Shewasatworkonthebathswhenthetelephonerang.
Mollyfirstcursedatbeinginterrupted,thenfeltaslightfeelingofreliefthatthetelephoneatleastwa.s.stillinaction,a.s.sherandowntoanswerit.Shearrivedinthelibraryalittlebreathlessandliftedthereceiver.
"Yes?"
Aheartyvoicewithaslightbutpleasantcountryburrasked,"IsthatMonkswellManor?"
"MonkswellManorGuestHouse."
"CanIspeaktoCommanderDavid,please?"
"I"mafraidhecan"tcometothetelephonejustnow,"saidMolly."ThisisMrsDavis.Whoisspeaking,please?"
"SuperintendentHogben,BerkshirePolice."
Mollygaveaslightgasp.Shesaid,"Oh,yes-er-yes?"
"MrsDavis,ratheranurgentmatterhasarisen.Idon"twishtosayverymuchoverthetelephone,butIhavesentDetectiveSergeantTrotterouttoyou,andheshouldbethereanyminutenow."
"Buthewon"tgethere.We"resnowedup-completelysnowedup.Theroadsareimpa.s.sable."
Therewasn.o.breakintheconfidenceofthevoiceattheotherend.
"Trotterwillgettoyou,allright,"itsaid."Andpleaseimpressuponyourhusband,MrsDavis,tolistenverycarefullytowhatTrotterhastotellyou,andtofollowhisinstructionsimplicitly.That"sall."
"But,SuperintendentHogben,what-"
b.u.t.therewasadecisiveclick.Hogbenhadclearlysaidallhehadtosayandrungoff.Mollywaggledthetelephonerestonceortwice,thengaveup.Sheturnedasthedooropened.
"Oh,Gilesdarling,thereyouare."
Gileshadsnowonhishairandagooddealofcoalgrimeonhisface.Helookedhot.
"Whatisit,sweetheart?I"vefilledthecoalscuttlesandbroughtinthewood.I"lldothehensnextandthenhavealookattheboiler.Isthatright?What"sthematter,Molly?Youlookedscared."
"Giles,itwasthepolice."
"Thepolice?"Gilessoundedincredulous.
"Yes,they"resendingoutaninspectororasergeantorsomething."
"Butwhy?Whathavewedone?"
"Idon"tknow.Doyouthinkitcouldbethattwopoundsofb.u.t.terwehadfromIreland?"
Gileswasfrowning."Ididremembertogetthewirelesslicense,didn"tI?"
"Yes,it"sinthedesk.Giles,oldMrsBidlockgavemefiveofhercouponsforthatoldtweedcoatofmine.Isupposethat"swrong-but.i.thinkit"sperfectlyfair.I"macoatlesssowhyshouldn"tIhavethecoupons?Oh,dear,whatelseistherewe"vedone?"
"Ihadanearshavewiththecartheotherday.But.i.twasdefinitelytheotherfellow"sfault.Definitely."
"Wemusthavedonesomething,"wailedMolly.
"Thetroubleisthatpracticallyeverythingonedoesnowadaysisillegal,"saidGilesgloomily."That"swhyonehasapermanentfeelingofguilt.ActuallyIexpect.i.t"ssomethingtodowithrunningthisplace.Runningaguesthouseisprobablychock-fullofsnagswe"veneverheardof."
"Ithoughtdrinkwastheonlythingthatmattered.Wehaven"tgivenanyoneanythingtodrink.Otherwise,whyshouldn"twerunourownhouseanywayweplease?"
"Iknow.Itsoundsallright.ButasIsay,everything"smoreorless...o...b..ddennowadays."
"Oh,dear,"sighedMolly."Iwishwe"dneverstarted.We"regoingtobesnowedupfordays,andeverybodywillbecrossandthey"lleatallourreservesoftins-"
"Cheerup,sweetheart,"saidGiles."We"rehavingabadbreakatthemoment,but.i.twillpanoutallright."
Hekissedthetopofherheadratherabsentmindedlyand,releasingher,saidinadifferentvoice,"Youknow,Molly,cometothinkofit,itmustbesomethingprettyserioustosendapolicesergeanttrekkingouthereinallthis."Hewavedahandtowardthesnowoutside.Hesaid,"Itmustbesomethingreallyurgent-"
Astheystaredateachother,thedooropened,andMrsBoylecamein.
"Ah,hereyouare,MrDavis,"saidMrsBoyle."Doyouknowthecentralheatinginthedrawing-roomispracticallystone-cold?"
"I"msorry,MrsBoyle.We"rerathershortofc.o.keand-"
MrsBoylecutinruthlessly."Iampayingsevenguineasaweekhere-sevenguineas.AndIdonotexpecttofreeze."
Gilesflushed.Hesaidshortly,"I"llgoandstokeitup."
Hewentoutoftheroom,andMrsBoyleturnedtoMolly.
"Ifyoudon"tmindmysayingso,MrsDavis,thatisaveryextraordinaryyoungmanyouhavestayinghere.Hismanners-andhisties-Anddoesheneverbrushhishair?"
"He"sanextremelybrilliantyoungarchitect,"saidMolly.
"Ibegyourpardon?"
"ChristopherWrenisanarchitectand-"
"Mydearyoungwoman,"snappedMrsBoyle,"IhavenaturallyheardofSirChristopherWren.Ofcoursehewasanarchitect.HebuiltSt.Paul"s.YouyoungpeopleseemtothinkthateducationcameinwiththeEducationAct."
"ImeantthisWren.HisnameisChristopher.Hisparentscalledhimthatbecausetheyhopedhe"dbeanarchitect.Andheis-ornearly-one,soitturnedoutallright."
"Humph,"MrsBoylesnorted."Itsoundsaveryfishystorytome.IshouldmakesomeinquiriesabouthimifIwereyou.Whatdoyouknowabouthim?"
"JustasmuchasIknowaboutyou,MrsBoyle-whichisthatbothyouandhearepayingussevenguineasaweek.That"sreallyallthatIneedtoknow,isn"t.i.t?Andallthatconcernsme.Itdoesn"tmattertomewhetherIlikemyguests,orwhether-"MollylookedverysteadilyatMrsBoyle-"orwhetherIdon"t."
MrsBoyleflushedangrily."Youareyoungandinexperiencedandshouldwelcomeadvicefromsomeonemoreknowledgeablethanyourself.Andwhataboutthisqueerforeigner?Whendidhearrive?"
"Inthemiddleofthenight."
"Indeed.Mostpeculiar.Notaveryconventionalhour."
"Toturnawaybonafidetravellerswouldbeagainstthelaw,MrsBoyle."Mollyaddedsweetly."Youmaynotbeawareofthat."
"AllIcansayisthatthisParavicini,orwhateverhecallshimself,seemstome-"
"Beware,beware,dearlady.Youtalkofthedevilandthen-"
MrsBoylejumpedasthoughithadbeenindeedthedevilwhoaddressedher.MrParavicini,whohadmincedquietlyinwithouteitherofthetwowomennoticinghim,laughedandrubbedhishandstogetherwithakindofelderlysatanicglee.
"Youstartledme,"saidMrsBoyle."Ididnothearyoucomein."
"Icomeinontiptoe,so,"saidMrParavicini,"n.o.bodyeverhearsmecomeandgo.ThatIfindveryamusing.SometimesIoverhearthings.That,too,amusesme."Headdedsoftly,"ButIdonotforgetwhatIhear."
MrsBoylesaidratherfeebly,"Indeed?Imustgetmyknitting-Ileft.i.tinthedrawing-room."
Shewentouthurriedly.MollystoodlookingatMrParaviciniwithapuzzledexpression.Heapproachedherwithakindofhopandskip.
"Mycharminghostesslooksupset."Beforeshecouldprevent.i.t,hepickedupherhandandkissedit."Whatisit,dearlady?"
Mollydrewbackastep.ShewasnotsurethatshelikedMrParavicinimuch.Hewasleeringatherlikeanelderlysatyr.
"Everythingisratherdifficultthismorning,"shesaidlightly."Becauseofthesnow."
"Yes."MrParaviciniturnedhisheadroundtolookoutofthewindow."Snowmakeseverythingverydifficult,doesitnot?Orelseitmakesthingsveryeasy."
"Idon"tknowwhatyoumean."
"No,"hesaidthoughtfully."Thereisquitealotthatyoudonotknow.Ithink,foronething,thatyoudonotknowverymuchaboutrunningaguesthouse."
Molly"schinwentupbelligerently."Idaresaywedon"t.Butwemeantomakeagoofit."
"Bravo,bravo."
"Afterall,"Molly"svoicebetrayedslightanxiety,"I"mnotsuchaverybadcook-"
"Youare,withoutdoubt,anenchantingcook,"saidMrParavicini.
Whatanuisanceforeignerswere,thoughtMolly.
PerhapsMrParavicinireadherthoughts.Atalleventshismannerchanged.Hespokequietlyandquiteseriously.
"MayIgiveyoualittlewordofwarning,MrsDavis?Youandyourhusbandmustnotbetootrusting,youknow.Haveyoureferenceswiththeseguestsofyours?"
"Isthatusual?"Mollylookedtroubled."Ithoughtpeoplejust-justcame."
"Itisadvisablealwaystoknowalittleaboutthepeoplewhosleepunderyourroof."Heleanedforwardandtappedherontheshoulderinaminatorykindofway."Takemyself,forexample.Iturnupinthemiddleofthenight.Mycar,Isay,isoverturnedinasnowdrift.Whatdoyouknowofme?Nothingatall.Perhapsyouknownothing,either,ofyourotherguests."
"MrsBoyle-"beganMolly,butstoppedasthatladyherselfre-enteredtheroom,knittinginhand.
"Thedrawing-roomistoocold.Ishallsitinhere."Shemarchedtowardthefireplace.
MrParavicinipirouettedswiftlyaheadofher."Allowmetopokethefireforyou."
Mollywa.s.struck,a.s.shehadbeenthenightbefore,bytheyouthfuljauntinessofhisstep.Shenoticedthathealwaysseemedcarefultokeephisbacktothelight,andnow,asheknelt,pokingthefire,shethoughtshesawthereasonforit.MrParavicini"sfacewascleverlybutdecidedly"madeup."
Sotheoldidiottriedtomakehimselflookyoungerthanhewas,didhe?Well,hedidn"tsucceed.Helookedallhisageandmore.Onlytheyouthfulwalkwasincongruous.
Perhapsthat,too,hadbeencarefullycounterfeited.
ShewasbroughtbackfromspeculationtothedisagreeablerealitiesbythebriskentranceofMajorMetcalf.
"MrsDavis.I"mafraidthepipesofthe-er-"heloweredhisvoicemodestly,"downstairscloakroomarefrozen."
"Oh,dear,"groanedMolly."Whatanawfulday.Firstthepoliceandthenthepipes."
MrParavicinidroppedthepokerintothegratewithaclatter.MrsBoylestoppedknitting.
Molly,lookingatMajorMetcalf,waspuzzledbyhissuddenstiffimmobilityandbytheindescribableexpressiononhisface.Itwasanexpressionshecouldnotplace.Itwasasthoughallemotionhadbeendrainedoutofit,leavingsomethingcarvedoutofwoodbehind.
Hesaidinashort,staccatovoice,"Police,didyousay?"
Shewasconsciousthatbehindthestiffimmobilityofhisdemeanour,someviolentemotionwasatwork.Itmighthavebeenfearoralertnessorexcitement-b.u.t.therewa.s.something.Thisman,shesaidtoherself,couldbedangerous.
Hesaidagain,andthistimehisvoicewasjustmildlycurious,"What"sthataboutthepolice?"
"Theyrangup,"saidMolly."Justnow.Tosaythey"resendingasergeantouthere."Shelookedtowardthewindow."ButIshouldn"tthinkhe"llevergethere,"shesaidhopefully.
"Whyaretheysendingthepolicehere?"Hetookastepnearertoher,butbeforeshecouldreplythedooropened,andGilescamein.
"Thisruddyc.o.ke"smorethanhalfstones,"hesaidangrily.Thenheaddedsharply,"Isanythingthematter?"
MajorMetcalfturnedtohim."Ihearthepolicearecomingouthere,"hesaid."Why?"
"Oh,that"sallright,"saidGiles."Noonecanevergetthroughinthis.Why,thedriftsarefivefeetdeep.Theroad"sallbankedup.n.o.bodywillgetheretoday."
Andatthatmomenttherecamedistinctlythreeloudtapsonthewindow.
Itstartledthemall.Foramomentortwotheydidnotlocatethesound.Itcamewiththeemphasisandmenaceof.a.ghostlywarning.Andthen,withacry,MollypointedtotheFrenchwindow.Amanwa.s.standingtheretappingonthepane,andthemysteryofhisarrivalwas.e.xplainedbythefactthatheworeskis.
Withanexclamation,Gilescrossedtheroom,fumbledwiththecatch,andthrewopentheFrenchwindow.
"Thankyou,sir,"saidthenewarrival.Hehadaslightlycommon,cheerfulvoiceandawell-bronzedface.
"DetectiveSergeantTrotter,"heannouncedhimself.
MrsBoylepeeredathimoverherknittingwithdisfavour.
"Youcan"tbeasergeant,"shesaiddisapprovingly."You"retooyoung."
Theyoungman,whowasindeedveryyoung,lookedaffrontedatthiscriticismandsaidinaslightlyannoyedtone,"I"mnotquiteasyoungasIlook,madam."