Загадочные события во Франчесе / The Franchise Affair

She was missing from her home near Aylesbury for a month, and when she turned up again – in a distressed condition – she said that she had been detained by people who wanted to make a servant of her. They kept her locked up when she refused, and beat and starved her. She described the place and the people minutely, and it so happens that you and I fit the description admirably. So does our house. The suggestion is that she was detained up in our attic with the round window.”

“Remarkably interesting,” said the old lady, seating herself with deliberation on an Empire sofa.

“What did we beat her with?”

“A dog whip, I understand.”

“Have we got a dog whip?”

“We have one of those �lead’ things, I think. They make a whip if necessary. But the point is, the Inspector would like us to meet this girl, so that she can say if we are the people who detained her or not.”

“Have you any objections, Mrs. Sharpe?” Grant asked.

“On the contrary, Inspector. I look forward to the meeting with impatience. It is not every afternoon, I assure you, that I go to my rest a dull old woman and rise a potential monster.”

“Then if you will excuse me, I shall bring—”

Hallam made a motion, offering himself as messenger, but Grant shook his head. It was obvious that he wanted to be present when the girl first saw what was beyond the gate.

As the Inspector went out Marion Sharpe explained Blair’s presence to her mother.

“It was extraordinarily kind of him to come at such short notice and so quickly,” she added, and Robert felt again the impact of that bright pale old eye. For his money, old Mrs. Sharpe was quite capable of beating seven different people between breakfast and lunch, any day of the week.

“You have my sympathy, Mr. Blair,” she said, unsympathetically.

“Why, Mrs. Sharpe?”

“I take it that Broadmoor is a little out of your line.

”

“Broadmoor!”

“Criminal lunacy.”

“I find it extraordinarily stimulating,” Robert said, refusing to be bullied by her.

This drew a flash of appreciation from her; something that was like the shadow of a smile. Robert had the odd feeling that she suddenly liked him; but if so she was making no verbal confession of it. Her dry voice said tartly: “Yes, I expect the distractions of Milford are scarce and mild.