The Paying Guests

Lilian goes back to her own room around six in the morning, still bleeding. All of Frances’s muscles ache.

A police officer, Constable Hardy, knocks at the door around eight. He reports that Leonard is injured and calls on Lilian. Nervously, Frances finds her on the landing. She looks incredibly ill and weak. Hardy asks some questions and reveals that they have a body in custody. Lilian tells him that Leonard was out with Charles Wismuth and never came home.

It is too early for the police to determine the cause of death, but Hardy reports that it looks like he fell and hit his head. The police want Lilian, as Leonard’s next of kin, to come to the morgue to identify the body. Lilian is terrified. Frances manages to go along with her.

Constable Hardy sends for a taxi and leaves. Frances rushes upstairs, ostensibly to make tea in Lilian’s apartment. She manages to clean up some overlooked details. She leaves to fetch Mrs. Dawson so Mrs. Wray will not be alone while they are gone.

The taxi arrives shortly after Frances returns home. At the station, Lilian is on the point of a breakdown. They are led to the morgue.