The Scandal at 23 Mount Street (An Angela Marchmont Mystery Book 9) by Clara Benson Page B

thing. Why did he come?’
    ‘I’ve no idea,’ said Angela. ‘I’ve thought and thought about it, but I don’t know why he should have come when he did. He’d visited twice and asked for money, but it was a Saturday night, and he could hardly expect me to be at home—as a matter of fact, I’m fairly sure I mentioned to him that I should be out that night.’
    ‘Perhaps he came deliberately, knowing you would be out,’ said Freddy.
    ‘Yes, I’d thought of that,’ said Angela. ‘He’d made various threats about—things, and I rather wonder whether he hadn’t come to search my flat while I was at the ball.’
    ‘Search it for what?’
    ‘Evidence of another man, I expect. You’re not the only person to accuse me of it. I made some mention of divorce and he didn’t take it kindly. There is no such evidence, of course, but he wasn’t to know that.’
    ‘That makes sense,’ said Freddy. ‘Let’s take it as a logical hypothesis, since he’s not here to speak for himself and contradict us. So, then, let’s say he was here to rifle through your escritoire and disarrange the silverware. What happened between his arrival and his departure, so to speak? Did he make so much noise opening and closing drawers that he attracted the ire of one of your neighbours, who turned up with a gun and dealt with the problem in summary fashion? I know there’s little in this world that’s more infuriating than someone rattling about in the next room when one’s trying to sleep.’
    ‘I doubt it,’ said Angela. ‘Most of the people in the building are old dears who can’t hear a thing one says unless one shouts.’
    ‘Well, in that case whoever did it must have arrived in company with your husband—otherwise they wouldn’t have been able to get in through the front door downstairs.’
    ‘I hadn’t thought of that,’ said Angela, ‘but of course you’re right.’
    ‘But who was it? Might it have been this friend of his at the club you mentioned? I don’t suppose he’s been asked to provide an alibi. I shall have to look into that.’
    ‘Do,’ said Angela, who for the first time was starting to take an interest. ‘He might have asked the friend to come and help him search my place.’
    ‘Yes, that seems possible. All right, then, we have our first suspect. Now, what about others? You say you don’t know of any other friends he might have had. Did he have family here?’
    ‘No,’ said Angela. ‘I expect there’s a woman somewhere, though. Davie always had a woman in tow. I never knew him to be without one.’
    ‘Oh, one of those types, was he?’ said Freddy sympathetically. ‘Poor you. He must have worked fast, though, to secure himself a willing female only a day or two after his arrival. Didn’t you say he’d only got here the day before he first turned up at your flat?’
    ‘That’s what he said, yes,’ said Angela, thinking. ‘As a matter of fact, Freddy, I wonder whether you mightn’t be on to something. Of course it’s too soon even for Davie to have picked someone up in the time, but he might have brought someone with him. Perhaps they came over together from New York. How can we find out?’
    ‘Well, I imagine the first step will be to take a look at the passenger lists,’ said Freddy.
    ‘Will you do that? I’d do it myself, naturally, but I’m engaged for the foreseeable future.’
    ‘No sooner said than done,’ said Freddy, pleased to see that his friend was looking more alive and much more like herself at the prospect of these new leads. ‘I shall go and bother the personnel at the White Star offices and refuse to leave until they give me what I want.’
    ‘Splendid,’ said Angela. ‘I don’t know how you might find out a name, but I’m sure you’ll think of something.’
    ‘I only hope so,’ said Freddy under his breath as he left the prison shortly afterwards. It was a slim chance, but anything was better than nothing at this stage, and he was determined to do