“Where do you think we should look for it?” said Lomas sharply.
“Oh, my God!” she gasped. “It doesn’t sound real. Mother and poor Golly! Tell me!”
“You were here last night,” said Lomas. “You dined here with Mr. Florian.”
“Here?” she screamed. “That’s a lie. I wasn’t in this room at all. Neither of us was.”
“You didn’t leave Mr. Florian alone a moment?”
She gave a giggling laugh. “I didn’t hold his hand all the time. One doesn’t, does one? But I’m sure he never came up here.”
“Why did you bring him to dine with your family?”
“Because we’re engaged. Quite proper, wasn’t it?”
“Was your mother pleased with your engagement?”
“Poor old mums! She was always at me to get married.”
“To this man Florian?”
“How dare you? ” she said fiercely. “What have you got against him?”
“Was there any quarrel at dinner?”
“Oh, damn! Haven’t I told you there wasn’t? Of course not. Cosmo’s a lamb and mother was a perfect old dear.”
“After dinner, all three of you went out to the summerhouse - then Florian and you went back to the house. Did you see your mother again?”
“Just as we went out. We’d said good - bye.”
“That was fortunate,” said Lomas.
“Don’t be a beast.”
“When did you go away?”
“I don’t know the time. Before ten.”
“Just about ten your mother’s throat was cut.”
Again she screamed. “Ugh, you will make everything so ghastly.”
“That’s all.” Lomas turned to Bell. “Bring up the man now. You’ll wait downstairs, Miss Rook.”
“Of course I shall. It’s my own house,” she cried, and flounced out.
“Clever female,” Reggie murmured.
“She knows all about it.” Lomas smiled satisfaction.
“Knows something, yes.”
“Well, I think I dealt with her faithfully, Reginald.”
“Quite creditable piece of torture,” Reggie nodded.
“Scared for her life, isn’t she? That ought to get results.”
