Cats are particularly selfish animals.
Two days afterwards Miss Greeb opened the door to a tall and beautiful lady, who asked for Mr. Denzil, and was shown into his sitting-room.
With keen instinct, Miss Greeb decided that this was the woman who had taken possession of Lucian's heart, and being a just little creature, in spite of her jealousy, was obliged to admit that the visitor was as handsome as a picture.
Then, seeing that there was no chance for her beside this splendid lady, she consoled herself with a dismal little proverb, and looked forward to the time when it would be necessary to put a ticket in the parlour window.
Meanwhile, to have some one on whose bosom she could weep, Miss Greeb went round to see Mrs. Bensusan, leaving Diana in possession of Lucian, and the cat sole occupant of the kitchen.
In the drawing-room, on the front floor, Diana, with her eyes shining like two stars, was talking to Lucian.
She had come up at once on receipt of his letter; she had been to Hampstead, she had seen her father, and now she was telling Lucian about the visit.
"He knew me at once, poor dear," she said rapidly, "and asked me if I had been out, just as if I'd left the house for a visit and come back. Ah!"—she shook her head and sighed—"I am afraid he'll never be quite himself again."
"What does Jorce think?"
"He says that father can be discharged as cured, and is going to see about it for me.
Of course, he will never be quite sane, but he will never be violent so long as morphia and drugs of that sort are kept from him.
As soon as he is discharged I shall take him back to Bath, and put him in charge of Miss Barbar; then I shall return to town, and we must expose the whole conspiracy!"
"Conspiracy?"
"What else do you call it, Lucian?
That woman and Ferruci have planned and carried it out between them.
They put my father into the asylum, and made another man pass as him, in order to get the assurance money.
As their tool did not die quickly enough, they killed him."
"No, Diana.
Both Lydia and Ferruci have proved beyond all doubt that they were not in Pimlico at the hour of the death.
I believe they contrived this conspiracy, but I don't believe they murdered Clear."
"Well, we shall see what defence they make.
But one thing is certain, Lucian—Lydia will have to disgorge the assurance money."
"Yes, she certainly will, and I've no doubt the Assurance Company will prosecute her for fraud in obtaining it.
I shall see Ferruci to-morrow and force him to confess his putting your father in the asylum."
"No!" said Diana, shaking her head. "Don't do that until you have more evidence against him."
"I think the evidence of Jorce is strong enough.
I suppose you mean the evidence of Mrs. Clear?"
"Yes; although for her own sake I don't suppose she will speak."
Lucian nodded.
"I thought of that also," he said, "and yesterday I went to St. Bertha Street, Bayswater, to see her.
But I found that she had moved, and no one knew where she was.
I expect, having received her price for the conspiracy, she has left London.
However, I put an advertisement in the papers, saying if she called on me here she would hear of something to her advantage.
It is in the papers this morning."
"I doubt if she will call," said Diana seriously. "What about the promised revelation of Rhoda?"
"I believe that girl is deceiving me," cried Lucian angrily. "I went round to Jersey Street, as she asked me, and only saw Mrs. Bensusan, who said that Rhoda was out and would not be back for some time.
Then I had to wait for you here and tell you all about your father, so the thing slipped my memory.
I have not been near the place since, but I'll go round there to-night. Whatever is Miss Greeb thinking of?" cried Lucian, breaking off quickly. "That front door bell has been ringing for at least five minutes!"
To Diana's amusement, Lucian went and shouted down the stairs to Miss Greeb, but as no reply came, and the bell was still ringing furiously, he was obliged to open the door himself.
On the step there stood a little woman in a tailor-made brown frock, a plainly trimmed brown straw hat with a black gauze velvet-spotted veil.
At once Denzil guessed who she was.
"You are Mrs. Clear?" he said, delighted that she had replied so quickly to his advertisement, for it had only that morning appeared in the newspapers.
"Yes, I am," answered the woman, in a quick, sharp voice. "Are you the L.
D. who advertised for me?"
"Yes.
Come upstairs.
I have much to say to you."
"Diana," said Lucian, on entering the room with his prize, "let me introduce you to Mrs. Clear."
"Mrs. Clear!
Are you the wife of the man who was murdered in the house opposite?"