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Monday morning he went up to town without seeing her again. Tuesday he got that fateful telegram:

Stevens seen man hanging about house, shabby peering man. Questioned cook. Sick with fear. Send back all my letters at once by special messenger. In panic. On no account come down or near me but letters urgent.

Stevens had told her in the evening whilst putting her to bed. Stevens knew all about the case and was alert for possible complications. The shabby man had been under the observation of cook and housemaid.

"And much satisfaction he got out of what they told him. Askin' questions an' peerin' about! Cook told him off, said no one hadn't been stayin' here, an' if they had 'twas no business of his."

Margaret, pale and stricken, asked if the man looked like … like a detective.

"Lawyer's clerk more like, but I thought I'd best let you know."

The news would have kept until the morning, but one could not expect a servant to take into