Evelyn Anthony by The Defector

Author:The Defector [Txt] [Defector, The]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“I just hope not,” she said slowly.

“I hurt her badly enough once. It would be pretty awful if I did it again.

I know her career means a lot to her. And thanks to me, Daddy, it’s all she’s got.”

“You’re not to talk like that,” he protested.

“Davina’s had plenty of chances. You never meant to hurt anyone.”

“That’s quite true,” she said.

“It never occurred to me Davina wouldn’t find anyone else. I just took Richard off her, that’s all. I didn’t seem able to help it. And I never wanted to marry him either. You’re right, darling, it was a long time ago, but I don’t want to be the cause of any trouble to her now. And I don’t like Jeremy. He’s goodlooking, he’s charming in a way, very intelligent, and just not nice. That’s all. ” They sat together in silence for a while.

“Daddy you don’t think it’s possible…”

“What, Charley?”

“It couldn’t have been that other man, could it? The Russian. Seeing it just now, I was sure they were the same. She couldn’t be mixed up in something, could she? ” Her mother came in with a tray. She answered the question before her husband had time. Her handsome face was grave.

“There’s one way to make sure,” she said.

“Your father must go up and see James White. And he must tell him about this friend of yours, Charley, and his questions. So far as we know, Davina’s a perfectly ordinary personal secretary and that man she brought here was a perfectly ordinary Polish diplomat. But we have got to make sure, that’s all. Charley, pour out the tea, will you?”

“Yes, Mother.” She got up and took charge of the tea tray. Betty Graham settled in her chair opposite her husband’s. She seldom took the initiative; her husband had been the head of the house and the family, and she had contentedly deferred to him throughout their married life. But when she did assert herself the effect upon him and her children was very positive. She addressed herself to Charley again.

“James has been a friend for many years,” she said.

“Your father and I have always understood that he has a confidential job in the Ministry, although naturally we’ve never mentioned it. So far as we know, Davina is his secretary, and recently promoted to his personal assistant. If she’s got involved with anything beyond that, then I shall want to hear James’s explanation. But until we do, Charley dear, you must promise to say nothing to anyone about her, the man she brought down here, or even this person Jeremy. I’ve been studying that picture too. The more I look at it, the more it reminds me of her Polish friend. But the story said the body had been in the sea for several months. It was discovered only a few weeks after Davina and he had been to stay. So it couldn’t have been the same person. “Thank you, darling.” She took the cup of tea from Charley.

“But it’s better to clear the matter up.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.