A Case of Robbery on the Riviera by Clara Benson

Author:Clara Benson [Benson, Clara]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw
Tags: Upload
ISBN: 9781913355159
Published: 2020-12-07T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

On his return Freddy sought out Angela and related what Nugs had told him of his suspicions about the Comte de Langlois.

‘It’s a good story, but rather thin on evidence,’ she said doubtfully.

‘That’s what I thought, but remember we still don’t know who X is—that is, the person who tore the diamond from Jessie Weeks’s dress and took it outside to Rolf. I don’t suppose you remember where the Comte was when the lights went off, do you?’

She thought.

‘He was with your grandmother, and they were both standing not far from the table where Jessie Weeks was sitting.’

‘I wonder,’ said Freddy thoughtfully. ‘Stay here. I’m going to make a telephone-call.’

He was put through to the Villa des Fleurs and ran the gauntlet of both Henry and Great-Aunt Ernestine before he eventually succeeded in speaking to Baba.

‘Oh, he was there with me all the time, darling,’ she said. ‘At least, until the lights went out. I was terrified—I’ve been frightened of the dark ever since I was a child, and even now I do rather prefer to sleep with the lights on than not, so you can imagine how I felt last night, and it was so odd, the way the orchestra tailed off in that horrid discordant way. It quite gave me the shivers.’

‘About the Comte,’ prompted Freddy.

‘Oh, yes, when the lights went out I reached for his arm, but he wasn’t there. I was cross with him, but of course there wasn’t really anything to be frightened of, because everyone was squealing and laughing, and eventually I saw the funny side myself, but then Mrs. Weeks screamed and the lights came back on and she said her diamond had been stolen, and then Mrs. Marchmont fainted, and a minute later Yves came back with a drink for me. It turned out he’d gone off as soon as the lights went out to fetch it from one of the waiters because he knew I’d need it to calm my nerves. So kind and thoughtful of him, don’t you think?’

‘Did he stay with you after that?’

‘Yes—well, he went off to find Mr. Roche a little while later, to see if he could help search for the diamond.’

‘How long was he away?’

‘Why, I’ve no idea. Not long. Five minutes? Ten? You know I never have any idea of the time, darling, especially not when I’m enjoying myself. I was speaking to Mr. Lenoir, who was most complimentary about my new dress, although I hadn’t been altogether sure of it since it’s not a colour I’d usually wear, but he assured me it suited my complexion beautifully, and said that nobody was likely to steal my ruby earrings, since the thieves were most likely miles away already, and that set my mind quite at ease, although one can never be sure of anything, can one?’

Freddy eventually managed to extricate himself from the conversation and returned to Angela.

‘So the Comte might have been either the thief or the murderer,’ she said, after he had related the telephone conversation to her.

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