Supping with the Devil by Sally Spencer

Author:Sally Spencer
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781780105604
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2014-05-14T16:00:00+00:00

TEN

‘It’s very simple really, my lady,’ Edward Bell said to the dowager countess. ‘There are cameras set up all around the grounds, and they transmit pictures to the monitors which are also recorded on video tape.’

‘So you’ll be able to look at what’s happening now at some later point, will you?’

‘Exactly, my lady.’

‘Why is that tree moving?’ the dowager countess asked, pointing to one of the monitors.

‘It’s not the tree that’s moving, it’s the camera,’ Bell explained.

‘And why should the camera move? Why doesn’t it simply stay in one position?’

The old woman was taking a surprising amount of interest in the technical set-up, Paniatowski thought. Maybe that was because watching the world through the cameras was a bit like playing God.

But no, that couldn’t be it, since, from the way she was acting, she clearly thought she already was God!

‘If the cameras were fixed, my lady, we would need a lot more of them,’ Bell explained. ‘Because they move, they can sweep across a wider area, and each camera can do the work of several static ones.’

‘So there are times when parts of the grounds are not being photographed,’ the dowager countess said.

‘Yes, my lady, but not for very long. Look at this screen. The camera is on the orchid greenhouse, and now it moves away, but by the time you’ve counted slowly to ten, it will be back on the greenhouse again.’

‘I have no intention of counting slowly to ten, Bell,’ the dowager countess said haughtily.

‘Of course not, my lady,’ the estate manager agreed.

Of course not, my lady, Paniatowski echoed silently. One has servants to do that kind of thing for one.

‘But you do understand what I’m saying, don’t you, my lady?’ Bell continued earnestly.

‘Yes, your explanation was adequate, and so I do understand,’ the dowager countess said.

She moved further along the line of monitors.

‘These two cameras are on Backend Wood, one on the south side and one on the north side,’ she said.

‘That’s right, my lady.’

‘And where have those godless heathens with their filthy motorcycles set up their camp?’

‘At the north side, my lady.’

‘I don’t see them.’

‘They are camped deeper in the woods.’

‘Well, I suppose we should be grateful for that small mercy, at least,’ the dowager countess said.

She studied the two screens, watching as the cameras arced back and forth, and as she did, her lips moved slightly.

She is counting, Paniatowski thought. She’s actually counting for herself. Whatever next? Will she be wanting to take over the scullery maid’s job?

‘There is a broad strip of land in the centre which does not appear on either of the two screens,’ the dowager countess said, in an accusatory voice. ‘Why is that, Bell?’

‘I believe there are technical reasons, my lady.’

‘What sort of technical reasons?’

‘It’s something to do with angles and arcs. I’m not sure I quite understand it myself.’

‘In short, Bell, you are contemplating spending a great deal of the family’s money on a system that doesn’t even do what it’s supposed to do. Is that correct?’ the countess asked scornfully.

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