Hand in Glove by Ngaio Marsh

Author:Ngaio Marsh [Marsh, Ngaio]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: C429, Extratorrents, Kat
Published: 2010-01-22T13:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 5

Postscript to a Party

Connie raised no objections to Alleyn's keeping the letters, and with them both in his pocket he asked if he might see Miss Ralston and Mr. Leiss. She said that they were still asleep in their rooms and added with a slight hint of gratification that they had attended the Baynesholme festivities.

"One of Désirée Bantling's dotty parties," she said. "They go on till all hours. Moppett left a note asking not to be roused."

"It's now one o'clock," Alleyn said, "and I'm afraid I shall have to disturb Mr. Leiss."

He thought she was going to protest, but at that moment the Pekingese set up a petulant demonstration, scratching at the door and raising a crescendo of imperative yaps.

"Clever boy!" Connie said distractedly. "I'm coming!" She went to the door. "I'll have to see to this," she said, "in the garden."

"Of course," Alleyn agreed. He followed them into the hall and saw them out through the front door. Once in the garden the Pekingese bolted for a newly raked flower-bed.

"Oh, no!" Connie ejaculated. "After lunch," she shouted as she hastened in pursuit of her pet. "Come back later."

The Pekingese tore round a corner of the house and she followed it.

Alleyn re-entered the house and went quickly upstairs.

On the landing he encountered Trudi, the maid, who showed him the visitors' rooms. They were on two sides of a passage.

"Mr. Leiss?" Alleyn asked.

A glint of feminine awareness momentarily transfigured Trudi's not very expressive face.

"He is sleeping," she said. "I looked at him. He sleeps like a god."

"We'll see what he wakes like," Alleyn said, tipping her rather handsomely. "Thank you, Trudi."

He tapped smartly on the door and went in.

The room was masked from its entrance by an old-fashioned scrap screen. Behind this a languid, indefinably Cockney voice said: "Come in."

Mr. Leiss was awake but Alleyn thought he saw what Trudi meant.

The violet silk pajama jacket was open, the torso bronzed, smooth and rather shiny as well as hirsute. A platinum chain lay on the chest. The glistening hair was slightly disarranged and the large brown eyes were open. When they lighted upon Alleyn they narrowed. There was a slight convulsive movement under the bedclothes. The room smelt dreadfully of some indefinable unguent.

"Mr. Leiss?" Alleyn said. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I am a police officer."

A very old familiar look started up in Leonard's face: a look of impertinence, cageyness, conceit and fear. It was there as if it had been jerked up from within and in a moment it was gone.

"I don't quite follow you," Leonard said. Something had gone amiss with his voice. He cleared his throat and recovered. "Is anything wrong?" he asked.

He raised himself on his elbow, plumped up his pillows and lay back on them. He reached out languidly for a cigarette case and lighter on his bedside table. The ashtray was already overloaded.

"How can I help you?" he said and lit a cigarette. He inhaled deeply and blew out a thin vapour.

"You can help me,"

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