Near Neighbours by Molly Clavering

Author:Molly Clavering
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dean Street Press
Published: 2021-03-21T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

“If you please’m,” said Edna, hovering in the drawing-room doorway. “The young man that was here the other evening when you and Mr. Milner was out’s come again and says can he see you a minute.”

“Was that the fellow who called that night we went to see Rowan at her dancing show?” asked Mr. Milner, who was playing patience at a small table under the standard lamp and near enough to the wood fire for comfort.

“Yes, it must be. I can’t imagine who he is or what he wants.”

“The easiest way to find out is to go and see him,” said Monty, carefully laying a red six on a black seven.

Then he glanced up at her as she moved slowly to the door.

“Would you like me to come with you?” he asked.

“Oh, Montagu, I should! It would give me much more confidence if you were there, too,” said Miss Balfour.

For answer Monty put down the pack, went over to the door, and held it open.

“Come along then, and we’ll get it over,” he said cheerfully.

The young man standing in the hall staring respectfully at an old engraving was tall and thin, dressed in the tweed jacket and grey flannel trousers which are almost a uniform for men nowadays. As he turned, he revealed a distressingly loud shirt of multi-coloured checks, and a red tie.

“Good evening,” said Miss Balfour.

“Pleased to meet you,” responded the young man, seizing her hand and shaking it with a violence due as much to embarrassment as heartiness. “Dunlop’s ma name. Jems Dunlop.”

“How do you do?” said Miss Balfour.

It was quite plain that she was none the wiser, and Mr. Milner now came forward.

“Suppose we go and sit down?” he suggested. “And then Mr. Dunlop can tell us why he came.”

He led the way to the dining-room, saw them comfortably seated, and said:

“Now let us hear why you have come to see Miss Balfour.”

The young man called James Dunlop took a pull at his beer, and replied, speaking to Mr. Milner:

“I wanted to thank her. An’ to say if there’s any wee job I can do for her she has just to say the word. I’ll be real pleased.”

“That’s very good of you,” said Mr. Milner gravely. “Er—why do you want to thank Miss Balfour?”

Miss Balfour herself, having refused refreshment, was leaning back in her chair, quite content to leave the unravelling of the mystery to her brother-in-law.

She still had not the slightest idea who this Dunlop was, or why he felt he had to thank her. Realization broke upon her as she heard the words “Linden Terrace”, “pram” and “the bairn.” This must be the baby’s father, and how very good of him to feel that he ought to come round and thank her.

She wondered what Montagu was thinking, for she had never told him about her adventure. There had been the call on Mr. Ferrier and his tempered approval to the scheme for doing up the house and renting the top floor; and then

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