Entertaing Death by Lesley Cookman

Author:Lesley Cookman [Cookman, Lesley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Dorinda hoped the rest of the company didn’t share Will’s view, and was relieved when the afternoon performance went as smoothly as ever. She was unsurprised, however, when between shows she was interrupted while eating her pie in the office by a tentative tap on the door, followed by a red-faced and perspiring Constable Fred Fowler.

‘Constable?’

‘Pardon, miss, but I got this telegraph, see…’ Hampered by the helmet which he held under one arm, he struggled to fish something out of his tunic pocket.

‘Never mind, Mr Fowler,’ smiled Dorinda. ‘Just tell me who it was from.’

‘That Inspector Colyer.’ Fred Fowler’s eyes widened. ‘’E says there might be more trouble?’

Dorinda sighed. ‘Sit down, and I’ll tell you all about it.’

She repeated everything that had happened since Amy’s arrival, omitting, however, the reason for her flight from London.

‘So there was actually an intruder?’ said Constable Fowler, scratching his head. ‘And you think it must be this cove ’oo tried to talk to your girls and you?’

‘It makes sense.’

‘Spose it does,’ said Fowler mournfully. ‘What do you want me to do?’

Dorinda’s sigh was barely audible. ‘Perhaps patrol down this end of town a bit more than usual? Oh – and keep an eye out for this person.’

Fowler took out his notebook, after laying his helmet carefully on the desk. ‘Can you describe ’im again, miss?’

Dorinda gave as accurate a description as she could, then called Patsy and Betty to see if they could add anything.

‘I’ll do what I can, miss,’ said Fowler when they finished. He creaked to his feet. ‘Will I send a telegraph to the Inspector?’

‘No need to do that, Constable. I have a feeling we might be seeing the Inspector himself very soon.’ Dorinda stood and showed Fowler out of the building.

‘How did he know to come?’ asked Betty. ‘Did Will go for him, like last time?’

‘No, I wrote to the Inspector this morning,’ said Dorinda, resuming her seat and picking up her rapidly cooling pie. ‘He telegraphed the Constable.’

‘Only this morning?’ said Patsy, eyes wide. ‘Ain’t the post wonderful?’

‘I wasn’t sure it would get there that soon,’ said Dorinda. ‘It isn’t always collected as quickly here as in London.’

‘They say there can be as many as twelve deliveries a day some places,’ said Betty, shaking her head in wonderment. ‘If you got anybody to write to you, that is.’

‘We certainly don’t get twelve deliveries a day down here,’ said Dorinda, ‘and I don’t know when I’d find the time to read it all if we did.’

Patsy and Betty giggled dutifully and took themselves off. Dorinda leant back in her chair and took a bite of cold pie. She had a feeling she was right. Inspector Colyer would very soon put in an appearance.

It was Ivy who arrived first, however, taking a seat in the audience for the second show accompanied, surprisingly, by Sir Frederick himself.

Dorinda went straight to the office in the interval, where Ivy and Sir Frederick followed her.

‘What’s all this about then, lovey?’ asked Ivy, pushing Sir Frederick unceremoniously into the only chair.

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