The China Governess by Margery Allingham

Author:Margery Allingham [Allingham, Margery]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781567230048
Publisher: Yestermorrow
Published: 2008-01-08T00:00:00+00:00

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Chapter 11

The Councillor

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Miss Aicheson was first into the room. She came striding across the black polished boards which were scattered with fine worn old rugs, and the ancient timbers shook beneath her while the dust motes in the shaft of London sunlight, streaming through diamond panes, danced wildly at her approach. She looked tired but triumphant and she turned to Alison for praise.

“Done it!” she announced. “Tim is on the stairs now. Councillor Cornish is with us, and by the way, dear, I think all the credit ought to go to him.”

“Oh splendid! Quite, quite wonderful, Aich.” Alison Kinnit’s emphasis was nearly generous but her glance wandered at once to the menu in her hand and she almost mentioned it, only thinking better just in time as the Councillor, with Eustace fussing behind him, appeared in the doorway.

Here in the Well House, Councillor Cornish was still a vigorous personality, but this morning there was a new wariness about him and there was caution in the fierce eyes under the shock of grey hair. His astonishment on meeting Alison for the first time was slightly funny. Her thistledown quality appeared to bewilder him, and if he had actually said that he had expected to see a second version of Miss Aicheson he could hardly have made the point more clearly.

The reaction was not new to Miss Kinnit and she became more feminine than ever, twittering and smiling.

“Thank you, thank you. We are all so very relieved.” Her intelligent eyes met his own gratefully. “I’m just ordering lunch. You will join us, won’t you?”

“I? No, really!” He sounded appalled. “Thank you very much of course, but I only want to have a word with the young man.” He was preparing to explain further when an interruption occurred. Tim had arrived. He glanced round the room, caught sight of Julia and walked over to her, his face dark as a storm.

“Darling!” he exploded. “I did so pray that you’d have the good sense to keep right out of this! Why didn’t you do what I told you?” He was on edge and his protest was unreasonably savage.

The colour rushed into Julia’s face, Eustace made a deprecating cluck, and everyone was startled by the Councillor, who turned on the speaker.

“Don’t shut her out when she’s backing you up!” he exclaimed violently. Realising his interference was outrageous, he tried to cover it. He smiled at Julia, rubbed his ear and shot a sidelong, slightly sheepish smile at Timothy.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “Can I meet the young lady?”.

It was a direct apology and Tim relaxed.

“I do beg your pardon,” he said quickly. “Yes, of course. I’m afraid I was surprised to see her here. Julia, this is Councillor Cornish but for whom I should be in jug, I suppose.”

“Would you? That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Is there anywhere where we could have a word on our own?”

“Yes, of course.” Timothy looked surprised but acquiescent and the unexpected objection came from Eustace.

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