Denzil did not like to answer this question, the more so as Lydia's sudden divergence from the point of discourse rather disconcerted him.
It is impossible to maintain dignity in making a serious accusation when the person against whom it is made thinks so little of it as to turn aside to discuss a point of etiquette in connection with another woman.
Seeing that her accuser was silent and confused, Lydia recovered her tongue and colour, and the equability of her temper.
It was, therefore, with some raillery that she continued her speech:
"I see how it is," she said contemptuously, "Diana has called you into her councils in order to fix this absurd charge on to me.
Afraid to come herself, she sends you as the braver person of the partnership.
I congratulate you on your errand, Mr. Denzil."
"You can laugh as much as you like, Mrs. Vrain, but the matter is more serious than you suppose."
"Oh, I am sure that my loving stepdaughter will make it as serious as possible.
She always hated me."
"Pardon me, Mrs. Vrain," said Lucian, colouring with annoyance, "but I did not come here to hear you speak ill of Miss Vrain."
"I know that!
She sent you here to speak ill of me and do ill to me.
Well, so you and she accuse me of killing Mark?
I shall be glad to hear the evidence you can bring forward.
If you can make your charge good I should smile.
Oh, I guess so!"
Denzil noticed that when Mrs. Vrain became excited she usually spoke plain English, without the U. S. A. accent, but on growing calmer, and, as it were, recollecting herself, she adopted the Yankee twang and their curious style of expression and ejaculation.
This led him to suspect that the fair Lydia was not a born daughter of the Great Republic, perhaps not even a naturalised citizeness, but had assumed such nationality as one attractive to society in Europe and Great Britain.
He wondered what her past really was, and if she and her father were the doubtful adventurers Diana believed them to be. If so, it might happen that Lydia would extricate herself out of her present unpleasant position by the use of past experience.
To give her no chance of such dodging, Lucian rapidly detailed the evidence against her so that she would be hard put to baffle it.
But in this estimate he quite underrated Lydia's nerve and capability of fence, let alone the dexterity with which she produced a satisfactory reply to each of his questions.
"We will begin at the beginning, Mrs. Vrain," he said soberly, "say from the time you drove your unfortunate husband out of his own house."
"Now, I guess that wasn't my fault," explained Lydia. "I wasn't in love with old man Mark, but I liked him well enough, for he was a real gentleman; and when that make-mischief Diana, who cocked her nose at me, set out for Australia, we got on surprisingly well.
Count Ferruci came over to stay, as much at Mark's invitation as mine, and I didn't pay too much attention to him anyhow."
"Miss Tyler says you did!"
"Sakes!" cried Mrs. Vrain, raising her eyebrows, "have you been talking to that old stump?
Well, just you look here, Mr. Denzil!
It was Bella Tyler who made all the mischief.
She thought Ercole was sweet on her, and when she found out he wasn't, she got real mad, and went to tell Mark that I was making things hum the wrong way with the Count.
Of course Mark had a row with him, and, of course, I got riz—not having done anything to lie low for. We had a row royal, I guess, and the end of it was that Mark cleared out.
I thought he would turn up again, or apply for a divorce, though he hadn't any reason to.
But he did neither, and remained away for a whole year.
While he was away I got quit of Ercole pretty smart, I can tell you, as I wanted to shut up that old maid's mouth.
I never knew where Mark was, or guessed what became of him, until I saw that advertisement, and putting two and two together to make four, I called to see Mr. Link, where I found you running the circus."
"Why did you faint on the mention of the stiletto?"
"I told you the reason, and Link also."
"Yes, but your reason was too weak to——"
"Oh, well, you're right enough there," interrupted Lydia, smiling. "All that talk of nerves and grief wasn't true.
I didn't give my real reason, but I will now.
When I heard that the old man had been stabbed by a stiletto I remembered that the one on the library wall had vanished some time before the Christmas Eve on which Mark was killed.
So you may guess I was afraid."
"For yourself?"
"I guess not; it wasn't any of my funeral.
I didn't take the stiletto, nor did I know who had; but I was afraid you might think Ferruci took it.
The stiletto was Italian, and the Count is Italian, so it struck me you might put two and two together and suspect Ercole.
I never thought you'd fix on me," concluded Lydia, with a scornful toss of her head.
"As a matter of fact, I fixed on you both," said Lucian composedly.
"And for what reason?
Why should I and the Count murder poor Mark, if you please?