which way he went. Possibly with the vague hope that he would see her and speak. But he was out of sight when she reached the gates. What had happened? She could not ask Adelaide. It would be prying into her affairs. She must leave it to her to mention it if she wished to do so. Ought she to write and tell Jasper?
She stood at the gates for a few moments, Sandy jumping impatiently at her feet. Then the young doctor, Peter Skelton, came up, bareheaded and smiling.
"I was hoping to see you, Pearl," he said. "Big news! I had to come to tell you. The Dad has decided to have a second surgery in Torbury. He has taken a nice little house and I am to live there. You know what I am hoping? It's not much to start with, but it will grow. I will make it grow! I know it is sudden and I don't expect you to say anything immediately, but, "
"Oh, Peter, please not now!"
She burst into tears and ran back to the house. Had any girl ever had such a day!
CHAPTER 12: Another Tragedy
"ADELAIDE is dead!"
Ruth Bennion came to Roger with the startling news. They had finished breakfast and he was writing a letter. He put down his pen and looked at her with astonishment.
"Adelaide dead? Who told you? Another accident? I thought I saw her in her car yesterday afternoon in the village."
"Teague has just told Nannie. There seems to have been some family upset. She took a room in the Crompton Arms and went there yesterday. Perhaps that was when you saw her. She did not come down for dinner and after a time they went to her room. She was lying on the floor and died a few minutes later. What ought we to do?"
Roger frowned. "It sounds incredible. Is that all he said? What was the cause of death?"
"Teague did not know. It seems they had some difficulty in getting into the room, as it was locked on the inside. She was fully dressed; ready to go down to dinner. They telephoned to the house and also to Dr. Skelton. Emerald and Pearl went round at once and Dr. Skelton a minute or two later. He said nothing could be done and sent them home. Teague thinks he telephoned the police and the body was removed after dark. Isn't it terrible? And so soon after her husband's death! I liked her; she was so beautiful."
There was no doubt Ruth was much upset. Roger's frown deepened.
"I do not like the sound of it," he said. "A young woman, perfectly healthy. I suppose Teague cannot have made a mistake?"
"It hardly seems possible. What can I do? Shall I go to the girls?"
"It might be better if we 'phoned the doctor first. We do not want to rush in until we are sure of the facts."
He knew Dr. Skelton slightly and had played tennis with Peter, his son. He rang through and it was Peter who answered the call. His father was out. Roger told him what they had heard and asked if it was true.
"I am afraid it is," Peter said. "My father is very worried about it. So far as we know Mrs. Michelmore had never been attended by a doctor since she came here. A post mortem will be necessary."
"Will your father see to that?" Roger asked.
"No," Peter answered reluctantly. "He thought it best to hand it over to the police. She was not his patient, though he attended her husband after his accident."
"Did he express any opinion to you as to the probable cause of death, or would you rather not tell me?"
"I think, sir, it is better for me not to say anything. I am so terribly sorry for them all."
"I quite understand. My wife and I are going next door to see if there is anything we can do. There was no other case of illness there?"
"No, sir. My father specially asked that. If, if you should see Pearl, would you say I am on surgery this morning but would come round any moment she wanted me."
"I will."
When they entered Sunbay, Pearl saw them and came to meet them.
"You have heard?" she said dully.
"We have," Roger replied.
Ruth kissed her. "We are so very sorry. Is there anything at all we can do?"
"I don't think so. Will you come in and see Emerald?"
"Where are your
She stood at the gates for a few moments, Sandy jumping impatiently at her feet. Then the young doctor, Peter Skelton, came up, bareheaded and smiling.
"I was hoping to see you, Pearl," he said. "Big news! I had to come to tell you. The Dad has decided to have a second surgery in Torbury. He has taken a nice little house and I am to live there. You know what I am hoping? It's not much to start with, but it will grow. I will make it grow! I know it is sudden and I don't expect you to say anything immediately, but, "
"Oh, Peter, please not now!"
She burst into tears and ran back to the house. Had any girl ever had such a day!
CHAPTER 12: Another Tragedy
"ADELAIDE is dead!"
Ruth Bennion came to Roger with the startling news. They had finished breakfast and he was writing a letter. He put down his pen and looked at her with astonishment.
"Adelaide dead? Who told you? Another accident? I thought I saw her in her car yesterday afternoon in the village."
"Teague has just told Nannie. There seems to have been some family upset. She took a room in the Crompton Arms and went there yesterday. Perhaps that was when you saw her. She did not come down for dinner and after a time they went to her room. She was lying on the floor and died a few minutes later. What ought we to do?"
Roger frowned. "It sounds incredible. Is that all he said? What was the cause of death?"
"Teague did not know. It seems they had some difficulty in getting into the room, as it was locked on the inside. She was fully dressed; ready to go down to dinner. They telephoned to the house and also to Dr. Skelton. Emerald and Pearl went round at once and Dr. Skelton a minute or two later. He said nothing could be done and sent them home. Teague thinks he telephoned the police and the body was removed after dark. Isn't it terrible? And so soon after her husband's death! I liked her; she was so beautiful."
There was no doubt Ruth was much upset. Roger's frown deepened.
"I do not like the sound of it," he said. "A young woman, perfectly healthy. I suppose Teague cannot have made a mistake?"
"It hardly seems possible. What can I do? Shall I go to the girls?"
"It might be better if we 'phoned the doctor first. We do not want to rush in until we are sure of the facts."
He knew Dr. Skelton slightly and had played tennis with Peter, his son. He rang through and it was Peter who answered the call. His father was out. Roger told him what they had heard and asked if it was true.
"I am afraid it is," Peter said. "My father is very worried about it. So far as we know Mrs. Michelmore had never been attended by a doctor since she came here. A post mortem will be necessary."
"Will your father see to that?" Roger asked.
"No," Peter answered reluctantly. "He thought it best to hand it over to the police. She was not his patient, though he attended her husband after his accident."
"Did he express any opinion to you as to the probable cause of death, or would you rather not tell me?"
"I think, sir, it is better for me not to say anything. I am so terribly sorry for them all."
"I quite understand. My wife and I are going next door to see if there is anything we can do. There was no other case of illness there?"
"No, sir. My father specially asked that. If, if you should see Pearl, would you say I am on surgery this morning but would come round any moment she wanted me."
"I will."
When they entered Sunbay, Pearl saw them and came to meet them.
"You have heard?" she said dully.
"We have," Roger replied.
Ruth kissed her. "We are so very sorry. Is there anything at all we can do?"
"I don't think so. Will you come in and see Emerald?"
"Where are your
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