Читать книгу Seven Sins онлайн

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"Really," she said, "I am afraid I don't understand at all. Please, won't somebody tell me what has happened?"

"Perhaps, gentlemen—" the interruption came in that singularly calm voice of Lord Marcus—"I should make you acquainted. Chief Detective Inspector Firth, Dr. Fawcett, and—er—Sergeant Bluett: my cousin, Fay Perigal."

The Chief Inspector and the surgeon acknowledged this introduction by bows. Bluett alone spoke.

"How do you do, miss?" he inquired.

"A tragic and unaccountable thing has occurred here to-night," Lord Marcus added, "so that your wholly unexpected appearance seems to call for an explanation, Fay. I am curious on this point myself, and these gentlemen are professionally interested."

"Yes, of course." Fay Perigal glanced from face to face, glanced at the couch and then away again quickly: her agitation was pathetic. "It's really quite simple. Just an unfortunate accident. You see—" she addressed herself nervously to the Chief Inspector—"I managed to get leave to attend a birthday party given by a school friend in London. As I knew I couldn't possibly get back to Otterly to-night—"