opportunity of coming to see his brother, and thus seizing his chance of killing him.
Anne, innocent as she was of the real meaning of these terrible schemes, might be a decoy.
If her father came, George would be murdered.
Walter, who was able to disguise himself with infernal ingenuity, might slip into the dead man's shoes, and thus the money he had schemed for would come to him.
Evidently the last act of the tragedy was not yet played out.
The more Giles puzzled over the matter, the more bewildered he became.
He could see—as he thought—what had been done, but he could not guess how the last act was to be carried out.
Yet Walter Franklin was hiding somewhere waiting to pounce out on his unsuspecting brother, and the second crime might involve Anne still deeper in the nefarious transactions of her father.
Finally Giles made up his mind to seek George Franklin at the Priory and tell him what he thought.
The man should at least be put on his guard.
It may be said that Ware fancied he might be permitted to see Anne as a reward for his kind warning.
Before calling on Franklin he went to see the foreign ladies.
To his surprise both had left by the early morning train.
There was a note from Olga, which informed him that her mother had insisted on returning to town, finding the country cold and dull.
The note added that she—Olga—would be glad to see him at the Westminster flat as soon as he could come to London, and ended with the remark that he had yet to give his answer to her question.
Giles was relieved when he read this.
Olga was gone, and the two days of probation were extended indefinitely.
He might find some way of releasing Anne before he need give this dreadful answer.
Again and again did he bless the selfishness of the elder Princess, which had removed the obstacle of Olga from his path.
Meanwhile he put her out of his mind and went on to the Priory.
He called in on the way to see Morley, but learned that the little man had gone to town.
Mrs. Morley looked more worn and haggard than ever, and seemed about to say something as Giles was taking his leave.
However, she held her peace and merely informed him that she missed her children dreadfully.
"But I'm sure that is not what she meant to say," thought Ware, as he departed.