Read Online The Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Georgette Heyer
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poking his bad-tempered nose into my kitchen, that's all, Mr Finch!" she said delphically.
Upstairs Fay smiled wanly at her sister, and said: 'Sorry to make such a fool of myself. I don't think I can be very well. I probably need a change or a tonic, or something."
"Yes, that's what I told Arthur. I propose to ring up your doctor, if you'll tell me what his name is."
"I have Dr Raymond, but I don't know that -"
"Then we'll send for him," said Dinah. "It'll put the wind up Arthur. By the way, Arthur's quite determined to cast Geoffrey off. He's the sort of man who'd cut off his nose to spite his face and then argue that it looked better that way."
Fay raised herself on her elbow. "Dinah, I'm terribly worried about Geoffrey. It's all very well for you — you're not his stepmother; but I feel it's my duty to try and stand between him and Arthur. And if Arthur turns him out it'll look as though I'd been working against him."
"Don't confuse the issues," said Dinah. "Let Arthur turn him out. He'll take him back again fast enough."
"That's just what he won't do!" Fay said urgently. "You think Arthur's just a joke. He isn't. He's dreadful. Right down inside him he's hard; hard as nails, Dinah! He likes to hurt people, and bully them, and make their lives a misery for them. And if once he says he won't have Geoffrey in his house again it'll be final. I tell you I know what I'm talking about! Haven't you heard Arthur say that when he says a thing he means it, once and for all? That's true. He does mean it. He thinks that's being strong and iron-willed. He'd do anything sooner than go back on what he's once said."
"Steady!" recommended Dinah. "You keep cool. Shall I tip the wink to the Halliday wench to pour oil. I rather loathe the idea, but she does seem to go down very smoothly with him."
A look of distaste crossed Fay's face. " I think I'd rather you, didn't," she said. "I mean — no, I can't confide in a person like that. I'd better get up. Stephcn hasn't gone, has he?"
"No," said Dinah shortly. "I wish he had."
As she descended the stairs again five minutes later she was met by Finch, with the information that Mrs. Twining was on the telephone, and would like to speak either to her ladyship or to Miss Fawcett .
The only extension of the telephone which the General had allowed was to his own study, so anyone else wishing to use the instrument had to do so in the hall, quite the most public place that could possibly have been chosen.
Dinah picked up the receiver. "Hullo? Dinah Fawcett speaking."
"Good morning, my dear," said Mrs. Twining's voice tranquilly. "I am merely curious, you know. How have you weathered the week-end?"
"Well, it's all pretty grim," said Dinah.
"I was afraid perhaps it might be. Arthur had such an irreligious face in church. Has he disowned poor Geoffrey yet?"
"I think he's doing it now," replied Dinah, with a glance down the long hall to the study door, from behind which came the sound of a loud voice booming and roaring.
There was a slight pause. "I see," said Mrs. Twining thoughtfully. "Do you know, I think I will come and have a little chat with Arthur."
"Do you think you can do anything with him?" asked Dinah hopefully. "Fay quite definitely can't."
"I have no idea," said Mrs. Twining. "I think I have a little - a very little - influence over him. Tell Fay that I will look in at lunch-time. Good-bye, my dear."
Dinah put the receiver down as Finch came into the hall through the door that led to the servants' wing. "Mrs. Twining will be here for lunch," she said. "I think perhaps I'd better do the flowers for Lady Billington-Smith. What is the time, Finch?"
The butler stepped back to get a view of the grandfather clock. "It is just on the quarter, miss. To be exact, I should say it is sixteen minutes to ten, since I believe we are a little fast."
"We should be," murmured Dinah. "Has Captain Billington-Smith gone, do you know?"
"No, miss. Captain Billington-Smith was with Sir Arthur
Upstairs Fay smiled wanly at her sister, and said: 'Sorry to make such a fool of myself. I don't think I can be very well. I probably need a change or a tonic, or something."
"Yes, that's what I told Arthur. I propose to ring up your doctor, if you'll tell me what his name is."
"I have Dr Raymond, but I don't know that -"
"Then we'll send for him," said Dinah. "It'll put the wind up Arthur. By the way, Arthur's quite determined to cast Geoffrey off. He's the sort of man who'd cut off his nose to spite his face and then argue that it looked better that way."
Fay raised herself on her elbow. "Dinah, I'm terribly worried about Geoffrey. It's all very well for you — you're not his stepmother; but I feel it's my duty to try and stand between him and Arthur. And if Arthur turns him out it'll look as though I'd been working against him."
"Don't confuse the issues," said Dinah. "Let Arthur turn him out. He'll take him back again fast enough."
"That's just what he won't do!" Fay said urgently. "You think Arthur's just a joke. He isn't. He's dreadful. Right down inside him he's hard; hard as nails, Dinah! He likes to hurt people, and bully them, and make their lives a misery for them. And if once he says he won't have Geoffrey in his house again it'll be final. I tell you I know what I'm talking about! Haven't you heard Arthur say that when he says a thing he means it, once and for all? That's true. He does mean it. He thinks that's being strong and iron-willed. He'd do anything sooner than go back on what he's once said."
"Steady!" recommended Dinah. "You keep cool. Shall I tip the wink to the Halliday wench to pour oil. I rather loathe the idea, but she does seem to go down very smoothly with him."
A look of distaste crossed Fay's face. " I think I'd rather you, didn't," she said. "I mean — no, I can't confide in a person like that. I'd better get up. Stephcn hasn't gone, has he?"
"No," said Dinah shortly. "I wish he had."
As she descended the stairs again five minutes later she was met by Finch, with the information that Mrs. Twining was on the telephone, and would like to speak either to her ladyship or to Miss Fawcett .
The only extension of the telephone which the General had allowed was to his own study, so anyone else wishing to use the instrument had to do so in the hall, quite the most public place that could possibly have been chosen.
Dinah picked up the receiver. "Hullo? Dinah Fawcett speaking."
"Good morning, my dear," said Mrs. Twining's voice tranquilly. "I am merely curious, you know. How have you weathered the week-end?"
"Well, it's all pretty grim," said Dinah.
"I was afraid perhaps it might be. Arthur had such an irreligious face in church. Has he disowned poor Geoffrey yet?"
"I think he's doing it now," replied Dinah, with a glance down the long hall to the study door, from behind which came the sound of a loud voice booming and roaring.
There was a slight pause. "I see," said Mrs. Twining thoughtfully. "Do you know, I think I will come and have a little chat with Arthur."
"Do you think you can do anything with him?" asked Dinah hopefully. "Fay quite definitely can't."
"I have no idea," said Mrs. Twining. "I think I have a little - a very little - influence over him. Tell Fay that I will look in at lunch-time. Good-bye, my dear."
Dinah put the receiver down as Finch came into the hall through the door that led to the servants' wing. "Mrs. Twining will be here for lunch," she said. "I think perhaps I'd better do the flowers for Lady Billington-Smith. What is the time, Finch?"
The butler stepped back to get a view of the grandfather clock. "It is just on the quarter, miss. To be exact, I should say it is sixteen minutes to ten, since I believe we are a little fast."
"We should be," murmured Dinah. "Has Captain Billington-Smith gone, do you know?"
"No, miss. Captain Billington-Smith was with Sir Arthur
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