Read Online The Shadow at Greystone Chase (An Angela Marchmont Mystery Book 10) by Clara Benson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Clara Benson
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remaining de Lisles,’ said Freddy. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve had any ideas about how to do it?’
‘Oh, don’t worry about that,’ said Angela. ‘I’ve already been invited to go and have a look around.’
‘Really? How did you manage that?’
‘Apparently I’m going to buy the place. Mr. Gilverson, who is Valencourt’s solicitor—and also, incidentally, his uncle—has arranged it all for me.’
Freddy raised his eyebrows.
‘So this is what a woman who owns half of Wall Street spends her money on,’ he said.
‘I don’t own half of Wall Street,’ said Angela. ‘And it’s certainly not the sort of place I’d want to buy in the normal way of things. As a matter of fact, I was wondering how to carry off the visit without looking like an impostor, since I have no connections to the area, and why should a woman alone want to buy such a big house? Now you’re here, though, perhaps we can pull the thing off. If you must insist on going around telling ridiculous stories about my being your mother, I suggest we use that to our advantage. We’ll say your father died and left you a pile of money and you’re looking to put it into property.’
‘Splendid,’ said Freddy. ‘I rather like the idea of pretending to be rich. I shall run my finger along the mantelpieces and complain about the smallness of the second East summer ball-room.’
‘It’s not that big a place,’ said Angela. ‘Roomy rather than palatial, I should say. By the way, have they given you time off at the paper?’
‘Just a few days,’ said Freddy. ‘I reminded them of the sterling work I did on the Camberwell poisoning story, and they had no choice but to agree.’
‘And you chose to come down here? You might have spent the time with that girl of yours, what’s her name?’
‘We shall not speak of her again,’ said Freddy stiffly.
‘Dear me,’ said Angela with some sympathy. ‘I take it things have gone badly between you.’
‘You might say that,’ said Freddy. ‘She has cast me aside for another man.’
‘Oh, what a pity. She’s obviously had some sort of brainstorm and doesn’t know what’s good for her. Still, there are much nicer girls out there, and I’m sure lots of them would be glad to take her place.’
‘That’s terribly kind of you,’ said Freddy. ‘I feel better already. Thank you, Mother.’
‘Mother, indeed,’ said Angela. ‘The very idea of it! You wretched boy, I was hoping to pass for thirty here, and now you’ve completely spoilt my plan.’
‘I’m sorry, old girl,’ said Freddy. ‘You know I can’t seem to stop my tongue from running away with me.’
‘I know, and that tongue will get you into trouble one of these days. Still, I suppose I ought to be thankful you didn’t call me Grandmother. When you start doing that I shall know it’s time to retire and start wearing shawls and knitted caps.’
‘Listen, Angela,’ said Freddy. ‘I’ve promised I’ll do everything I can to help, but you do know we’re not likely to prove him innocent, don’t you?’
‘Of course I know it,’ said Angela. ‘I’m not a complete idiot. In fact, I shall be astonished if we do.’
‘I mean to say, I’d hate to see you hurt by it.’
‘Don’t worry, I won’t be,’ said Angela. ‘I have a heart of stone. Nothing can touch me.’
‘Rot,’ said Freddy. ‘Your heart is the same as everybody else’s.’
‘Sometimes I wonder,’ said Angela.
Freddy saw that she would never give way, and had no wish to press the point, so they returned to the hotel, where Freddy went to see about getting a room.
I N PREPARATION FOR their visit to Greystone Chase, Angela summoned William and the Bentley down from London. The house was only a mile or so away, but she wished to look the part. William arrived looking sheepish, but Freddy had pleaded the young American’s case and Angela had not the heart to reprimand him for giving her away, for she knew he had done it out of concern for
‘Oh, don’t worry about that,’ said Angela. ‘I’ve already been invited to go and have a look around.’
‘Really? How did you manage that?’
‘Apparently I’m going to buy the place. Mr. Gilverson, who is Valencourt’s solicitor—and also, incidentally, his uncle—has arranged it all for me.’
Freddy raised his eyebrows.
‘So this is what a woman who owns half of Wall Street spends her money on,’ he said.
‘I don’t own half of Wall Street,’ said Angela. ‘And it’s certainly not the sort of place I’d want to buy in the normal way of things. As a matter of fact, I was wondering how to carry off the visit without looking like an impostor, since I have no connections to the area, and why should a woman alone want to buy such a big house? Now you’re here, though, perhaps we can pull the thing off. If you must insist on going around telling ridiculous stories about my being your mother, I suggest we use that to our advantage. We’ll say your father died and left you a pile of money and you’re looking to put it into property.’
‘Splendid,’ said Freddy. ‘I rather like the idea of pretending to be rich. I shall run my finger along the mantelpieces and complain about the smallness of the second East summer ball-room.’
‘It’s not that big a place,’ said Angela. ‘Roomy rather than palatial, I should say. By the way, have they given you time off at the paper?’
‘Just a few days,’ said Freddy. ‘I reminded them of the sterling work I did on the Camberwell poisoning story, and they had no choice but to agree.’
‘And you chose to come down here? You might have spent the time with that girl of yours, what’s her name?’
‘We shall not speak of her again,’ said Freddy stiffly.
‘Dear me,’ said Angela with some sympathy. ‘I take it things have gone badly between you.’
‘You might say that,’ said Freddy. ‘She has cast me aside for another man.’
‘Oh, what a pity. She’s obviously had some sort of brainstorm and doesn’t know what’s good for her. Still, there are much nicer girls out there, and I’m sure lots of them would be glad to take her place.’
‘That’s terribly kind of you,’ said Freddy. ‘I feel better already. Thank you, Mother.’
‘Mother, indeed,’ said Angela. ‘The very idea of it! You wretched boy, I was hoping to pass for thirty here, and now you’ve completely spoilt my plan.’
‘I’m sorry, old girl,’ said Freddy. ‘You know I can’t seem to stop my tongue from running away with me.’
‘I know, and that tongue will get you into trouble one of these days. Still, I suppose I ought to be thankful you didn’t call me Grandmother. When you start doing that I shall know it’s time to retire and start wearing shawls and knitted caps.’
‘Listen, Angela,’ said Freddy. ‘I’ve promised I’ll do everything I can to help, but you do know we’re not likely to prove him innocent, don’t you?’
‘Of course I know it,’ said Angela. ‘I’m not a complete idiot. In fact, I shall be astonished if we do.’
‘I mean to say, I’d hate to see you hurt by it.’
‘Don’t worry, I won’t be,’ said Angela. ‘I have a heart of stone. Nothing can touch me.’
‘Rot,’ said Freddy. ‘Your heart is the same as everybody else’s.’
‘Sometimes I wonder,’ said Angela.
Freddy saw that she would never give way, and had no wish to press the point, so they returned to the hotel, where Freddy went to see about getting a room.
I N PREPARATION FOR their visit to Greystone Chase, Angela summoned William and the Bentley down from London. The house was only a mile or so away, but she wished to look the part. William arrived looking sheepish, but Freddy had pleaded the young American’s case and Angela had not the heart to reprimand him for giving her away, for she knew he had done it out of concern for
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