藍色特快上的秘密-藍色列車之謎-藍色列車(英文版)

第14部分 (第3/7頁)

d　already　felt　hurt　by　Ruth's　lack　of　frankness；　and　this　chance　revelation　which　had　e　to　him　did　nothing　to　allay　his　misgivings。

Why　had　Ruth　got　rid　of　her　maid　in　Paris？　What　possible　object　or　motive　could　she　have　had　in　so　doing？

He　reflected　for　a　moment　or　two　on　the　curious　bination　of　chance。　How　should　it　have　occurred　to　Ruth；　except　as　the　wildest　coincidence；　that　the　first　person　that　the　maid　should　run　across　in　Paris　should　be　her　father's　secretary？　Ah；　but　that　was　the　way　things　happened。　That　was　the　way　things　got　found　out。

He　winced　at　the　last　phrase；　it　had　arisen　with　plete　naturalness　to　his　mind。　Was　there　then　'something　to　be　found　out'？　He　hated　to　put　this　question　to　himself；　he　had　no　doubt　of　the　answer。　The　answer　was　…　he　was　sure　of　it　…　Armand　de　la　Roche。

It　was　bitter　to　Van　Aldin　that　a　daughter　of　his　should　be　gulled　by　such　a　man；　yet　he　was　forced　to　admit　that　she　was　in　good　pany　…　that　other　well…bred　and　intelligent　women　had　succumbed　just　as　easily　to　the　Count's　fascination。　Men　saw　through　him；　women　did　not。

He　sought　now　for　a　phrase　that　would　allay　any　suspicion　that　his　secretary　might　have　felt。

〃Ruth　is　always　changing　her　mind　about　things　at　a　moment's　notice；〃　he　remarked；　and　then　he　added　in　a　would…be　careless　tone；　〃The　maid　didn't　give　any　…　er　…　reason　for　this　change　of　plan？〃

Knighton　was　careful　to　make　his　voice　as　natural　as　possible　as　he　replied：

〃She　said；　sir；　that　Mrs　Kettering　had　met　a　friend　unexpectedly。〃

〃Is　that　so？〃

The　secretary's　practised　ears　caught　the　note　of　strain　underlying　the　seemingly　casual　tone。

〃Oh；　I　see。　Man　or　woman？〃

〃I　think　she　said　a　man；　sir。〃

Van　Aldin　nodded。　His　wor