The Sealed Message by Fergus Hume — Read

Gerald did nothing until the conclusion of the presumed Charity Bird's engagement at the Belver Theatre. There was no need to do so for the moment, as the scheme to hide her had proved entirely successful, and no one guessed where to look for the much-wanted Mavis. Mrs. Pelham Odin took her to the theatre, waited for her there, and escorted her back again, so that Mavis spoke very little to the people behind the scenes. Gerald often came to supper, and spent much of his time at the Bloomsbury flat. He was supposed to be writing a new book, but in reality he indulged himself with a holiday, to make love to the girl he had so strangely rescued.

But when the Belver Theatre closed for a time, Mrs. Pelham Odin, feeling the want of a change, took Mavis to Southend, and there occupied pleasant apartments looking out on to the sea. Mavis did not like to be parted from her lover, as he could not see her so frequently; but Mrs. Pelham Odin pointed out that Haskins would have to begin his search for the true murderer of Bellaria, so that things could be put right. Also, as Mavis was being taught to read and write by the old actress, it was just as well that Gerald should not come too often, to distract the scholar's attention from her lessons. So Mrs. Pelham Odin stopped with Mavis at the lively seaside town, happy in the company of the girl, and happy also to receive glowing letters from Mrs. Tod Macandrew, in which she expatiated on her heavenly honeymoon.