the clue of the twisted candle-第15部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃If　you　would　only　wait；　sir；〃　pleaded　the　agonized　Fisher。

〃Wait　be　hanged；〃　snarled　the　other。　　〃I've　waited　three　years；　I　tell　you。　　Tell　Mr。　Kara　to　expect　me　when　he　sees　me！〃

He　went　out　and　most　unnecessarily　banged　the　door　behind　him。　Fisher　went　back　to　the　library。　　The　girl　was　sealing　up　some　letters　as　he　entered　and　looked　up。

〃I　am　afraid；　Miss　Holland；　I've　got　myself　into　very　serious　trouble。〃

〃What　is　that；　Fisher！〃　asked　the　girl。

〃There　was　a　gentleman　coming　to　see　Mr。　Kara；　whom　Mr。　Kara　particularly　wanted　to　see。〃

〃Mr。　Gathercole；〃　said　the　girl　quickly。

Fisher　nodded。

〃Yes；　miss；　I　couldn't　get　him　to　stay　though。〃

She　pursed　her　lips　thoughtfully。

〃Mr。　Kara　will　be　very　cross；　but　I　don't　see　how　you　can　help　it。　I　wish　you　had　called　me；〃

〃He　never　gave　a　chance；　miss；〃　said　Fisher；　with　a　little　smile；　〃but　if　he　comes　again　I'll　show　him　straight　up　to　you。〃

She　nodded。

〃Is　there　anything　you　want；　miss？〃　he　asked　as　he　stood　at　the　door。

〃What　time　did　Mr。　Kara　say　he　would　be　back？〃

〃At　six　o'clock；　miss；〃　the　man　replied。

〃There　is　rather　an　important　letter　here　which　has　to　be　delivered。〃

〃Shall　I　ring　up　for　a　messenger？〃

〃No；　I　don't　think　that　would　be　advisable。　　You　had　better　take　it　yourself。〃

Kara　was　in　the　habit　of　employing　Fisher　as　a　confidential　messenger　when　the　occasion　demanded　such　employment。

〃I　will　go　with　pleasure；　miss；〃　he　said。

It　was　a　heaven…sent　opportunity　for　Fisher；　who　had　been　inventing　some　excuse　for　leaving　the　house。　　She　handed　him　the　letter　and　he　read　without　a　droop　of　eyelid　the　superscription

〃T。　X。　Meredith；　Esq。；　Special　Service　Dept。；　Scotland　Yard；　Whitehall。〃

He　put　it　carefully　in　his　pocket　and　went　from　the　room　to　change。　　Large　as　the　house　was　Kara　did　not　employ　a　regular　staff　of　servants。　　A　maid　and　a　valet　comprised　the　whole　of　the　indoor　staff。　　His　cook；　and　the　other　domestics；　necessary　for　conducting　an　establishment　of　that　size；　were　engaged　by　the　day。

Kara　had　returned　from　the　country　earlier　than　had　been　anticipated；　and；　save　for　Fisher；　the　only　other　person　in　the　house　beside　the　girl；　was　the　middle…aged　domestic　who　was　parlour…maid；　serving…maid　and　housekeeper　in　one。

Miss　Holland　sat　at　her　desk　to　all　appearance　reading　over　the　letters　she　had　typed　that　afternoon　but　her　mind　was　very　far　from　the　correspondence　before　her。　　She　heard　the　soft　thud　of　the　front　door　closing；　and　rising　she　crossed　the　room　rapidly　and　looked　down　through　the　window　to　the　street。　　She　watched　Fisher　until　he　was　out　of　sight；　then　she　descended　to　the　hall　and　to　the　kitchen。

It　was　not　the　first　visit　she　had　made　to　the　big　underground　room　with　its　vaulted　roof　and　its　great　ranges　…　which　were　seldom　used　nowadays；　for　Kara　gave　no　dinners。

The　maid　…　who　was　also　cook　…　arose　up　as　the　girl　entered。

〃It's　a　sight　for　sore　eyes　to　see　you　in　my　kitchen；　miss；〃　she　smiled。

〃I'm　afraid　you're　rather　lonely；　Mrs。　　Beale；〃　said　the　girl　sympathetically。

〃Lonely；　miss！〃　cried　the　maid。　　〃I　fairly　get　the　creeps　sitting　here　hour　after　hour。　　It's　that　door　that　gives　me　the　hump。〃

She　pointed　to　the　far　end　of　the　kitchen　to　a　soiled　looking　door　of　unpainted　wood。

〃That's　Mr。　Kara's　wine　cellar　…　nobody's　been　in　it　but　him。　　I　know　he　goes　in　sometimes　because　I　tried　a　dodge　that　my　brother　…　who's　a　policeman　…　taught　me。　　I　stretched　a　bit　of　white　cotton　across　it　an'　it　was　broke　the　next　morning。〃

〃Mr。　Kara　keeps　some　of　his　private　papers　in　there；〃　said　the　girl　quietly；　〃he　has　told　me　so　himself。〃

〃H'm；〃　said　the　woman　doubtfully；　〃I　wish　he'd　brick　it　up　…　the　same　as　he　has　the　lower　cellar　…　I　get　the　horrors　sittin'　here　at　night　expectin'　the　door　to　open　an'　the　ghost　of　the　mad　lord　to　come　out　…　him　that　was　killed　in　Africa。〃

Miss　Holland　laughed。

〃I　want　you　to　go　out　now；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　no　stamps。〃

Mrs。　Beale　obeyed　with　alacrity　and　whilst　she　was　assuming　a　hat　…　being　desirous　of　maintaining　her　prestige　as　housekeeper　in　the　eyes　of　Cadogan　Square；　the　girl　ascended　to　the　upper　floor。

Again　she　watched　from　the　window　the　disappearing　figure。

Once　out　of　sight　Miss　Holland　went　to　work　with　a　remarkable　deliberation　and　thoroughness。　　From　her　bag　she　produced　a　small　purse　and　opened　it。　　In　that　case　was　a　new　steel　key。　　She　passed　swiftly　down　the　corridor　to　Kara's　room　and　made　straight　for　the　safe。

In　two　seconds　it　was　open　and　she　was　examining　its　contents。　　It　was　a　large　safe　of　the　usual　type。　　There　were　four　steel　drawers　fitted　at　the　back　and　at　the　bottom　of　the　strong　box。　　Two　of　these　were　unlocked　and　contained　nothing　more　interesting　than　accounts　relating　to　Kara's　estate　in　Albania。

The　top　pair　were　locked。　　She　was　prepared　for　this　contingency　and　a　second　key　was　as　efficacious　as　the　first。　　An　examination　of　the　first　drawer　did　not　produce　all　that　she　had　expected。　She　returned　the　papers　to　the　drawer；　pushed　it　to　and　locked　it。　She　gave　her　attention　to　the　second　drawer。　　Her　hand　shook　a　little　as　she　pulled　it　open。　　It　was　her　last　chance；　her　last　hope。

There　were　a　number　of　small　jewel…boxes　almost　filling　the　drawer。　　She　took　them　out　one　by　one　and　at　the　bottom　she　found　what　she　had　been　searching　for　and　that　which　had　filled　her　thoughts　for　the　past　three　months。

It　was　a　square　case　covered　in　red　morocco　leather。　　She　inserted　her　shaking　hand　and　took　it　out　with　a　triumphant　little　cry。

〃At　last；〃　she　said　aloud；　and　then　a　hand　grasped　her　wrist　and　in　a　panic　she　turned　to　meet　the　smiling　face　of　Kara。




CHAPTER　X


She　felt　her　knees　shake　under　her　and　thought　she　was　going　to　swoon。　　She　put　out　her　disengaged　hand　to　steady　herself；　and　if　the　face　which　was　turned　to　him　was　pale；　there　was　a　steadfast　resolution　in　her　dark　eyes。

〃Let　me　relieve　you　of　that；　Miss　Holland；〃　said　Kara；　in　his　silkiest　tones。

He　wrenched　rather　than　took　the　box　from　her　hand；　replaced　it　carefully　in　the　drawer；　pushed　the　drawer　to　and　locked　it；　examining　the　key　as　he　withdrew　it。　　Then　he　closed　the　safe　and　locked　that。

〃Obviously；〃　he　said　presently；　〃I　must　get　a　new　safe。〃

He　had　not　released　his　hold　of　her　wrist　nor　did　he；　until　he　had　led　her　from　the　room　back　to　the　library。　　Then　he　released　the　girl；　standing　between　her　and　the　door；　with　folded　arms　and　that　cynical；　quiet；　contemptuous　smile　of　his　upon　his　handsome　face。

〃There　are　many　courses　which　I　can　adopt；〃　he　said　slowly。　　〃I　can　send　for　the　police　…　when　my　servants　whom　you　have　despatched　so　thoughtfully　have　returned；　or　I　can　take　your　punishment　into　my　own　hands。〃

〃So　far　as　I　am　concerned；〃　said　the　girl　coolly；　〃you　may　send　for　the　police。〃

She　leant　back　against　the　edge　of　the　desk；　her　hands　holding　the　edge；　and　faced　him　without　so　much　as　a　quaver。

〃I　do　not　like　the　police；〃　mused　Kara；　when　there　came　a　knock　at　the　door。

Kara　turned　and　opened　it　and　after　a　low　strained　conversation　he　returned；　closing　the　door　and　laid　a　paper　of　stamps　on　the　girl's　table。

〃As　I　was　saying；　I　do　not　care　for　the　police；　and　I　prefer　my　own　method。　　In　this　particular　instance　the　police　obviously　would　not　serve　me；　because　you　are　not　afraid　of　them　and　in　all　probability　you　are　in　their　pay　…　am　I　right　in　supposing　that　you　are　one　of　Mr。　T。　X。　Meredith's　accomplices！〃

〃I　do　not　know　Mr。　T。　X。　Meredith；〃　she　replied　calmly；　〃and　I　am　not　in　any　way　associated　with　the　police。〃

〃Nevertheless；〃　he　persisted；　〃you　do　not　seem　to　be　very　scared　of　them　and　that　removes　any　temptation　I　might　have　to　place　you　in　the　hands　of　the　law。　　Let　me　see；〃　he　pursed　his　lips　as　he　applied　his　mind　to　the　problem。

She　half　sat；　half　stood；　watching　him　without　any　evidence　of　apprehension；　but　with　a　heart　which　began　to　quake　a　little。　　For　three　months　she　had　played　her　part　and　the　strain　had　been　greater　than　she　had　confessed　to　herself。　　Now　the　great　moment　had　come　and　she　had　failed。　　That　was　the　sickening；　maddening　thing　about　it　all。　　It　was　not　the　fear　of　arrest　or　of　conviction；　which　brought　a　sinking　to　her　heart；　it　was　the　despair　of　failure；　added　to　a　sense　of　her　helplessness　against　this　man。

〃If　I　had　you　arrested　your　name　would　appear　in　all　the　papers；　of　course；〃　he　said；　narrowly；　〃and　your　photograph　would　probably　adorn　the　Sunday　journals；〃　he　added　expectantly。

She　laughed。

〃That　doesn't　appeal　to　me；〃　she　said。

〃I　am　afraid　it　doesn't；〃　he　replied；　and　strolled　towards　her　as　though　to　pass　her　on　his　way　to　the　window。　　He　was　abreast　of　her　when　he　suddenly　swung　round　and　catching　her　in　his　arms　he　caught　her　close　to　him。　　Before　she　could　realise　what　he　planned；　he　had　stooped　swiftly　and　kissed　her　full　upon　the　mouth。

〃If　you　scream；　I　shall　kiss　you　again；〃　he　said；　〃for　I　have　sent　the　maid　to　buy　some　more　stamps　…　to　the　General　Post　Office。〃

〃Let　me　go；〃　she　gasped。

Now　for　the　first　time　he　saw　the　terror　in　her　eyes；　and　there　surged　within　him　that　mad　sense　of　triumph；　that　intoxication　of　power　which　had　been　associated　with　the　red　letter　days　of　his　warped　life。

〃You're　afraid！〃　he　bantered　her；　half　whispering　the　words；　〃you're　afraid　now；　aren't　you？　　If　you　scream　I　shall　kiss　you　again；　do　you　hear？〃

〃For　God's　sake；　let　me　go；〃　she　whispered。

He　felt　her　shaking　in　his　arms；　and　suddenly　he　released　her　with　a　little　laugh；　and　she　sank　trembling　from　head　to　foot　upon　the　chair　by　her　desk。

〃Now　you're　going　to　tell　me　who　sent　you　here；〃　he　went　on　harshly；　〃and　why　you　came。　　I　never　suspected　you。　　I　thought　you　were　one　of　those　strange　creatures　one　meets　in　England；　a　gentlewoman　who　prefers　working　for　her　living　to　the　more　simple　business　of　getting　married。　　And　all　the　time　you　were　spying　…　clever　…　very　clever！〃

The　girl　was　thinking　rapidly。　　In　five　minutes　Fisher　would　return。　　Somehow　she　had　faith　in　Fisher's　ability　and　willingness　to　save　her　from　a　situation　which　she　realized　was　fraught　with　the　greatest　danger　to　herself。　　She　was　horribly　afraid。　　She　knew　this　man　far　better　than　he　s