The Midnight Guest · Chapters

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Chapter companions for The Midnight Guest by Fred M. White.

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Chapter 1
I: At Whose Hand?
Mrs. Delahay, veiled in deep mourning, arrives at Lord Ravenspur's house early in the morning to report the murder of her husband, artist Louis Delahay. Newsboys already cry the murder in the streets. Ravenspur, shocked, learns that Delahay had gone to his studio the previous night and never returned. Mrs. Delahay found his body that morning. Ravenspur reveals he had been using Delahay's studio the previous evening, leaving after 1:30 a.m. without seeing Delahay. He offers to take her back to her hotel and call a doctor.
Chapter 2
No. 1 Fitzjohn Square
Ravenspur accompanies the distraught Mrs. Delahay to the Grand Hotel, then proceeds to the crime scene at Fitzjohn Square. There, Inspector Dallas reveals that the electric cable was deliberately cut, suggesting the murderer was present while Ravenspur was in the house. A torn photograph of a woman, found clenched in Delahay's hand, points to a secret appointment and a possible female involvement.
Chapter 3
III: The Mark of the Beast
Ravenspur reacts with horror to the glass stiletto revelation, then struggles to maintain composure. He reads the medical evidence about Delahay's murder, which points to a skilled, premeditated killer. Later, at a dinner party, Sir James Seton arrives wounded after being attacked by a man who mistook him for Ravenspur, causing Ravenspur to cry out in shock.
Chapter 4
IV: A Woman’s Face
During a dinner party at his home, Lord Ravenspur shows his guests his private studio, where a photograph of a beautiful young woman is discovered. The guests note the resemblance to Vera Rayne, and Ravenspur's agitated reaction reveals a personal mystery tied to the picture and a past theft of his paintings. The conversation repeatedly returns to the murder of Louis Delahay, and Ravenspur struggles to maintain composure.
Chapter 5
V: Vera Rayne
Vera Rayne expresses her discontent with her life of luxury and her desire to know her true identity. She confides in Walter Lance, revealing her plan to leave Lord Ravenspur's home. Walter confesses his love for her, but their intimate moment is interrupted by Lord Ravenspur, who disapproves.

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I: At Whose Hand?

No. 1 Fitzjohn Square

III: The Mark of the Beast

IV: A Woman’s Face

V: Vera Rayne