Читать книгу Midnight House - Ethel Lina White - Страница 18

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TOO upset to notice that Barney's thumb was already pressed on the electric bell-button, Elizabeth hammered at the door. To her embarrassment, it was opened by the master of the house.

By virtue of his personality and also the glamour of his Indian background, she had placed Captain Pewter upon a pedestal. After he was elevated, he contrived to keep his footing without a stagger, owing to a calm and supreme confidence in his own qualities. Yet in spite of this inherent superiority, he never gave the impression that he considered others inferior to himself. There was only amusement in his eyes as he spoke gravely:

"Sorry to keep modom waiting. Tea is ready. Come in."

Although Elizabeth knew that their meal was laid in the nursery, she could not resist the temptation to follow the children into the drawing-room. It had the temperature of a hothouse and was fragrant from the bowls of forced yellow and white narcissi. There was an Indian carpet and a carved red lacquer cabinet, but otherwise there was no note of the Orient. In defiance of period, the woodwork and walls were painted a glossy cream, while the lighting and tubular metal furniture were modern.

The Captain's youngest sister—Geraldine, aged twenty-nine—was smoking a cigarette in front of the superfluous fire. Her face was reddened from raw air, for she had just returned from the golf links and she still wore trousers and a yellow pullover.

There was a strong family resemblance between her brother, her niece, and herself. They had the same fine build, the same blond colouring—although the East had put some hot stuff over the Captain—and the same solemn blue eyes.

Elizabeth was afraid that she might resent the invasion, but she merely grinned a welcome. Fortified with hot tea and muffin, the girl looked around her with a feeling of gratitude. She was responsive to the contrast between her surroundings and the menace of the twilit streets. Inside—with light, warmth, and company—it was impossible to believe in a fugitive shape torn from the sheet of surrounding darkness.

Phil demonstrated her devotion to her family by climbing to the lap of her father and aunt in turn, to their personal inconvenience. While she anchored herself, Barney was a floater, eating as he roamed about the room, pawing objects with sticky fingers. As she was not the supreme authority, Elizabeth was glad that she need not reprove him.

"Bit of a changeling," remarked Geraldine. "Do you see any resemblance to our family?"

"I can believe that the Captain is his father," replied Elizabeth gravely.

She had noticed points in common—the same clever forehand and fingers as well as the same nervous mannerisms. At that moment, Barney was picking almonds off an uncut cake and eating them. As that was going too far, she was about to scold him when—in time to stop herself—she discovered that his father was absently doing the same.

At first the Pewters were rather under the impression that Elizabeth's grandmother had come to tea, owing to the girl's faithful reproduction of that rigid Victorian's opinions: but gradually her standard was lowered by the attraction of the tea. There were sandwiches besides cakes, and she displayed an appetite of the first magnitude.

In the midst of her enjoyment, Phil—who was a natural news collector—began to broadcast.

"Barney ran away from Miss Feathers. Miss Feathers can't run. Barney's going to frighten her away and then Maxine will come back."

"I'll take a strap to him," threatened the Captain.

Although his voice lacked conviction, Elizabeth gasped with horror.

"Oh, no. He's too small. I'm here, so it's up to me... Where has he gone?"

As she looked around the room, Phil released some more exclusive information.

"He's in the basement, ringing up Maxine on the extension."

"Tell him to stop, this instant," commanded her father.

As Phil tramped from the room with the importance of a young policewoman, Geraldine spoke to Elizabeth confidentially.

"The fact is, Miss Feathers, I never took up Maxine's refs. Dashed careless. But I've a service-flat and I'm not used to this domestic stunt. I thought she was vouched for by Dr. Evans. When I interviewed her, I was sorry for her. She looked ill and down on her luck. She wore a black coat and felt hat, just a bit too big for her. You know the effect... I had the shock of my life the first time I saw her all tight and made-up."

"Was she attractive?" asked Elizabeth jealously.

"Highly attractive to anything in trousers—but that didn't include me." Geraldine glanced down at her legs. "She was always fussing the boy and neglecting the girl. I had to cut Phil's toenails. And I loathe toenails."

"Why did she leave?"

"I sacked her when I discovered she had never been a nursery governess before. She used to do some sort of unclothed act in a low music-hall. My brother first told me to give her the push. Men always know. I can't think why she wanted to come here... The odd part is she is trying to come back again."