Читать книгу Seven Sins онлайн

27 страница из 79

"This is quite beyond me," he confessed. "Are we to suppose that a man wi' a broken neck admitted himself into yon lobby? I think not. Therefore, someone else must ha' brought him in, and then slipped out again, unless he is still here. Have you searched the hoose?"

"I have not left the ground floor. I was forced to return immediately to the Rites."

Firth stood up, and then sat down again. "The doctor is out yonder," he muttered, "so that if there is anyone else inside, he canna very well get out. Have you a back entrance?"

"No, there is no other entrance."

"Who, other than yoursel', has a key o' the front door?"

"Wake has one. But Wake has not returned."

"Late hours for a butler," Bluett suggested, glancing at his wrist-watch.

Rather wearily Lord Marcus explained: "Wake sometimes sleeps out. His wife acts as caretaker at a house in Grosvenor Square. With my permission, he occasionally spends the night there. To-night, when he set out (it was his evening off), I told him that I should be engaged until very late, and—provided he reported in the morning—that it would be unnecessary for him to return."