Lonesome Road by Patricia Wentworth

Author:Patricia Wentworth [Wentworth, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781453223642
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
Published: 2011-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-TWO

ABOUT A QUARTER of an hour later Miss Silver emerged from her own room and descended the stairs. There was no one in the hall, but just as she arrived on the bottom step Gladys ran out of the study.

‘Oh, miss,’ she said, ‘you’re wanted on the telephone. It’s a London call.’

Miss Silver did not hurry. She said, ‘Oh, thank you,’ and then, ‘Will you just show me—’ And when they were both in the study and she found that it was empty, she said in the voice which was so exactly that of a retired governess, ‘The call will not keep me for more than three minutes. There is something I want to ask you about. I wonder if you would be so kind as to go to my room and wait for me there.’

The call took its allotted three minutes and no more. Miss Silver’s remarks were few and cryptic. She said, ‘Speaking,’ and then, ‘You have asked them all?’ And at the end, ‘Yes, it is what I expected. Thank you. Good-bye.’ After which she hung up the receiver and went upstairs again.

She found Gladys standing by the window, a pretty, serious-looking girl with a bright colour and rather a nervous manner. She turned round now, fingering her apron.

‘It’s Ivy does these upstair rooms.’

Miss Silver smiled agreeably.

‘And very nicely, I am sure. But it was you that I wanted to speak to. I have Miss Treherne’s permission to ask you one or two questions. The fact is, someone played a stupid trick on her last night — a very stupid, startling trick — and I am wondering whether you can help us to find out who it was.’

‘Me, miss?’

‘Yes, Gladys. Just answer me quite truthfully, and no one will blame you if you did slip out with Mr Frith’s letter.’

The bright colour became a number of shades brighter.

‘Oh, miss!’

Miss Silver nodded gently.

‘You did, didn’t you? Mr Frith rang the study bell at half-past five and gave you a letter for the post in case anyone was going out, and I expect you thought, “Now why shouldn’t I go out?” That was it, was it not?’

‘There wasn’t any harm — not when he asked me.’

‘And I daresay you have a friend who comes up on the chance of your being able to slip out.’

The colour faded.

‘I don’t know who’s been telling tales. I’m sure I’ve done no harm.’

‘I am sure you have not. You see, I want you to help me. Miss Treherne would like to know who played this trick on her, and I thought if you were out you might have noticed if there was anyone about. What time was it when you went out?’

‘It was half-past five when Mr Frith rang. I just went up for my coat and slipped out through the garage so as no one would see me. Not that there was any harm, but some of them — well, they tease me about Tom.’

‘How long were you out?’

‘The garage clock struck six as I come in.

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