When he entered the breakfast-room at the Park, he did not notice, or pretended that he did not notice, Violet, who was sitting at the window, half hidden by the curtain; but advancing to Mrs. Mildmay, he said, in a tone of grave concern:
"It is as I feared, my dear madam. The man is Starling, my late valet."
"And he was found lying on the rocks below the cliffs. He had suddenly fallen over, or been thrown over."
"Thrown over!" repeated Mrs. Mildmay, with a look of horror. "Oh, who could be guilty of such a horrible crime?"
"I do not know--I cannot say," said the captain, who seemed much agitated. "Has Mr. Leicester Dodson been here this morning?"
"No," said Mrs. Mildmay. "Did you expect him?"
"Oh, no," said the captain. "I should like to see him; indeed, I went up to the Cedars, hoping to see him, but I could not find either him or Mr. Dodson at home."
"Why did you want to see him?" asked the simple lady.
"I should have liked him to see the body, and to ask him a few questions," said the captain, who knew that the white-muslined figure in the window seat was listening attentively.
"But why?" asked Mrs. Mildmay. "You identified the poor fellow sufficiently, I should think, and what questions could you have to ask?"
The captain drew nearer, with an expression of troubled perplexity.
Suddenly he laid his hand upon Mrs. Mildmay's arm, and, with a grave look, said:
"I had better tell you. I had better tell you, so that you may be on your guard, and keep the news from Violet. I have seen the man, and something else--a hat which was found lying beside him."
Mrs. Mildmay glanced at the window, but the captain did not seem to notice.
"The hat was Leicester Dodson's--I knew it by the initials marked inside it--and the flower was one which I gave him late last night."
Mrs. Mildmay uttered a cry of horror, and it was echoed by a voice behind the curtain.
"What!" she breathed, her eyes distended and her face white.
"You here!" exclaimed the captain, in a tone of self-reproach. "Nothing, my dear young lady!"
"You say his hat and the flower were lying beside the dead man?" she breathed. "What do you mean? What do they all mean? They do not say he killed him!" and, with a faint cry, she fell back.