"That's right. He owns the estate, and was the working manager of this
restoration business."

"_Was?_" breathed the girl.

"Was. Three weeks ago he went mad." Valerie started violently. "It's
said that he tried to kill Lyveden. That I can't answer for, but he's
in a private asylum for dangerous lunatics."

There was a painful silence. Then--

"Is--is it the place?" said Valerie faintly.

The specialist rose to his feet and started to pace the room.

"As a doctor, I ought to say 'No'; as a man who has spent the inside of
a week there, I'm moved to say 'Yes.' Surroundings can depress or
elevate, of course. That's common knowledge. But there's something
more than that here. In the village they told me the place was
accursed. Nonsense, of course. Yet---- Honestly, Miss French, I
don't know how to tell you... There's--there's a dreadful sinister
attraction about the park: there's an unearthly magnetism about the
woods--a queer, wistful fascination about the wilderness. At Girdle
they swore it was birdless. It may be. There are such places. I
certainly saw neither bird nor beast while I was there. And that's not
natural. But it's not what you see and hear: it's what you feel. It's
terribly hard to explain, but the place appeals most powerfully to the
emotions. You feel an irresistible impulse to go to _Something's_
assistance. Of course my eyes were skinned, so I saw the treachery.
But I felt the appeal." He halted and threw out a hand. "Imagine a
serpent disguised as a beautiful woman in distress--_that's_ Gramarye.
And if I'd been there a month, instead of a week----" He stopped
suddenly, like a man whose tongue has run away and made a fool of its
governor. "And now please forget what I've said. It doesn't affect
the case. I went down to see whether there was reason to fear for
Major Lyveden's sanity. I've found that there is. And I advise that
he be taken away forthwith."

"To a home?"

"A private house would be better. If it became necessary, he could be
moved. But he shouldn't be allowed to have an inkling that his mind is
in danger."

"I'd be thankful to have him at Bell Hammer."

"Your home?"

"Yes," said Valerie. "In Hampshire."

The doctor resumed his seat and crossed his legs.

"You're prepared to undertake it?" he said. "I mean, it may be a very
trying responsibility."

"Dr. Heron, I hope to become Major Lyveden's wife."

The specialist nodded.

"Good.