Read Online She Fell Among Thieves by Dornford Yates - Free Book Online

couldn’t answer the question, I sent for you. After all, you’ll have to charge him.’
    ‘Well, he hasn’t done anything,’ said I. ‘He didn’t have time.’
    ‘What d’you think he was going to do?’
    ‘I’ve no idea,’ said I.
    Vanity Fair frowned.
    ‘In a way, you know, it’s a pity you struck so soon. He was bent on mischief, of course, or he would have knocked at the door. Why did you strike so soon? Wouldn’t it have been more normal to challenge him first?’
    ‘His movement was furtive,’ said I, ‘and that was enough for me.’
    Vanity Fair nodded.
    ‘Quite right,’ she said. ‘Never wait. Well, what’s to be done? Acorn is waiting on you. Say the word and he’s going to ring up the police.’
    I shook my head.
    ‘Don’t do it for me,’ said I.
    ‘We can do it for nobody else. Unless you’re prepared to charge him, it’s no good our calling the police.’
    I admit the cards were good, but she played them uncommonly well.
    ‘Let the fellow go,’ said I, and got to my feet.
    ‘Wait a minute.’
    She moved to a table to pick up a telephone.
    After a moment’s pause –
    ‘Mr Chandos declines to charge him. Pay him his wages and let him be ready to leave at a quarter to twelve. On foot, of course. I’ll see the man in the guard-room at twelve o’clock.’
    The guard-room lay in the tower that belonged to her suite.
    As she replaced her receiver –
    ‘Please rest assured that Jean will never forget this unpleasant affair. I shall see to that. I trust that you’ll come to forget it, and please begin by putting it out of your mind. Ask Virginia to show you those lanterns. You can’t think of anything else when you’re looking at them.’
     
    Before seeking Virginia, I went to look at the Rolls.
    As I made my way to the garage, I considered again the nature of Vanity Fair. Yesterday she had done me honour: last night she had sought my life – in the vilest of ways. And yet I was sure that she liked me… Some would have found her mad. But she was not mad. She was as level-headed as Mansel himself. She was not even inconsistent. Her will of iron was her god, and she was its prophetess. To her will all things were subject: the faintest attempt to thwart it had to be crushed. These things were not out of reason. What was out of reason was that I still liked her.
    I entered a mighty coach-house and walked to the Rolls.
    ‘She’ll be ready tonight, sir,’ said Mansel. ‘I expect your servant told you there’s nothing wrong.’
    ‘All that labour for nothing,’ said I.
    ‘It had to be done, sir,’ said Mansel. ‘There’s your wing. I’m afraid it won’t look very smart.’
    ‘They’ve been very quick,’ said I.
    ‘They have indeed, sir,’ said Mansel. ‘But they want to keep our custom, and that’s why they did it at once.’
    I turned to see Virginia.
    ‘And what,’ said she, ‘are you doing this afternoon?’
    ‘What you suggest?’ said I.
    ‘Have you seen St Albert de Moulin?’
    I shook my head.
    ‘Well, you must see that. It’s a city – not quite as big as Jezreel. Let Gaston drive us over. It’s only forty miles off.’
    ‘With pleasure,’ said I. ‘And this morning you’ll show me the lanterns that came from Prague.’
    ‘I’ll show you them now. One moment. Can we have the coupé, Wright, at a quarter to three?’
    ‘Certainly, miss,’ said Mansel. ‘Will you take a man in the dickey?’
    ‘No, thanks. We’ll take her alone.’
    ‘Very good, miss.’
    As we left the coach-house –
    ‘I do like that man,’ said Virginia. ‘I hope mother keeps him on.’
    The lanterns hung in a suite on the second floor. To reach this, we had to go by the rooms in which Gaston was lodged. As we were passing these, I heard a girl’s agonised cry.
    ‘Let me go, sir, I beg and pray you. Oh, let me go.’
    There was only one thing to be done.
    ‘You go on,’ I said. ‘I’ll join you.’
    Virginia inclined her head and held on her way.
    I opened de