I felt she had known it was me all along and had accused Robert to see if I would have the courage to confess.
'I'm afraid not,' I said, 'it's smashed in little pieces.'
'What did you do with the pieces?' said Maxim.
It was like being a prisoner, giving evidence.
How paltry and mean my actions sounded, even to myself.
'I put them all into an envelope,' I said.
'Well, what did you do with the envelope?' said Maxim, lighting a cigarette, his tone a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
'I put it at the back of one of the drawers in the writing-desk,' I said.
'It looks as though Mrs de Winter thought you would put her in prison, doesn't it, Mrs Danvers?' said Maxim.
'Perhaps you would find the envelope and send the pieces up to London.
If they are too far gone to mend it can't be helped.
All right, Frith. Tell Robert to dry his tears.'
Mrs Danvers lingered when Frith had gone.
'I will apologise to Robert of course,' she said, 'but the evidence pointed so strongly to him.
It did not occur to me that Mrs de Winter had broken the ornament herself.
Perhaps, if such a thing should happen again, Mrs de Winter will tell me personally, and I will have the matter attended to?
It would save everybody a lot of unpleasantness.'
'Naturally,' said Maxim impatiently,
'I can't think why she didn't do so yesterday.
I was just going to tell her when you came into the room.'
'Perhaps Mrs de Winter was not aware of the value of the ornament?' said Mrs Danvers, turning her eyes upon me.
'Yes,' I said wretchedly.
'Yes, I was afraid it was valuable.
That's why I swept the pieces up so carefully.'
'And hid them at the back of a drawer where no one would find them, eh?' said Maxim, with a laugh, and a shrug of the shoulders.
'Is not that the sort of thing the between-maid is supposed to do, Mrs Danvers?'
"The between-maid at Manderley would never be allowed to touch the valuable things in the morning-room, sir,' said Mrs Danvers.
'No, I can't see you letting her,' said Maxim.
'It's very unfortunate,' said Mrs Danvers,
'I don't think we have ever had any breakages in the morning-room before.
We were always so particular.
I've done the dusting in there myself since — last year.
There was no one I could trust.
When Mrs de Winter was alive we used to do the valuables together.'
'Yes, well — it can't be helped,' said Maxim.
'All right, Mrs Danvers.'
She went out of the room, and I sat on the window-seat, looking out of the window.
Maxim picked up his paper again.
Neither of us spoke.
'I'm awfully sorry, darling,' I said, after a moment, 'it was very careless of me.
I can't think how it happened.
I was just arranging those books on the desk, to see if they would stand, and the cupid slipped.'
'My sweet child, forget it.
What does it matter?'
'It does matter.
I ought to have been more careful.
Mrs Danvers must be furious with me.'
'What the devil has she got to be furious about?
It's not her bit of china.'
'No, but she takes such a pride in it all.