Read Online The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy by James Anderson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: James Anderson
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Alderley was built. As you can see, the balustrades are composed of these pierced and carved panels in four-inch pine. The craftsmanship is considered particularly fine. If you look closely at the acanthus foliage . . .'
* * *
Jane and Gerry had gone riding.
'I was frightfully glad you made it up with Deveraux,' Gerry said. 'It would have been awfully awkward if the two of you had kept up a running feud all over the weekend. He's really much too nice to fight with, anyway, don't you think?'
She spoke casually, but cast a glance sideways as she asked the question, searching her friend's face.
The two girls had dismounted to rest their horses on the extreme southern border of the estate and were sitting on the bank of the little meandering river which eventually fed the Alderley lake.
Jane was lying back with her eyes closed. 'He's nice enough, I suppose, but he's not really my type. And you needn't use that innocent tone with me. I know just what's going through your scheming little mind.'
'It's not a little mind.'
'All right, your scheming big mind. Use it to scheme yourself into getting off with Martin Adler.'
Gerry screwed up her nose. 'I'm not sure I really want to. I could understand someone falling for him in a big way - I think I would have myself three or four years ago. But he's just a little too charming. I'm not sure I don't like Nick Felman better. He's nice I think. Even though he is like a cat on hot bricks most of the time.'
'He's worried about something.'
'Yes. Now and again he manages to throw it off - but he can't keep it up. I wish I knew what was wrong.'
'Why don't you ask him?'
'Oh, I couldn't.'
'Why not? I would.'
'You might get away with it. He'd probably tell me to mind my own business.'
'I don't know why you should think that. He hasn't given the least sign of being interested in me.'
'And, of course, he's not really your type, is he?'
Jane laughed.
'In fact, none of them are, are they? You'll have to try elsewhere, after all.'
Jane hesitated fractionally before saying: 'Looks like it, doesn't it?'
The pause lasted only a second, but it was enough for Gerry. She gave a squeak, grabbed Jane by the shoulders, and stared into her face. 'Jane - there is someone. There is, isn't there?'
'No, don't be silly.' Jane sat up and looked away.
'There is. I can tell. Who? Oh lor' - not Martin Adler - not alter what I said?'
'Of course not.'
'Evans, then, the secretary? But you've hardly spoken to him. And it couldn't possibly be Thornton.'
'Oh, Gerry, really!'
'Algy! Not Algy - I just won't believe it. But there isn't anybody else. I don't understand. Apart from them, Daddy, Mr. Peabody and Richard are the only men—' She broke off with a gasp as she noticed Jane's eyes flicker. 'Richard! Not Richard? Darling, you're not in love with Richard?'
Jane didn't answer.
'Jane, I just don't believe it!'
'Nobody's asking you to.' Jane spoke snuffily.
'But he's so much older than you.'
'He is not. He's sixteen years older. Which is nothing. Not that it would make any difference if it was a hundred and sixteen years. There never has been, and never will be, anything between us, so just shut up.'
'Darling, I'm sorry. I honestly had no idea you felt like that.' Gerry sounded rather dazed. 'How long - I mean, when did you first . . .' She tailed off.
'When I was about seventeen.' Jane's voice quavered a little.
They both sat silently for a few minutes. Then Gerry said: 'I think it would be ripping.'
'What would?'
'For you and Richard to team up.'
'You didn't sound as though you thought that.'
'Well, it sort of took me on the hop. But now I've had a chance to think about it, I'm beginning to see you together.'
'Well, forget it. It's never going to happen.'
'But for heaven's sake, why not?'
'Because he just doesn't think of me that way, that's why not. To him, I'm just his little niece's little friend.'
'Then it's up to you to open his eyes.'
'Never.' Jane shook her head firmly.
'Oh,
* * *
Jane and Gerry had gone riding.
'I was frightfully glad you made it up with Deveraux,' Gerry said. 'It would have been awfully awkward if the two of you had kept up a running feud all over the weekend. He's really much too nice to fight with, anyway, don't you think?'
She spoke casually, but cast a glance sideways as she asked the question, searching her friend's face.
The two girls had dismounted to rest their horses on the extreme southern border of the estate and were sitting on the bank of the little meandering river which eventually fed the Alderley lake.
Jane was lying back with her eyes closed. 'He's nice enough, I suppose, but he's not really my type. And you needn't use that innocent tone with me. I know just what's going through your scheming little mind.'
'It's not a little mind.'
'All right, your scheming big mind. Use it to scheme yourself into getting off with Martin Adler.'
Gerry screwed up her nose. 'I'm not sure I really want to. I could understand someone falling for him in a big way - I think I would have myself three or four years ago. But he's just a little too charming. I'm not sure I don't like Nick Felman better. He's nice I think. Even though he is like a cat on hot bricks most of the time.'
'He's worried about something.'
'Yes. Now and again he manages to throw it off - but he can't keep it up. I wish I knew what was wrong.'
'Why don't you ask him?'
'Oh, I couldn't.'
'Why not? I would.'
'You might get away with it. He'd probably tell me to mind my own business.'
'I don't know why you should think that. He hasn't given the least sign of being interested in me.'
'And, of course, he's not really your type, is he?'
Jane laughed.
'In fact, none of them are, are they? You'll have to try elsewhere, after all.'
Jane hesitated fractionally before saying: 'Looks like it, doesn't it?'
The pause lasted only a second, but it was enough for Gerry. She gave a squeak, grabbed Jane by the shoulders, and stared into her face. 'Jane - there is someone. There is, isn't there?'
'No, don't be silly.' Jane sat up and looked away.
'There is. I can tell. Who? Oh lor' - not Martin Adler - not alter what I said?'
'Of course not.'
'Evans, then, the secretary? But you've hardly spoken to him. And it couldn't possibly be Thornton.'
'Oh, Gerry, really!'
'Algy! Not Algy - I just won't believe it. But there isn't anybody else. I don't understand. Apart from them, Daddy, Mr. Peabody and Richard are the only men—' She broke off with a gasp as she noticed Jane's eyes flicker. 'Richard! Not Richard? Darling, you're not in love with Richard?'
Jane didn't answer.
'Jane, I just don't believe it!'
'Nobody's asking you to.' Jane spoke snuffily.
'But he's so much older than you.'
'He is not. He's sixteen years older. Which is nothing. Not that it would make any difference if it was a hundred and sixteen years. There never has been, and never will be, anything between us, so just shut up.'
'Darling, I'm sorry. I honestly had no idea you felt like that.' Gerry sounded rather dazed. 'How long - I mean, when did you first . . .' She tailed off.
'When I was about seventeen.' Jane's voice quavered a little.
They both sat silently for a few minutes. Then Gerry said: 'I think it would be ripping.'
'What would?'
'For you and Richard to team up.'
'You didn't sound as though you thought that.'
'Well, it sort of took me on the hop. But now I've had a chance to think about it, I'm beginning to see you together.'
'Well, forget it. It's never going to happen.'
'But for heaven's sake, why not?'
'Because he just doesn't think of me that way, that's why not. To him, I'm just his little niece's little friend.'
'Then it's up to you to open his eyes.'
'Never.' Jane shook her head firmly.
'Oh,
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