Read Online The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine - Free Book Online
Authors: Katherine Woodfine
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Cooper, but it seemed this was not so. She swiftly changed the subject away from her rival. ‘The gentleman from Scotland Yard has arrived, sir. We’re making sure he has everything he needs.’
Mr Sinclair still did not look up, but he nodded. ‘Send McDermott up to me as soon as he gets here,’ he said. ‘And I want all the papers today. See to it that I don’t miss an edition.’
‘Very good, sir,’ said Miss Atwood.
‘Oh, and, Miss Atwood,’ he said. ‘Take Lucky out for her morning air, would you? My little girl does need her outings.’
With a resigned expression that did not entirely conceal her distaste, Miss Atwood accepted the pug’s lead and chivvied her towards the door.
‘And come straight back up when you’re done. I want to dictate an advertisement for tomorrow’s
Post
.’
Looking harried, the secretary hurried from the room, leaving Sinclair to lean back in his chair, light a cigar, and then turn back to his letters.
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘I say! What a terrific lot of people!’ exclaimed Lil as she came galloping towards the staff entrance, rather late to prepare for the first dress parade, she knew, but not in the least concerned about it. ‘Isn’t it marvellous?’
A few of the staff were standing in a solemn, whispering huddle on the steps.
‘You haven’t heard, then?’
‘You’ll never believe it!’
The shock of the robbery had broken up all the usual store hierarchies, so it was a strange group that stood mixed up together on the steps: a delivery driver, a salesgirl, one or two porters, a kitchen maid.
‘Whatever is the world coming to?’
‘It’s a disgrace, that’s what it is.’
‘What is?’ demanded Lil, completely forgetting that she was supposed to be getting ready for the dress show. ‘Whatever has happened?
Do
tell me.’
Billy detached himself from the circle and came over to her. ‘Didn’t you hear? There was a big robbery. Here, at the shop. Last night. Thieves broke in and most of the stuff in the exhibition has been taken.’
‘Golly!’ exclaimed Lil, her eyes round with surprise.
Billy gave her a very solemn look. ‘And the robbers – they
shot
Bert. You know, Bert Jones from Ladies’ Fashions? He’s been taken to the hospital. They aren’t sure if he’ll pull through.’
Lil’s mouth dropped open in amazement.
‘It’s true. Right over there, in the yard, it happened. Edith’s already been taken home in hysterics.’
‘But whatever was Bert doing here at night? And what about the nightwatchman?’
‘The nightwatchman’s all right, just a bump to the head. They knocked him out. Poor fellow didn’t even get a look at them.’
‘Have they caught who did it?’
Billy shook his head. ‘There’s a policeman here now. Scotland Yard,’ he added, in awestruck tones. ‘He’s upstairs with Cooper.’
‘
Golly
,’ said Lil again, shaking her head in astonishment. ‘But the store’s opened just as planned? I say! Where’s everyone else? Where’s Sophie?’
Billy looked even more troubled. ‘That’s the worst of it,’ he said, lowering his voice. ‘She’s upstairs with the policeman, too.’
Mr Cooper’s office seemed full of sombre, black-clad men. He ushered Sophie in brusquely and pointed her to a low chair.
‘This is Sergeant Gregson of the Metropolitan Police. He works out of Scotland Yard,’ he said, his clipped tones sounding even more curt than usual as he gestured to a fatherly looking older man with small round spectacles and a drooping moustache. ‘And this is Mr McDermott, an inquiry agent working for Mr Sinclair, who is helping Sergeant Gregson with his enquiries.’ An inquiry agent meant a private detective, Sophie knew, although the grizzled person standing in the corner didn’t look in the least like one of the gallant heroes from Billy’s stories.
She was still struggling to make sense of what she had been told. The store had been burgled . . . the jewels stolen . . . Bert
shot
by the
Mr Sinclair still did not look up, but he nodded. ‘Send McDermott up to me as soon as he gets here,’ he said. ‘And I want all the papers today. See to it that I don’t miss an edition.’
‘Very good, sir,’ said Miss Atwood.
‘Oh, and, Miss Atwood,’ he said. ‘Take Lucky out for her morning air, would you? My little girl does need her outings.’
With a resigned expression that did not entirely conceal her distaste, Miss Atwood accepted the pug’s lead and chivvied her towards the door.
‘And come straight back up when you’re done. I want to dictate an advertisement for tomorrow’s
Post
.’
Looking harried, the secretary hurried from the room, leaving Sinclair to lean back in his chair, light a cigar, and then turn back to his letters.
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘I say! What a terrific lot of people!’ exclaimed Lil as she came galloping towards the staff entrance, rather late to prepare for the first dress parade, she knew, but not in the least concerned about it. ‘Isn’t it marvellous?’
A few of the staff were standing in a solemn, whispering huddle on the steps.
‘You haven’t heard, then?’
‘You’ll never believe it!’
The shock of the robbery had broken up all the usual store hierarchies, so it was a strange group that stood mixed up together on the steps: a delivery driver, a salesgirl, one or two porters, a kitchen maid.
‘Whatever is the world coming to?’
‘It’s a disgrace, that’s what it is.’
‘What is?’ demanded Lil, completely forgetting that she was supposed to be getting ready for the dress show. ‘Whatever has happened?
Do
tell me.’
Billy detached himself from the circle and came over to her. ‘Didn’t you hear? There was a big robbery. Here, at the shop. Last night. Thieves broke in and most of the stuff in the exhibition has been taken.’
‘Golly!’ exclaimed Lil, her eyes round with surprise.
Billy gave her a very solemn look. ‘And the robbers – they
shot
Bert. You know, Bert Jones from Ladies’ Fashions? He’s been taken to the hospital. They aren’t sure if he’ll pull through.’
Lil’s mouth dropped open in amazement.
‘It’s true. Right over there, in the yard, it happened. Edith’s already been taken home in hysterics.’
‘But whatever was Bert doing here at night? And what about the nightwatchman?’
‘The nightwatchman’s all right, just a bump to the head. They knocked him out. Poor fellow didn’t even get a look at them.’
‘Have they caught who did it?’
Billy shook his head. ‘There’s a policeman here now. Scotland Yard,’ he added, in awestruck tones. ‘He’s upstairs with Cooper.’
‘
Golly
,’ said Lil again, shaking her head in astonishment. ‘But the store’s opened just as planned? I say! Where’s everyone else? Where’s Sophie?’
Billy looked even more troubled. ‘That’s the worst of it,’ he said, lowering his voice. ‘She’s upstairs with the policeman, too.’
Mr Cooper’s office seemed full of sombre, black-clad men. He ushered Sophie in brusquely and pointed her to a low chair.
‘This is Sergeant Gregson of the Metropolitan Police. He works out of Scotland Yard,’ he said, his clipped tones sounding even more curt than usual as he gestured to a fatherly looking older man with small round spectacles and a drooping moustache. ‘And this is Mr McDermott, an inquiry agent working for Mr Sinclair, who is helping Sergeant Gregson with his enquiries.’ An inquiry agent meant a private detective, Sophie knew, although the grizzled person standing in the corner didn’t look in the least like one of the gallant heroes from Billy’s stories.
She was still struggling to make sense of what she had been told. The store had been burgled . . . the jewels stolen . . . Bert
shot
by the
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