My wife, I think, suspected something.
She’s — she’s a very jealous woman — always has been.” He added brusquely, “That’s all there is to it. We left Dillmouth — ” “On August i yth,” said Gwenda.
“Was that the date? Probably. I can’t remember exactly.” “It was a Saturday,” said Gwenda.
“Yes, you’re right. I remember Janet said it might be a crowded day to travel north — but I don’t think it was…” “Please try and remember. Major Erskine. When was the last time you saw my stepmother — Helen?” He smiled, a gentle, tired smile.
“I don’t need to try very hard. I saw her the evening before we left. On the beach.
I’d strolled down there after dinner— and she was there. There was no one else about. I walked up with her to her house. We went through the garden — ” “What time?” “I don’t know…. Nine o’clock, I suppose.” “And you said good-bye?” “And we said good-bye.” Again he laughed. “Oh, not the kind of goodbye you’re thinking of. It was very brusque and curt. Helen said: “Please go away now.
Go quickly. I’d rather not — ” She stopped then — and I — I just went.” “Back to the hotel?” “Yes, yes, eventually. I walked a long way first — right out into the country.” Gwenda said, “It’s difficult with dates — after so many years. But I think that that was the night she went away — and didn’t comeback.” “I see. And as I and my wife left the next day, people gossiped and said she’d gone away with me. Charming minds people have.” “Anyway,” said Gwenda bluntly, “she didn’t go away with you?” “Good Lord, no, there was never any question of such a thing.” “Then why do you think,” asked Gwenda, “that she went away?” Erskine frowned. His manner changed, became interested.
“I see,” he said. “That is a bit of a problem. She didn’t — er — leave any explanation?” Gwenda considered. Then she voiced her own belief.
“I don’t think she left any word at all.
Do you think she went away with someone else?” “No, of course she didn’t.” “You seem rather sure about that.” “I am sure.” “Then why did she go?” “If she went off– suddenly — like that — I can only see one possible reason. She was running away from me.” “From you?” “Yes. She was afraid, perhaps, that I’d try to see her again — that I’d pester her.
She must have seen that I was still — crazy about her…. Yes, that must have been it.” “It doesn’t explain,” said Gwenda, “why she never came back. Tell me, did Helen say anything to you about my father? That she was worried about him? Or–or afraid of him? Anything like that?” “Afraid of him? Why? Oh I see, you thought he might have been jealous. Was he a jealous man?” “I don’t know. He died when I was a child.” “Oh, I see. No—looking back—he always seemed normal and pleasant. He was fond of Helen, proud of her — I don’t think more. No, I was the one who was jealous of him.” “They seemed to you reasonably happy together?” “Yes, they did. I was glad—and yet, at the same time, it hurt, to see it…. No, Helen never discussed him with me. As I tell you, we were hardly ever alone, never confidential together. But now that you have mentioned it, I do remember thinking that Helen was worried…” “Worried?” “Yes. I thought perhaps it was because of my wife — ” He broke off. “But it was more than that.” He looked again sharply at Gwenda.
“Was she afraid of her husband? Was he jealous of other men where she was concerned?” “You seem to think not.” “Jealousy is a very queer thing. It can hide itself sometimes so that you’d never suspect it.” He gave a short quick shiver. “But it can be frightening — very frightening…”
“Another thing I would like to know — ” Gwenda broke off.
A car had come up the drive. Major Erskine said, “Ah, my wife has come back from shopping.” In a moment, as it were, he became a different person. His tone was easy yet formal, his face expressionless. A slight tremor betrayed that he was nervous.