Conventional phraseology!  It would never have been adequate for me; I am afraid I have an incurable habit of rebelling against the orthodox dogma beloved of clergymen, but Clare is more docile, less ’tameless and swift and proud.’

I touched Johnny’s arm.  ‘Let us come away,’ I murmured.

Clare, her face beneath her veil swollen with crying, went off with Frank, who was going to see her into the train.  I, of course, was going to stop with Jane until the funeral, as she called it; I would not leave her alone in the house.  So I asked Frank if Peggy would go down to Potter’s Bar and be with Clare, who was certainly not fit for solitude, poor child, until my return.  Peggy is a dear, cheerful girl, if limited, and she and Clare have always been great friends.  Frank said he was sure Peggy would do this, and I went back to Jane, who was writing necessary letters in the drawing-room.

Johnny said to her, ’Well, if you’re sure I can’t be any use just now, old thing, I suppose I ought to go to the office,’ and Jane said, ’Yes, don’t stay.  There’s nothing,’ and he went.

I offered to help Jane with the letters, but she said she could easily manage them, and I thought the occupation might be the best thing for her, so I left her to it and went down to speak to Emily, Jane’s nice little maid.  Emily is a good little thing, and she was obviously terribly, though not altogether unpleasantly, shocked and stirred (maids are) by the tragedy.

She told me much more about the terrible evening than Jane or Clare had.  It was less effort, of course, for her to speak.  Indeed, I think she really enjoyed opening out to me.  And I liked to hear.  I always must get a clear picture of events:  I suppose it is the story-writer’s instinct.

‘I went up to bed, my lady,’ she said, ’feeling a bit lonely now cook’s on her holiday, soon after Miss Clare came in.  And I was just off to sleep when I heard Mrs. Hobart come in, with Mr. Gideon; they were talking as they came up to the drawing-room, and that woke me up.’

‘Mr. Gideon!’ I exclaimed in surprise.  ‘Was he there?’

’Yes, my lady.  He came in with Mrs. Hobart.  I knew it was him, by his voice.  And soon after the master came in, and they was all talking together.  And then I heard the mistress come upstairs to her bedroom.  And then I dozed off, and I was woke by the fall....  Oh, dear, my lady, how I did scream when I came down and saw....  There was the poor master laying on the bottom stair, stunned-like, as I thought, I’m sure I never knew he was gone, and the mistress and Miss Clare bending over him, and the mistress calling to me to telephone for the doctor.  The poor mistress, she was so white, I thought she’d go off, but she kept up wonderful; and Miss Clare, she was worse, all scared and white, as if she’d seen a ghost.  I rang for Dr. Armes, and he came round at once, and I got hot-water bottles and put them in the bed, but the doctor wouldn’t move