CHAPTER VII
Some days later, the insurance offices (two in number) received theformal announcement of Lord Montbarry's death, from her ladyship'sLondon solicitors. The sum insured in each office was five thousandpounds--on which one year's premium only had been paid. In the face ofsuch a pecuniary emergency as this, the Directors thought it desirableto consider their position. The medical advisers of the two offices,who had recommended the insurance of Lord Montbarry's life, were calledinto council over their own reports. The result excited some interestamong persons connected with the business of life insurance. Withoutabsolutely declining to pay the money, the two offices (acting inconcert) decided on sending a commission of inquiry to Venice, 'for thepurpose of obtaining further information.'
Mr. Troy received the earliest intelligence of what was going on. Hewrote at once to communicate his news to Agnes; adding, what heconsidered to be a valuable hint, in these words:
'You are intimately acquainted, I know, with Lady Barville, the lateLord Montbarry's eldest sister. The solicitors employed by her husbandare also the solicitors to one of the two insurance offices. There maypossibly be something in the report of the commission of inquirytouching on Ferrari's disappearance. Ordinary persons would not bepermitted, of course, to see such a document. But a sister of the latelord is so near a relative as to be an exception to general rules. IfSir Theodore Barville puts it on that footing, the lawyers, even ifthey do not allow his wife to look at the report, will at least answerany discreet questions she may ask referring to it. Let me hear whatyou think of this suggestion, at your earliest convenience.'
The reply was received by return of post. Agnes declined to availherself of Mr. Troy's proposal.
'My interference, innocent as it was,' she wrote, 'has already beenproductive of such deplorable results, that I cannot and dare not stirany further in the case of Ferrari. If I had not consented to let thatunfortunate man refer to me by name, the late Lord Montbarry wouldnever have engaged him, and his wife would have been spared the miseryand suspense from which she is suffering now. I would not even look atthe report to which you allude if it was placed in my hands--I haveheard more than enough already of that hideous life in the palace atVenice. If Mrs. Ferrari chooses to address herself to Lady Barville(with your assistance), that is of course quite another thing. But,even in this case, I must make it a positive condition that my nameshall not be mentioned. Forgive me, dear Mr. Troy! I am very unhappy,and very unreasonable--but I am only a woman, and you must not expecttoo much from me.'
Foiled in this direction, the lawyer next advised making the attempt todiscover the present address of Lady Montbarry's English maid. Thisexcellent suggestion had one drawback: it could only be carried out byspending money--and there was no money to spend. Mrs. Ferrari shrankfrom the bare idea of making any use of the thousand-pound note. Ithad been deposited in the safe keeping of a bank. If it was evenmentioned in her hearing, she shuddered and referred to it, withmelodramatic fervour, as 'my husband's blood-money!'
So, under stress of circumstances, the attempt to solve the mystery ofFerrari's disappearance was suspended for a while.