However, when Fabian suggested that he should set up an account for them on which they could draw at any time they needed money for Fleur, they at length agreed.
"Not that we'll touch it," said Polly.
"But it's nice to know it's there," added the practical Eff.
During the following week I saw a good deal of him. I had to admit that he was a help and that he comforted me. The fact that he was there and knew the truth took a great weight off my mind.
No one else from the police came to see me. There was little in the papers about the case. It was good to know that if any crisis arose Fabian would be there.
I grew to know a little more of him. He used to visit the house and Eff, with a certain pride, would serve tea in the parlour. I think she was rather proud to show it off. When he was coming, fresh antimacassars were put on the velvet chairs and there was an extra polish on the brass; the ornaments on the what-not were carefully dusted. "We don't want that Sir Fabian to think we don't know what's what." I was secretly amused at the thought of his examining the little bits of china on the what-not and assessing the brightness of the brass of the candlesticks. But I liked to see Eff's pleasure in entertaining the titled gentleman and Polly's suspicions of him, which were an indication of her love and concern for me.
He seemed to change a little. He met Fleur, who took quite a liking to him, which surprised me, for he found it difficult to communicate with her and appeared to make no attempt to do so.
"Say hello, Sir Fabian," Eff urged; and Fleur did with a halting charm. She put her hands on his knees and gazed up at him with a sort of wonder. It was very amusing. I thought there was a look of the Framlings about Fleur. She had failed to inherit Lavinia's tawny hair, but I thought she would be a beauty like her mother.
"A pleasant-looking child," was Fabian's comment.
"She seemed to sense that she was related to you," I told him.
"Surely not?"
"Who knows? You are her uncle."
Effie brought in tea, which I took alone with Fabian. I guessed Polly was hovering. As she would say, she wouldn't trust him and he might get up to some "hanky panky."
We talked of Lavinia's coming marriage, which would be very soon now. Lavinia would have heard of Janine's death, as it had been reported in the papers. I wondered what she was thinking. If I knew her, she would be mightily relieved on one hand, but on the other she must be wondering what could come out about Janine. I wondered if it occurred to her that if Janine was blackmailing her she might be doing the same to other people. Surely she must be suffering some anxiety.
Fabian would have to return for the wedding.
"I think," he told me, "you would be expected to attend."
"I am not sure whether that is necessary. She will have heard about Janine. I wonder how she is feeling."
"She doesn't let much worry her, but even she must be having some uneasy moments. Thank God she was in Framling when the woman was killed and there can be no question of accusations being brought against her."
"Do you think she will tell Dougal?"
"No, I do not."
"Do you think she should?"
"It is a matter for her to decide."
"Shouldn't he know?"
"I can see you are a stickler for morality."
"Aren't you?"
"I am for good common sense."
"And morality does not always fit in with that?"
"I would not say that. Each situation has to be judged on its own. You cannot generalize about such matters."
"Do you think it is right ... or even wise ... for a woman who has a child to marry and not mention that child to her husband?"
"If the woman in question was a virtuous one she would not have had the child in the first place, so you must not expect exemplary conduct from her afterwards. It is a matter for Lavinia to decide."
"And Dougal ... isn't he being deceived?"
"Yes. But perhaps he would prefer not to know."
"Do you really think so? Would you in similar circumstances?"
"I find it exceedingly difficult to put myself in Dougal's place. I am not Dougal. I am myself. Dougal is a good, worthy man. I am sure he has lived an exemplary life. I cannot say the same for myself. Therefore I take a different view from the one he would take. I believe that it is better to get through life as easily as one can ... and if ignorance is more soothing than knowledge, let's remain in the dark."
"What a strange philosophy!"
"I am afraid you disapprove of me."
"I am sure there are very few things you are afraid of and my approval or disapproval is not one of them."
"I would always welcome your good opinion."
I laughed. I was feeling much easier with him. I looked forward to his visits and I was continually warning myself not to become too interested in him. I had had one warning with Dougal. He had seemed the perfect gentleman; Fabian was not that, but I found him, if anything, more interesting. The subjects raised by Dougal had fascinated me, but it was Fabian himself who attracted me.
I was on dangerous ground. Polly knew it; that was why she was watchful.
It was evening. Fleur was in bed, and I was sitting with Polly and Eff by the kitchen fire. Eff had just commented on how well it was drawing these days, when there was a knock on the door.
Eff rose in dismay. She never liked anyone to catch her using the kitchen as a living room.
"One of the tenants," she said. "First Floor Back, bet you anything."
She composed herself, putting on the special dignity she reserved for tenants, and went to the door.
Polly followed her with me in the wake.
It was not First Floor Back but one of the others, and she was clutching a newspaper.
"I thought you might not have heard the latest," she was saying excitedly. "It's the Janine Fletcher case."
We all went into the parlour. Polly had seized the newspaper and spread it out on the table. We all gathered round. It was on the front page, Stop Press News.
"Startling Developments in the Janine Fletcher Case. Police think they have solution."
That was all.
"Well, well," said Eff. "It was kind of you, Mrs. Tenby."
"Well, I thought you'd want to know. And Miss Delany ... you'd be interested, seeing as how you knew the poor thing."
"Yes," I agreed.
"Now we have to wait and see what it's all about," said Polly.
Eff, with the utmost dignity, was ushering Mrs. Tenby into the hall.
"Well, thank you for letting us know."
When she had gone we sat in the kitchen asking ourselves what it could mean and we were later than usual going to bed.
I went in to see Fleur, as I always did every night. She was fast asleep, clutching the little doll Eff had bought for her and from which she refused to be parted. I bent and kissed her; she murmured something in her sleep. I felt a great relief because Fabian knew and that meant that her future was assured.
I lay awake for a long time, wondering what new development there had been and whether I should see Fabian next day.
We had the papers early and there it was for us to read. It was a further shock for me and I felt more deeply involved than I had before. Dramas ... tragedies ... take place frequently. One reads of them and sometimes they seem unreal because they happen to vague people whom we can only imagine; but when they concern someone we know, that is different.
What I read saddened me greatly, although it must have brought intense relief to Lavinia.
They had found the murderess—not by any great detective work on the part of the police, but through the confession of the one who had killed Janine.