Craven House by Patrick Hamilton

Author:Patrick Hamilton [Hamilton, Patrick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Google: nVRRAQAAMAAJ
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Published: 1927-10-15T03:37:19.258115+00:00

Chapter Two

A shock. Mr Spicer is modest and natural. Mr Wildman enters business.

I

One morning, early in the New Year, Craven House sustained a minor shock. It was not conceived as a shock, really. It was over in a moment, and only recalled a long while afterwards, when it was seen in a different light...

It was at breakfast. Mrs Nixon sliced her egg open, tasted it, looked absent.

'No...' said Mrs Nixon,

'Oh,' said Miss Hatt, and went to the door.

'Audrey! Audrey!'

'Yes'm.'

'Will you do another egg, please. That wretched man's given us another bad one.'

'Yes'm.'

'That's twice, isn't it?' said Miss Hatt, sitting down.

Mrs Hoare was now looking distant.

'Mrs Hoare?...'

'Now I will not have you cook another,' said Mrs Hoare. 'I didn't want an egg. It'll do me good to do without it. It'll do me good -- '

'Audrey! Audrey!'

'Yes'm.'

'Two eggs, please. Mrs Hoare's is the same. I shall have it out with that man.'

'Yes'm.'

Mr Spicer was looking vague.

'Clifford?...'

'Not -- absolutely,' admitted Mr Spicer.

'Audrey! Audrey! Please cook all the eggs you've got!'

'Yes'm.'

'Too bad, isn't it,' said Miss Hatt, sitting down. 'I shall have it out with that man. I shall have it out.'

'I wonder,' said Mrs Nixon, 'you don't change the man altogether.'

'Oh, do you?' said Miss Hatt, sharply, and then the shock was felt. 'I won't have another egg in this house!' said Miss Hatt.

Her guests stared at her. Her face was white, and her eyes were not pleasant to look upon.

'From that man,' compromised Miss Hatt.

Miss Hatt had a temper, then? Her guests never knew it. Her guests were a little far-away for the rest of the meal.

It wasn't their fault...

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