"Yes, miss."
"He wished to speak to me, didn't he?"
"Yes, miss."
"Where is he now?"
Hearing voices on the terrace below, I looked out of window, and saw the
two gentlemen walking up and down together. Answering for my daughter, I
said, "Mr. Franklin is on the terrace, miss."
Without another word, without heeding Mr. Superintendent, who tried
to speak to her, pale as death, and wrapped up strangely in her own
thoughts, she left the room, and went down to her cousins on the
terrace.
It showed a want of due respect, it showed a breach of good manners, on
my part, but, for the life of me, I couldn't help looking out of window
when Miss Rachel met the gentlemen outside. She went up to Mr. Franklin
without appearing to notice Mr. Godfrey, who thereupon drew back and
left them by themselves. What she said to Mr. Franklin appeared to be
spoken vehemently. It lasted but for a short time, and, judging by what
I saw of his face from the window, seemed to astonish him beyond all
power of expression. While they were still together, my lady appeared
on the terrace. Miss Rachel saw her--said a few last words to Mr.
Franklin--and suddenly went back into the house again, before her mother
came up with her. My lady surprised herself, and noticing Mr. Franklin's
surprise, spoke to him. Mr. Godfrey joined them, and spoke also. Mr.
Franklin walked away a little between the two, telling them what had
happened I suppose, for they both stopped short, after taking a few
steps, like persons struck with amazement. I had just seen as much
as this, when the door of the sitting-room was opened violently. Miss
Rachel walked swiftly through to her bed-room, wild and angry, with
fierce eyes and flaming cheeks. Mr. Superintendent once more attempted
to question her. She turned round on him at her bed-room door. "I have
not sent for you!" she cried out vehemently. "I don't want you. My
Diamond is lost. Neither you nor anybody else will ever find it!" With
those words she went in, and locked the door in our faces. Penelope,
standing nearest to it, heard her burst out crying the moment she was
alone again.
In a rage, one moment; in tears, the next! What did it mean?
I told the Superintendent it meant that Miss Rachel's temper was upset
by the loss of her jewel. Being anxious for the honour of the family,
it distressed me to see my young lady forget herself--even with a
police-officer--and I made the best excuse I could, accordingly. In
my own private mind I was more puzzled by Miss Rachel's extraordinary
language and conduct than words can tell. Taking what she had said at
her bed-room door as a guide to guess by, I could only conclude that
she was mortally offended by our sending for the police, and that
Mr. Franklin's astonishment on the terrace was caused by her having
expressed herself to him (as the person chiefly instrumental in fetching
the police) to that effect. If this guess was right, why--having lost
her Diamond--should she object to the presence in the house of the very
people whose business it was to recover it for her? And how, in Heaven's
name, could SHE know that the Moonstone would never be found again?