which has been sold or was in process of being
sold when you inherited the money, and anybody who can get your
signature and can satisfy the bankers that they are bona fide payees,
can draw every cent you have of ready money. I might say in passing that
we are prepared for that contingency, and any large cheque will be
referred to me or to my partner."
He raised his field glasses for a second time and looked steadily down
along the hill road up which they had come.
"Are you expecting anybody?" she asked.
"I'm expecting Jean," he said grimly.
"But we left her----"
"The fact that we left her talking to the police doesn't mean that she
will not be coming up here, to watch us. Jean doesn't like me, you know,
and she will be scared to death of this _tete-a-tete_."
The conversation had been arrested by the arrival of the soup and now
there was a further interruption whilst the table was being cleared.
When the _maitre d'hotel_ had gone the girl asked:
"What am I to do with the money? Reinvest it?"
"Exactly," said Jack, "but the most important thing is to make your
will."
He looked along the deserted veranda. They were the only guests present
who had come early. From the veranda two curtained doors led into the
_salon_ of the hotel and it struck him that one of these had not been
ajar when he looked at it before, and it was the door opposite to the
table where they were sitting.
He noted this idly without attaching any great importance to the fact.
"Suppose somebody were to present a cheque to the bank in my name?" she
asked. "What would happen?"
"If it were for a large sum? The manager would call us up and one of us
would probably go round to your bank. It is only a block from our
office. If Rennett or I said it was all right the cheque would be
honoured. You may be sure that I should make very drastic inquiries as
to the origin of the signature."
And then she saw him stiffen and his eyes go to the door. He waited a
second, then rising noiselessly, crossed the wooden floor of the veranda
quickly and pushed open the door, to find himself face to face with the
smiling Jean Briggerland.
Chapter XXVIII
"However did you get here?" asked Lydia in surprise.
"I went into Nice," said the girl carelessly. "The detectives were going
there and I gave them a lift."
"I see," said Jack, "so you came into Turbie by the back road? I
wondered why I hadn't seen your car."
"You expected me, did y
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