Penelope, standing nearest to it, heard her burst out crying the moment she was alone again.
In a rage, one moment; in tears, the next! What did it mean?
I told the Superintendent it meant that Miss Rachel's temper was upset by the loss of her jewel.

Being anxious for the honour of the family, it distressed me to see my young lady forget herself--even with a police-officer--and I made the best excuse I could, accordingly.

In my own private mind I was more puzzled by Miss Rachel's extraordinary language and conduct than words can tell.

Taking what she had said at her bed-room door as a guide to guess by, I could only conclude that she was mortally offended by our sending for the police, and that Mr.Franklin's astonishment on the terrace was caused by her having expressed herself to him (as the person chiefly instrumental in fetching the police) to that effect.

If this guess was right, why--having lost her Diamond--should she object to the presence in the house of the very people whose business it was to recover it for her?
And how, in Heaven's name, could SHE know that the Moonstone would never be found again?
As things stood, at present, no answer to those questions was to be hoped for from anybody in the house.