I didn't want it to turn up - I was afraid."
"Afraid?
Why?"
"I suppose - because of murder."
I remembered the look of terror on Brenda's face - the wild unreasoning panic.
I remembered the sheer panic that Magda had conjured up at will when she considered playing the part of a murderess.
There would be no panic in Sophia's mind, but she was a realist, and she could see clearly enough that Leonides's will made her a suspect.
I understood better now (or thought I did) her refusal to become engaged to me and her insistence that I should find out the truth.
Nothing but the truth, she had said, was any good to her.
I remembered the passion, the earnestness with which she had said it.
We had turned to walk towards the house and suddenly, at a certain spot, I remembered something else she had said.
She had said that she supposed she could murder someone, but if so, she had added, it must be for something really worth while.
Chapter 22
Round a turn of the rock garden Roger and Clemency came walking briskly towards us.
Roger's flapping tweeds suited him better than his City clothes.
He looked eager and excited. Clemency was frowning.
"Hullo, you two," said Roger. "At last!
I thought they were never going to arrest that foul woman.
What they've been waiting for, I don't know.
Well, they've pinched her now, and her miserable boy friend - and I hope they hang them both."
Clemency's frown increased.
She said: "Don't be so uncivilised, Roger."
"Uncivilised?
Bosh!
Deliberate coldblooded poisoning of a helpless trusting old man - and when I'm glad the murderers are caught and will pay the penalty you say I'm uncivilised!
I tell you I'd willingly strangle that woman myself."
He added: "She was with you, wasn't she, when the police came for her?
How did she take it?"
"It was horrible," said Sophia in a low voice. "She was scared out of her wits."
"Serves her right."
"Don't be vindictive," said Clemency.
"Oh I know, dearest, but you can't understand.
It wasn't your father.
I loved my father.
Don't you understand?
I loved him!"
"I should understand by now," said Clemency.
Roger said to her, half jokingly: "You've no imagination. Clemency. Suppose it had been I who had been poisoned?"
I saw the quick droop of her lids, her half-clenched hands.
She said sharply: "Don't say things like that even in fun."
"Never mind darling, we'll soon be away from all this."
We moved towards the house. Roger and Sophia walked ahead and Clemency and I brought up the rear.
She said:
"I suppose now - they'll let us go?"
"Are you so anxious to get off?" I asked.
"It' s wearing me out."
I looked at her in surprise.
She met my glance with a faint desperate smile and a nod of the head.
"Haven't you seen, Charles, that I'm fighting all the time?
Fighting for my happiness.