Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne Read Free Book Online Page B

bewilderment appeared on the young man’s face.
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œI can’t.”
    â€œYou must come back.”
    She shook her head.
    â€œDr. Hailey is going to ask John MacCallien to put me up for the night.”
    â€œOonagh—”
    Eoghan tried to grasp his wife’s arm. She shrank from him.
    â€œPlease don’t.”
    â€œSurely, Doctor,” he cried, “you can’t approve of behaviour of this sort? We have sorrow enough at Duchlan…”
    He broke off. Dr. Hailey considered a moment and then turned to him.
    â€œI should like you both to come into the house with me,” he said, “I have something to tell you.” He glanced at Oonagh, whose face expressed a lively dissent. “I shall not try to persuade you against your will. All I want is to put you and your husband in possession of certain facts.”
    â€œI don’t wish to hear them.”
    He realized that she feared the discovery of her attempted suicide and pitched about in his mind for some means of avoiding that discovery. There were none. He weighed the danger and took his decision.
    â€œI have just rescued your wife from drowning,” he told Eoghan in matter-of-fact tones.
    â€œWhat!”
    â€œIt’s as I say. The bank of the burn, under the castle, is very steep and it’s easy, as you know, to slip on that steep bank. There’s nothing to break the fall till the burn is reached and at high tide the water in the mouth of the burn is deep.”
    He spoke in challenging tones. He added: “Please don’t ask any questions just now; I shall not answer them.”
    He watched the young man and saw his expression change from melancholy to fear. Eoghan’s fists were clenched. Suddenly he caught his wife’s arm, holding it in a strong grip. This time she did not shrink from him. They walked to the door of the house in silence. It was ajar. Dr. Hailey led the way into the smoking-room and switched up the light. An exclamation of dismay broke from Eoghan’s lips when he saw his wife. He came to her and put his arm round her to help her to a chair. A fire was laid in the grate; he stooped and lit it. Oonagh’s eyes followed every movement, but her face remained expressionless.
    It was an interesting face in spite of its weakness. Even in her distress, the girl managed to convey a remarkable impression of vitality. Dr. Hailey glanced at Eoghan. There was vitality in his face too, but it was clouded by his melancholy. Oonagh, he thought, was one of those women who need to depend on a man’s direction. Was this man capable of giving her the support without which her vitality must constitute a danger?
    â€œAs you know,” he said, “I had an opportunity of inspecting Miss Gregor’s body this evening. That inspection has convinced me that she was killed by someone possessed of great strength and using a weapon taken from a fishing-boat. That’s the first fact that I wish to make known to you.”
    He sat down and put his eyeglass in his eye. Although his clothes clung to him rather dismally he had not lost his kindliness of manner.
    â€œWhy do you think the weapon was taken from a fishing boat?” Eoghan asked.
    â€œBecause I found the scale of a herring near the edge of the wound.”
    Oonagh raised her head sharply.
    â€œThat would mean that the scale had been on the blade of the weapon?”
    â€œI think so. I don’t see how it could have reached the place where I found it in any other way. There was only one scale, so I conclude that the weapon was wiped before being used.”
    The girl moved her chair nearer to the fire. He saw her knuckles whiten as she grasped its arms.
    â€œQueerly enough,” Eoghan said, “I bought some herring from a fishing boat on my way across the loch last night. They were pulling in the net when I passed them and I couldn’t resist the temptation. The launch is full of