Champagne for One

"She wanted to know what I was going to do about payments, with Faith dead. She knew that by the agreement it was left to my discretion. I told her that for the present I would continue to send her half."

"Had she been using any of the money you sent her to support her daughter?"

"I don’t think so. Not for the last four or five years, but it wasn’t her fault. Faith wouldn’t take anything from her. Faith wouldn’t live with her. They couldn’t get along. Mrs Usher is very-unconventional. Faith left when she was sixteen, and for over a year we didn’t know where she was. When I found her she was working in a restaurant. A waitress."

"But you continued to pay Mrs Usher her full share?"

"Yes."

"Is that fund in your possession and control without supervision?"

"Certainly."

"It has never been audited?"

"Certainly not. Who would audit it?"

"I couldn’t say. Would you object to an audit by an accountant of my selection? Now that I know of the agreement?"

"I certainly would. The fund is my property and I am accountable to no one but myself, as long as I pay Mrs Usher her share."

"I must see that agreement." Wolfe pursed his lips and slowly shook his head. "It is extremely difficult," he said, "to circumvent the finality of death. Mr Grantham made a gallant try, but he was hobbled by his vain desire to guard his secret even after he became food for worms. He protected you and Mrs Usher, each against the frailty or knavery of the other, but what if you joined forces in a threat to his repute? He couldn’t preclude that." He lifted a hand to brush it aside. "A desire to defeat death makes any man a fool. I must see that agreement. Meanwhile, a few points remain. You told Mr Goodwin that your selection of Miss Usher to be invited to that party was fortuitous, but now that won’t do. Then why?"

"Of course," Byne said. "I knew that was coming."

"Then you’ve had time to devise an answer."

"I don’t have to devise it. I was a damn fool. When I got the list from Mrs Irwin and saw Faith’s name on it-well, there it was. The idea of having Faith as a guest at my aunt’s house-it just appealed to me. Mrs Robilotti is only my aunt by marriage, you know. My mother was Albert Grantham’s sister. You’ve got to admit there was a kick in the idea of having Faith sitting at my aunt’s table. And then…"

He left it hanging. Wolfe prodded him. "Then?"