Craddock looked at the frail little figure in the big bed with interest. Belle Goedler, he realized, had enjoyed—still enjoyed—being a woman. She twinkled at him.
'I've always thought,' she said, 'it must be terribly dull to be a man.'
Then she said thoughtfully:
'I think Randall looked on Blackie very much as a kind of younger brother. He relied on her judgment which was always excellent. She kept him out of trouble more than once, you know.'
'She told me that she came to his rescue once with money?'
'That, yes, but I meant more than that. One can speak the truth after all these years. Randall couldn't really distinguish between what was crooked and what wasn't. His conscience wasn't sensitive. The poor dear really didn't know what was just smart—and what was dishonest. Blackie kept him straight. That's one thing about Letitia Blacklock, she's absolutely dead straight. She would never do anything that was dishonest. She's a very fine character, you know. I've always admired her. They had a terrible girlhood, those girls. The father was an old country doctor—terrifically pig-headed and narrow-minded—the complete family tyrant. Letitia broke away, came to London, and trained herself as a chartered accountant. The other sister was an invalid, there was a deformity of kinds and she never saw people or went out. That's why when the old man died, Letitia gave up everything to go home and look after her sister. Randall was wild with her—but it made no difference. If Letitia thought a thing was her duty she'd do it. And you couldn't move her.'
'How long was that before your husband died?'
'A couple of years, I think. Randall made his will before she left the firm, and he didn't alter it. He said to me: "We've no one of our own." (Our little boy died, you know, when he was two years old.) "After you and I are gone, Blackie had better have the money. She'll play the markets and make 'em sit up."
'You see,' Belle went on, 'Randall enjoyed the whole money-making game so much—it wasn't just the money—it was the adventure, the risks, the excitement of it all. And Blackie liked it too. She had the same adventurous spirit and the same judgment. Poor darling, she'd never had any of the usual fun—being in love, and leading men on and teasing them—and having a home and children and all the real fun of life.'
Craddock thought it was odd, the real pity and indulgent contempt felt by this woman, a woman whose life had been hampered by illness, whose only child had died, whose husband had died, leaving her to a lonely widowhood, and who had been a hopeless invalid for years.
She nodded her head at him.
'I know what you're thinking. But I've had all the things that make life worth while—they may have been taken from me—but I have had them. I was pretty and gay as a girl, I married the man I loved, and he never stopped loving me?My child died, but I had him for two precious years?I've had a lot of physical pain—but if you have pain, you know how to enjoy the exquisite pleasure of the times when pain stops. And everyone's been kind to me, always?I'm a lucky woman, really.'
Craddock seized upon an opening in her former remarks.
'You said just now, Mrs Goedler, that your husband left his fortune to Miss Blacklock because he had no one else to leave it to. But that's not strictly true, is it? He had a sister.'
'Oh, Sonia. But they quarrelled years ago and made a clean break of it.'
'He disapproved of her marriage?'
'Yes, she married a man called—now what was his name—?'
'Stamfordis.'
'That's it. Dmitri Stamfordis. Randall always said he was a crook. The two men didn't like each other from the first. But Sonia was wildly in love with him and quite determined to marry him. And I really never saw why she shouldn't. Men have such odd ideas about these things. Sonia wasn't a mere girl—she was twenty-five, and she knew exactly what she was doing. He was a crook, I dare say—I mean really a crook. I believe he had a criminal record—and Randall always suspected the name he was passing under here wasn't his own. Sonia knew all that. The point was, which of course Randall couldn't appreciate, that Dmitri was really a wildly attractive person to women. And he was just as much in love with Sonia as she was with him. Randall insisted that he was just marrying her for her money—but that wasn't true. Sonia was very handsome, you know. And she had plenty of spirit. If the marriage had turned out badly, if Dmitri had been unkind to her or unfaithful to her, she would just have cut her losses and walked out on him. She was a rich woman and could do as she chose with her life.'
'The quarrel was never made up?'
'No. Randall and Sonia never had got on very well. She resented his trying to prevent the marriage. She said, "Very well. You're quite impossible! This is the last you hear of me!"'
'But it was not the last you heard of her?'
Belle smiled.
'No, I got a letter from her about eighteen months afterwards. She wrote from Budapest, I remember, but she didn't give an address. She told me to tell Randall that she was extremely happy and that she'd just had twins.'
'And she told you their names?'
Again Belle smiled. 'She said they were born just after midday—and she intended to call them Pip and Emma. That may have been just a joke, of course.'
'Didn't you hear from her again?'
'No. She said she and her husband and the babies were going to America on a short stay. I never heard any more?'
'You don't happen, I suppose, to have kept that letter?'
'No, I'm afraid not?I read it to Randall and he just grunted: "She'll regret marrying that fellow one of these days." That's all he ever said about it. We really forgot about her. She went right out of our lives?'
'Nevertheless Mr Goedler left his estate to her children in the event of Miss Blacklock predeceasing you?'
'Oh, that was my doing. I said to him, when he told me about the will: "And suppose Blackie dies before I do?" He was quite surprised. I said, "Oh, I know Blackie is as strong as a horse and I'm a delicate creature—but there's such a thing as accidents, you know, and there's such a thing as creaking gates?" And he said, "There's no one—absolutely no one." I said, "There's Sonia." And he said at once, "And let that fellow get hold of my money? No—indeed!" I said, "Well, her children then. Pip and Emma, and there may be lots more by now"—and so he grumbled, but he did put it in.'
'And from that day to this,' Craddock said slowly, 'you've heard nothing of your sister-in-law or her children?'
'Nothing—they may be dead—they may be—anywhere.'
They may be in Chipping Cleghorn, thought Craddock.
As though she read his thoughts, a look of alarm came into Belle Goedler's eyes. She said, 'Don't let them hurt Blackie. Blackie's good —really good—you mustn't let harm come to—'
Her voice trailed off suddenly. Craddock saw the sudden grey shadows round her mouth and eyes.
'You're tired,' he said. 'I'll go.'
She nodded.
'Send Mac to me,' she whispered. 'Yes, tired?' She made a feeble motion of her hand. 'Look after Blackie?Nothing must happen to Blackie?look after her?'
'I'll do my very best, Mrs Goedler.' He rose and went to the door.
Her voice, a thin thread of sound, followed him?
'Not long now—until I'm dead—dangerous for her—Take care?'
Sister McClelland passed him as he went out. He said, uneasily:
'I hope I haven't done her harm.'
'Oh, I don't think so, Mr Craddock. I told you she would tire quite suddenly.'
Later, he asked the nurse:
'The only thing I hadn't time to ask Mrs Goedler was whether she had any old photographs? If so, I wonder—'
She interrupted him.
'I'm afraid there's nothing of that kind. All her personal papers and things were stored with their furniture from the London house at the beginning of the war. Mrs Goedler was desperately ill at the time. Then the storage despository was blitzed. Mrs Goedler was very upset at losing so many personal souvenirs and family papers. I'm afraid there's nothing of that kind.'
<
br /> So that was that, Craddock thought.
Yet he felt his journey had not been in vain. Pip and Emma, those twin wraiths, were not quite wraiths.
Craddock thought, 'Here's a brother and sister brought up somewhere in Europe. Sonia Goedler was a rich woman at the time of her marriage, but money in Europe hasn't remained money. Queer things have happened to money during these war years. And so there are two young people, the son and daughter of a man who had a criminal record. Suppose they came to England, more or less penniless. What would they do? Find out about any rich relatives. Their uncle, a man of vast fortune, is dead. Possibly the first thing they'd do would be to look up their uncle's will. See if by any chance money had been left to them or to their mother. So they go to Somerset House and learn the contents of his will, and then, perhaps, they learn of the existence of Miss Letitia Blacklock. Then they make inquiries about Randall Goedler's widow. She's an invalid, living up in Scotland, and they find out she hasn't long to live. If this Letitia Blacklock dies before her, they will come into a vast fortune. What then?'
Craddock thought, 'They wouldn't go to Scotland. They'd find out where Letitia Blacklock is living now. And they'd go there—but not as themselves?They'd go together—or separately? Emma—I wonder—Pip and Emma?I'll eat my hat if Pip, or Emma, or both of them, aren't in Chipping Cleghorn now?'
Chapter 15. Delicious Death
In the kitchen at Little Paddocks, Miss Blacklock was giving instructions to Mitzi.
'Sardine sandwiches as well as the tomato ones. And some of those little scones you make so nicely. And I'd like you to make that special cake of yours.'
'Is it a party then, that you want all these things?'
'It's Miss Bunner's birthday, and some people will be coming to tea.'
'At her age one does not have birthdays. It is better to forget.'
'Well, she doesn't want to forget. Several people are bringing her presents—and it will be nice to make a little party of it.'
'That is what you say last time—and see what happened!'
Miss Blacklock controlled her temper.
'Well, it won't happen this time.'
'How do you know what may happen in this house? All day long I shiver and at night I lock my door and I look in the wardrobe to see no one is hidden there.'
'That ought to keep you nice and safe,' said Miss Blacklock, coldly.
'The cake that you want me to make, it is the—?' Mitzi uttered a sound that to Miss Blacklock's English ear sounded like Schwitzebzr or alternatively like cats spitting at each other.
'That's the one. The rich one.'
'Yes. It is rich. For it I have nothing! Impossible to make such a cake. I need for it chocolate and much butter, and sugar and raisins.'
'You can use this tin of butter that was sent us from America. And some of the raisins we were keeping for Christmas, and here is a slab of chocolate and a pound of sugar.'
Mitzi's face suddenly burst into radiant smiles.
'So, I make him for you good—good,' she cried, in an ecstasy. 'It will be rich, rich, of a melting richness! And on top I will put the icing—chocolate icing—I make him so nice—and write on it Good Wishes. These English people with their cakes that tastes of sand, never never, will they have tasted such a cake. Delicious, they will say—delicious—'
Her face clouded again.
'Mr Patrick. He called it Delicious Death. My cake! I will not have my cake called that!'
'It was a compliment really,' said Miss Blacklock. 'He meant it was worth dying to eat such a cake.'
Mitzi looked at her doubtfully.
'Well, I do not like that word—death. They are not dying because they eat my cake, no, they feel much, much better?'
'I'm sure we all shall.'
Miss Blacklock turned away and left the kitchen with a sigh of relief at the successful ending of the interview. With Mitzi one never knew.
She ran into Dora Bunner outside.
'Oh, Letty, shall I run in and tell Mitzi just how to cut the sandwiches?'
'No,' said Miss Blacklock, steering her friend firmly into the hall. 'She's in a good mood now and I don't want her disturbed.'
'But I could just show her—'
'Please don't show her anything, Dora. These central Europeans don't like being shown. They hate it.'
Dora looked at her doubtfully. Then she suddenly broke into smiles.
'Edmund Swettenham just rang up. He wished me many happy returns of the day and said he was bringing me a pot of honey as a present this afternoon. Isn't it kind? I can't imagine how he knew it was my birthday.'
'Everybody seems to know. You must have been talking about it, Dora.'
'Well, I did just happen to mention that today I should be fifty-nine.'
'You're sixty-four,' said Miss Blacklock with a twinkle.
'And Miss Hinchcliffe said, "You don't look it. What age do you think I am?" Which was rather awkward because Miss Hinchcliffe always looks so peculiar that she might be any age. She said she was bringing me some eggs, by the way. I said our hens hadn't been laying very well, lately.'
'We're not doing so badly out of your birthday,' said Miss Blacklock. 'Honey, eggs—a magnificent box of chocolates from Julia—'
'I don't know where she gets such things.'
'Better not ask. Her methods are probably strictly illegal.'
'And your lovely brooch.' Miss Bunner looked down proudly at her bosom on which was pinned a small diamond leaf.
'Do you like it? I'm glad. I never cared for jewellery.'
'I love it.'
'Good. Let's go and feed the ducks.'
***
'Ha,' cried Patrick dramatically, as the party took their places round the dining-room table. 'What do I see before me? Delicious Death.'
'Hush,' said Miss Blacklock. 'Don't let Mitzi hear you. She objects to your name for her cake very much.'
'Nevertheless, Delicious Death it is! Is it Bunny's birthday cake?'
'Yes, it is,' said Miss Bunner. 'I really am having the most wonderful birthday.'
Her cheeks were flushed with excitement and had been ever since Colonel Easterbrook had handed her a small box of sweets and declaimed with a bow, 'Sweets to the Sweet!'
Julia had turned her head away hurriedly, and had been frowned at by Miss Blacklock.
Full justice was done to the good things on the tea table and they rose from their seats after a round of crackers.
'I feel slightly sick,' said Julia. 'It's that cake. I remember I felt just the same last time.'
'It's worth it,' said Patrick.
'These foreigners certainly understand confectionery,' said Miss Hinchcliffe. 'What they can't make is a plain boiled pudding.'
Everybody was respectfully silent, though it seemed to be hovering on Patrick's lips to ask if anyone really wanted a plain boiled pudding.
'Got a new gardener?' asked Miss Hinchcliffe of Miss Blacklock as they returned to the drawing-room.
'No, why?'
'Saw a man snooping round the henhouse. Quite a decent-looking Army type.'
'Oh, that,' said Julia. 'That's our detective.'
Mrs Easterbrook dropped her handbag.
'Detective?' she exclaimed. 'But—but—why?'
'I don't know,' said Julia. 'He prowls about and keeps an eye on the house. He's protecting Aunt Letty, I suppose.'
'Absolute nonsense,' said Miss Blacklock. 'I can protect myself, thank you.'
'But surely it's all over now,' cried Mrs Easterbrook. 'Though I meant to ask you, why did they adjourn the inquest?'
'Police aren't satisfied,' said her husband. 'That's what that means.'
'But aren't satisfied of what?'
Colonel Easterbrook shook his head with the air of a man who could say a good deal more if he chose. Edmund Swettenham, who disliked the Colonel, said, 'The truth of it is, we're all under suspicion.'
'But suspicion of what?' repeated Mrs Easterbrook.
'Never mind, kitten,' sai
d her husband.
'Loitering with intent,' said Edmund. 'The intent being to commit murder upon the first opportunity.'
'Oh, don't, please don't, Mr Swettenham.' Dora Bunner began to cry. 'I'm sure nobody here could possibly want to kill dear, dear Letty.'
There was a moment of horrible embarrassment. Edmund turned scarlet, murmured, 'Just a joke.' Phillipa suggested in a high clear voice that they might listen to the six o'clock news and the suggestion was received with enthusiastic assent.
Patrick murmured to Julia: 'We need Mrs Harmon here. She'd be sure to say in that high clear voice of hers, "But I suppose somebody is still waiting for a good chance to murder you, Miss Blacklock?"'
'I'm glad she and that old Miss Marple couldn't come,' said Julia. 'That old woman is the prying kind. And a mind like a sink, I should think. Real Victorian type.'
Listening to the news led easily into a pleasant discussion on the horrors of atomic warfare. Colonel Easterbrook said that the real menace to civilization was undoubtedly Russia, and Edmund said that he had several charming Russian friends—which announcement was coldly received.
The party broke up with renewed thanks to the hostess.
'Enjoy yourself, Bunny?' asked Miss Blacklock, as the last guest was sped.
'Oh, I did. But I've got a terrible headache. It's the excitement, I think.'
'It's the cake,' said Patrick. 'I feel a bit liverish myself. And you've been nibbling chocolates all the morning.'
'I'll go and lie down, I think,' said Miss Bunner. 'I'll take a couple of aspirins and try and have a nice sleep.'
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