The door from the bedroom
is suddenly opened and lady Adela appears.
She has on a lace cap
over her finished hair, and the wrapper.
Lady A. [Closing the door] What is it? Are you ill, Mr De Levis?
Winsor. Worse; he’s had a lot of money stolen. Nearly a thousand pounds.
Lady A. Gracious! Where?
De Levis. From under my pillow, Lady Adela—my door was locked—I was in the bath-room.
Lady A. But how fearfully thrilling!
Winsor. Thrilling! What’s to be done? He wants it back.
Lady A. Of course! [With sudden realisation] Oh! But Oh! it’s quite too unpleasant!
Winsor. Yes! What am I to do?
Fetch the servants out of their rooms?
Search the grounds? It’ll make the devil
of a scandal.
De Levis. Who’s next to me?
Lady A. [Coldly] Oh! Mr De Levis!
Winsor. Next to you? The Dancys on this side, and Miss Orme on the other. What’s that to do with it?
De Levis. They may have heard something.
Winsor. Let’s get them. But Dancy was down stairs when I came up. Get Morison, Adela! No. Look here! When was this exactly? Let’s have as many alibis as we can.
De Levis. Within the last twenty minutes, certainly.
Winsor. How long has Morison been up with you?
Lady A. I came up at eleven, and rang for her at once.
Winsor. [Looking at his watch] Half an hour.
Then she’s all right.
Send her for Margaret and the Dancys—there’s
nobody else in this wing.
No; send her to bed. We don’t want gossip.
D’you mind going yourself,
Adela?
Lady A. Consult General Canynge, Charlie.
Winsor. Right. Could you get him
too? D’you really want the police,
De Levis?
De Levis. [Stung by the faint contempt in his tone of voice] Yes, I do.
Winsor. Then, look here, dear! Slip into my study and telephone to the police at Newmarket. There’ll be somebody there; they’re sure to have drunks. I’ll have Treisure up, and speak to him. [He rings the bell].
Lady Adela goes out into her room and closes the door.
Winsor. Look here, De Levis! This isn’t an hotel. It’s the sort of thing that doesn’t happen in a decent house. Are you sure you’re not mistaken, and didn’t have them stolen on the course?
De Levis. Absolutely. I counted them just before putting them under my pillow; then I locked the door and had the key here. There’s only one door, you know.
Winsor. How was your window?
De Levis. Open.
Winsor. [Drawing back the curtains of his own window] You’ve got a balcony like this. Any sign of a ladder or anything?