“I don’t know what to say to Julius, I’m sure. Oh, what a fool I feel! I’ll have to say something ⁠—he’s so American and thorough, he’ll insist upon having a reason. I wonder if he did find anything in that safe⁠—”

Tuppence’s meditations went off on another tack. She reviewed the events of last night carefully and persistently. Somehow, they seemed bound up with Sir James’s enigmatical words.⁠ ⁠…

Suddenly she gave a great start⁠—the colour faded out of her face. Her eyes, fascinated, gazed in front of her, the pupils dilated.

“Impossible,” she murmured. “Impossible! I must be going mad even to think of such a thing.⁠ ⁠…”

Monstrous⁠—yet it explained everything.⁠ ⁠…