“March 13,” said Caroline. “Just six months ago. Ah!”
Out of a babel of excited suggestions and suppositions three theories were evolved:
- That of Colonel Carter: that Ralph was secretly married to Flora. The first or most simple solution.
- That of Miss Gannett: that Roger Ackroyd had been secretly married to Mrs. Ferrars.
- That of my sister: that Roger Ackroyd had married his housekeeper, Miss Russell.
A fourth or super-theory was propounded by Caroline later as we went up to bed.
“Mark my words,” she said suddenly, “I shouldn’t be at all surprised if Geoffrey Raymond and Flora weren’t married.”
“Surely it would be ‘From G ,’ not ‘From R ’ then,” I suggested.
“You never know. Some girls call men by their surnames. And you heard what Miss Gannett said this evening—about Flora’s carryings on.”
Strictly speaking, I had not heard Miss Gannett say anything of the kind, but I respected Caroline’s knowledge of innuendoes.
“How about Hector Blunt?” I hinted. “If it’s anybody—”
“Nonsense,” said Caroline. “I dare say he admires her, may even be in love with her. But depend upon it a girl isn’t going to fall in love with a man old enough to be her father when there’s a good-looking secretary about. She may encourage Major Blunt just as a blind. Girls are very artful. But there’s one thing I do tell you, James Sheppard. Flora