Читать книгу Crime Tears On - Carolyn Wells - Страница 7

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MRS. HETTY GARSON, housekeeper inordinary at Silver Hill, was the wife of Elkanah, a man of illimitable ability. He was a modified valet to Harley Madison, and looked after the boys a bit and attended to civil wars among the servants, and was so trustworthy that he was called steward; and he was a good one.

He was Miss Cornelia’s right-hand man, and was afraid of nobody on God’s green earth, with the single exception of his wife, Hetty. Her opinion of him may be summed up in the phrase she used to describe him: ‘That worthless Elk! He’s such a blessin’!’

Elkanah was long and lank, with a wiry strength and a great power of endurance. His eyes were keen and shrewd, his understanding quick and his response even quicker. His homely face seemed to show a high grade of intelligence, but the trouble with Elk was he seldom fulfilled that promise. He was sure of his facts, sure of his memories, sound in his logic, but he had little intuition and no imagination. However, Hetty had enough of these things for both, and with her guidance the pair achieved wonders.

By Saturday noon, the day following Yvette’s arrival, Hetty had sized up the visitor and was giving Elkanah the net result.

‘She’s fine,’ Hetty declared, ‘and she’s deep. Mr. Craig is mad about her, and Mr. Madison is nigh off his head, too.’

‘Sho, Hetty. Not Mr. Harley Madison!’

‘That’s what I said. But he ain’t fell yet; he’s hoverin’ on the brink. It’s up to her. If she wants him she can easy get him. But I doubt she wants him. He’s rich, to be sure, but she’s likely got a hundred wealthy sooters, maybe dooks and earls and such, like as not.’

‘Mr. Madison’s a good catch though. But what would Miss Cornelia say to such a mad marriage?’

‘Well you know Miss Cornelia thinks everything and anything her brother does is perfect.’

‘Blest be-ee the ti-i-i that binds

Our hear-arts in Chris-istian love—’

It was Hetty’s habit to break into a hymn, even during her own conversations. ‘But,’ she went on, ‘I know who would be mad and she’d raise the devil’s own row, and that’s Mrs. Boyce. She’s always expected to have Harley Madison before she dies as much as she expects to have heaven after.

‘If he marries her, he won’t have much heaven before he dies, whatever he gets after. But our Mr. Madison isn’t thinking about marryin’ or givin’ in marriage. He’s all roiled up with his fancy town buildin’ and improvin’. He only looks at this stage girl like a picture, you know. Besides, she is Mr. Craig’s girl, if she’s anybody’s. Mr. Harley ain’t a snitcher.’

The pair were sitting in the steward’s pantry, and to them appeared Miss Cornelia, with lists in her hand. Miss Cornelia was great on lists and woe befell any one who omitted an item meant for his attention.

‘We’re having a picnic this afternoon,’ the lady told them. I’ve seen Wilkins about the food, and I want you two to take the thing in charge. The two big cars will hold us all, and we shall go to Felton Falls for the supper. Have an eye on everything, Elkanah, for though we pretend it is an old-fashioned picnic, I want it to be both comfortable and beautiful. Elkanah, look after the cocktails and champagne, and see to the hot coffee and tea bottles. Take the station car as usual. Wilkins will need your help. And Hetty, have simple but very nice china and napery. It is a pleasant thought to me that I can entrust it all to you two, knowing that it will be the same as if I had done it all myself.’

Cornelia had been relieved of her sudden fear that her brother would make a fool of himself over Yvette. When, a short time ago, Harley had asked her to go for a drive with him in the afternoon, Yvette said, ‘Oh, let’s make it a picnic and all go.’

Wherefore Cornelia had taken hope that even if Harley was deeply interested in the girl she was not leading him on. Harley Madison directed the guests to their seats in the cars, and when they started off, Yvette discovered herself on the back seat between Laurel Lee and Craig Madison, with Everett Ames and Gifford Hale facing her.

The October sunlight made the autumn leaves gay, the breeze was not too strong and the roads were fine.

‘I do love a motor ride,’ Yvette said, ‘when all the conditions are right—the weather, the car, the people, all just as they are now. Can’t we drive through the village? I want to see the improvements Mr. Madison is making.’

‘Oh, they’re not started yet,’ Craig told her, and Everett Ames added, ‘They may never be.’

‘Why not?’

‘Oh, there are some differences of opinion among the directors, and if it gets much worse, Mr. Madison may withdraw from the syndicate, and what would his fellows do then, poor things?’

‘Further developments this morning?’ Craig inquired.

‘Well, yes,’ Ames said. ‘There were one or two disgruntled letters in, the mail, but I fancy Mr. Madison will know how to deal with them.’

‘I rather think so,’ Yvette said. ‘He strikes me as a man who can deal with whatever comes his way.’

‘He’s really a wonder man,’ said Laura. ‘My husband has known him for years, and he says Mr. Madison is the most efficient person he has ever seen.’

‘I take after him,’ said Craig, wistfully, ‘but I don’t get glory and honor as he does.’

‘You’re too young.’ Yvette smiled at him. ‘When you’re your uncle’s age, you’ll have the world at your feet.’

‘You’re all the world to me, but I don’t want you at my feet!’

Yvette laughed. ‘I’m all the world to so many people!’ she said, looking regretful. ‘I don’t believe I want any more world to conquer.’

‘Not a bit like Alexander, are you?’ Clifford Hale said, gaily. ‘But if ever you do want one to try on, remember I’m a candidate.’

‘To try on?’ Yvette smiled. ‘Do you imply a possibility of my ever failing?’

‘It might be a change,’ Laura Lee put in. ‘Monotony is always uninteresting.’

‘Not always,’ Yvette said, looking more serious. ‘My life is so full, so varied, and so uncertain, I sometimes long for monotony.’

‘But can’t you get it if you really want it?’ Laura went on. ‘Can’t you go off, no one knowing where, and bury yourself in your monotony till you get tired of it?’

‘But you must remember,’ Craig put in, ‘that you can’t enjoy monotony unless you have already found happiness.’

‘But if I had found happiness I wouldn’t want monotony!’ Yvette exclaimed. ‘And this conversation is getting too psychological or something like that. Tell me about the picnic we are going to, Craig. Do we sit on the ground, and have butterflies in the butter and katydids in the cake?’

‘This is a Wilkins picnic, not a Sunday-school one. You’ll like it.’

‘I know I shall. Miss Cornelia has made it all pretty for me. She told me so. She is one lovely lady, is Miss Cornelia.’

‘She’s the salt of the earth,’ said Laura Lee.

‘I’ve known her all my life,’ Craig said, ‘and I echo your opinion.’

‘I wish somebody would praise me,’ Gifford Hale complained. ‘I get no bouquets and leis and things.’

‘You’re a dear,’ Yvette told him, ‘but I don’t know you well enough to sort out your good traits from your wicked ones.’

‘What makes you think I have any wicked ones?’

‘You wouldn’t be any good if you didn’t.’

‘One up for you. While Wilkins is laying the cloth for the picnic, you and I will take a twilight’ stroll, and I will tell you my favourite crimes.’

‘Let us hope Wilkins is of slow motion, for I’ve promised a lot of twilight strolls. Didn’t I say I’d wander a bit with you, Mr. Ames?’

‘You certainly did, Miss Verne, and I shall hold you to your promise.’

Soon they were at the picnic place.

‘Here we are!’ cried Harley Madison. ‘On with the hampers, Garson; it is later than I thought. You all right, Miss Verne? Not too tired?’

‘Not a bit. Come over here, Miss Cornelia, here’s a big stone to sit on, and Garson has spread a robe over it for us.’

The two sat down, while Garson prepared another rock for Anita and Laura Lee, and the men stood about or brought car cushions to sit on.

‘You like your picnic, Yvette?’ Cornelia asked, calling her guest by name for the first time.

‘Oh, yes, Miss Madison, I love anything outdoorsy.’

‘You have a lot of that in Hollywood?’

‘We do, but its such a different kind of outdoors that there ought to be another name for it.’

‘But you enjoy it all? You love your work?’

‘Much of the time yes. But there is repetition and more or less of what must be called drudgery. Have you seen any of my pictures?’

‘Yes I saw “The Young Lady of Nigar.” I thought it very amusing.’

‘Good! I’m glad you did. I like it; best of all I’ve done. I’ve just finished “Doubting Castle.” I hope you will like that, but it won’t be on for a long time yet. It’s very good of you to have me here, and it’s a lovely experience for me, I am so seldom in a home. A real home, I mean. With a living-room and dining-room and all. I shall always carry my memory pictures of Silver Hill among my favourites. Have you always lived there?’

‘Oh, no, only since the death of my brother’s wife. That was ten years ago, and I came to keep house for him, and have been here ever since.’

‘He’s fortunate in having a devoted sister. And the boys, too. How they all adore you.’

‘They do. They’re good boys. Craig, of course, is my pet. Why I hardly know. He is the son of my older brother, and his parents both died when he was little. I took him then and I suppose that is why he seems nearer to me than Tom, who has been with us only a few years.’

‘They’re fine chaps, but to me Tom seems difficult to get at. He is like a mimosa plant; you speak to him, and he shuts right up into himself.’

‘Yes, he does. To-morrow, you must have a hobnob with him. He improves on acquaintance.’

And then cocktails came round. The crowd closed in, and they stood near together, laughing and chattering. As Yvette had anticipated, Everett Ames drew toward her, and asked in a half whisper, ‘What did you mean by what you said in the car?’

‘That we’d wander? Well, why not? Right after supper?’

Ames nodded assent, and then Craig claimed Yvette and took her to the lavishly spread table, and placed her at the right hand of her host. And Yvette Verne, the motion picture star, looked just shy enough and just coy enough to seem to be fitting herself into her rightful place.