Jack Favell.
Of course.
An awful bounder.
I met him once, ages ago.'
'He came to Manderley yesterday to see Mrs Danvers,' I said.
'Really?
Oh, well, perhaps he would…'
'Why?' I said.
'I rather think he was Rebecca's cousin,' she said.
I was very surprised.
That man her relation?
It was not my idea of the sort of cousin Rebecca would have.
Jack Favell her cousin.
'Oh,' I said. 'Oh, I hadn't realised that.'
'He probably used to go to Manderley a lot,' said Beatrice.
'I don't know.
I couldn't tell you.
I was very seldom there.' Her manner was abrupt.
It gave me the impression she did not want to pursue the subject.
'I did not take to him much,' I said.
'No,' said Beatrice. 'I don't blame you.'
I waited, but she did not say any more.
I thought it wiser not to tell her how Favell had asked me to keep the visit a secret.
It might lead to some complication.
Besides, we were just coming to our destination.
A pair of white gates and a smooth gravel drive.
'Don't forget the old lady is nearly blind,' said Beatrice, 'and she's not very bright these days.
I telephoned to the nurse that we were coming, so everything will be all right.'
The house was large, red-bricked, and gabled.
Late Victorian I supposed.
Not an attractive house.
I could tell in a glance it was the sort of house that was aggressively well-kept by a big staff.
And all for one old lady who was nearly blind.
A trim parlour-maid opened the door.
'Good afternoon, Norah, how are you?' said Beatrice.
'Very well, thank you, Madam.
I hope you are keeping well?'
'Oh, yes, we are all flourishing.
How has the old lady been, Norah?'
'Rather mixed, Madam.
She has one good day, and then a bad.
She's not too bad in herself, you know.
She will be pleased to see you I'm sure.'
She glanced curiously at me.
"This is Mrs Maxim,' said Beatrice.
'Yes, Madam.
How do you do,' said Norah.
We went through a narrow hall and a drawing-room crowded with furniture to a veranda facing a square clipped lawn.
There were many bright geraniums in stone vases on the steps of the veranda.
In the corner was a Bath chair.