thoughtfully:
“It wasn’t really a very nice afternoon for
walking, especially after dark in a muddy
lane. Curious how energetic everyone seems
to have felt.”
IV
On Inspector Neele’s return to the house he
212
‘V.
y. was greeted by Sergeant Hay with an air of
satisfaction.
“I’ve found out about the blackbirds for
you, sir,” he said.
“You have, have you?”
“Yes, sir, in a pie they were. Cold pie was
left out for Sunday night’s supper. Somebody
got at that pie in the larder or somewhere.
They’d taken off the crust and they’d taken
out the veal and ‘am what was inside it, and
what d’you think they put in instead? Some
stinkin’ blackbirds they got out of the
gardener’s shed. Nasty sort of trick to play,
wasn’t it?”
“Wasn’t that a dainty dish to set before
the king?” said Inspector Neele.
He left Sergeant Hay staring after him.
213
18
<( 1 UST wait a minute," said Miss Rams|bottom. "This Patience is going to\J come out."She transferred a king and his variousimpedimenta into an empty space, put a redseven on a black eight, built up the four, fiveand six of spades on her foundation heap, made a few more rapid transfers of cards andthen leaned back with a sigh of satisfaction."That's the Double Jester," she said. "Itdoesn't often come out."She leaned back in a satisfied fashion, thenraised her eyes at the girl standing by thefireplace."So you're Lance's wife," she said.Pat, who had been summoned upstairs toMiss Ramsbottom's presence, nodded herhead."Yes," she said."You're a tall girl," said Miss Ramsbottom,"and you look healthy.""I'm very healthy."214Miss Ramsbottom nodded in a satisfiedmanner."Percival's wife is pasty," she said. "Eatstoo many sweets and doesn't take enoughexercise. Well sit down, child, sit down.Where did you meet my nephew?""I met him out in Kenya when I was stayingthere with some friends.""You've been married before, I understand.""Yes. Twice."Miss Ramsbottom gave a profound sniff."Divorce, I suppose.""No," said Pat. Her voice trembled a little."They both--died. My first husband was afighter pilot. He was killed in the war.""And your second husband? Let me see--- somebody told me. Shot himself, didn't he?"Pat nodded."Your fault?""No," said Pat. "It wasn't my fault.""Racing man, wasn't he?""Yes.""I've never been on a race-course in mylife," said Miss Ramsbottom. "Betting andcard playing--all devices of the devil!"Pat did not reply."I wouldn't' go inside a theatre or a215cinema," said Miss Ramsbottom. "Ah, well,it's a wicked world nowadays. A lot ofwickedness was going on in this house, butthe Lord struck them down."Pat still found it difficult to say anything.She wondered if Lance's Aunt Effie wasreally quite all there. She was, however, atrifle disconcerted by the old lady's shrewdglance at her."How much," demanded Aunt Effie, "doyou know about the family you've marriedinto?""I suppose," said Pat, "as much as oneever knows of the family one marries into.""H'm, something in that, something inthat. Well, I'll tell you this. My sister was afool, my brother-in-law was a rogue, Percivalis a sneak, and your Lance was always the badboy of the family.""I think that's all nonsense," said Patrobustly."Maybe you're right," said Miss Ramsbottom,unexpectedly. "You can't just sticklabels on people. But don't underestimatePercival. There's a tendency to believe thatthose who are labelled good are also stupid.Percival isn't the least bit stupid. He's quiteclever in a sanctimonious kind of way. I've216never cared for him. Mind you, I don't trust Lance and I don't approve of him, but I can'thelp being fond of him. ... He's a recklesssort of fellow--always has been. You've got tolook after him and see he doesn't go too far.Tell him not to under-estimate Percival, mydear. Tell him not to believe everything thatPercival says. They're all liars in this house."The old lady added with satisfaction, "Fireand brimstone shall be their portion."