The Fire Within by Patricia Wentworth

Author:Patricia Wentworth [Wentworth, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: detective

CHAPTER XI. FORGOTTEN WAYS

I have forgotten all the ways of sleep,

The endless, windless silence of my dream,

The milk-white poppy meadows and the stream,

The dreaming water soft and still and deep-

I have forgotten how that water flows,

I have forgotten how the poppy grows,

I have forgotten all the ways of sleep.

IT was on an afternoon, a few days later, that David came into the hall of the Mottisfonts' house.

“Lord save us, he do look bad,” was the thought in Markham 's mind as she let him in. Aloud she said that she thought Mrs. Mottisfont was just going out. As she spoke, Mary came down the stairs, bringing with her a sweet scent of violets.

Mary was very obviously going out. She wore a white cloth dress, with dark furs, and there was a large bunch of mauve and white violets at her breast. She looked a little vexed when she saw David.

“Oh,” she said, “I am just going out. I am so sorry, but I am afraid I must. Bazaars are tiresome things, but one must go to them, and I promised Mrs. Codrington that I would be there early. Elizabeth is in. She 'll give you some tea. Markham, will you please tell Miss Elizabeth?

David came forward as she was speaking. There was a window above the front door, and as he came out of the shadow, and the light fell on his face, he saw Mary start a little. Her expression changed, and she said in a hesitating manner:

“Of course, Elizabeth may be busy, or she may be going out-I really don't know. Perhaps you had better come another day, David.”

He read her clearly enough. She thought that he had been drinking, and hesitated to leave him with her sister. He had been about to say that he could not stop, but her suspicion raised a devil of obstinacy in him, and as Elizabeth came out of her room by way of the dining-room, he advanced to meet her, saying:

“Will you give me some tea, Elizabeth, or are you too busy?”

“Liz, come here,” said Mary quickly. Her colour had risen at David's tone. She drew Elizabeth a little aside. “Liz, you 'd better not,” she whispered, “he looks so queer.”

“Nonsense, Molly.”

“I wish you would n't-”

“My dear Molly, are you going to begin to chaperone me?”

Mary tossed her head.

“Oh, if you don't mind,” she said angrily, and went out, leaving Elizabeth with an odd sense of anticipation.

Elizabeth found David standing before the writing-table, and looking at himself in the little Dutch mirror which hung above it. He turned as she came in.

“Well,” he said bitterly, “has Mary renounced the Bazaar in order to stay and protect you? I 'm not really as dangerous as she seems to think, though I am willing to admit that I am not exactly ornamental. Give me some tea, and I 'll not inflict myself on you for long.”

Elizabeth smiled.

“You know very well that I like having you here,” she said in her friendly voice. “Look at my flowers.

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