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.
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18
<( 1 UST wait a minute," said Miss Rams| bottom. "This Patience is going to \J come out." She transferred a king and his various impedimenta into an empty space, put a red seven on a black eight, built up the four, five and six of spades on her foundation heap, made a few more rapid transfers of cards and then leaned back with a sigh of satisfaction. "That's the Double Jester," she said. "It doesn't often come out." She leaned back in a satisfied fashion, then raised her eyes at the girl standing by the fireplace. "So you're Lance's wife," she said. Pat, who had been summoned upstairs to Miss Ramsbottom's presence, nodded her head. "Yes," she said. "You're a tall girl," said Miss Ramsbottom, "and you look healthy." "I'm very healthy." 214 Miss Ramsbottom nodded in a satisfied manner. "Percival's wife is pasty," she said. "Eats too many sweets and doesn't take enough exercise. Well sit down, child, sit down. Where did you meet my nephew?" "I met him out in Kenya when I was staying there 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 a fighter 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 my life," said Miss Ramsbottom. "Betting and card playing--all devices of the devil!" Pat did not reply. "I wouldn't' go inside a theatre or a 215 cinema," said Miss Ramsbottom. "Ah, well, it's a wicked world nowadays. A lot of wickedness was going on in this house, but the Lord struck them down." Pat still found it difficult to say anything. She wondered if Lance's Aunt Effie was really quite all there. She was, however, a trifle disconcerted by the old lady's shrewd glance at her. "How much," demanded Aunt Effie, "do you know about the family you've married into?" "I suppose," said Pat, "as much as one ever knows of the family one marries into." "H'm, something in that, something in that. Well, I'll tell you this. My sister was a fool, my brother-in-law was a rogue, Percival is a sneak, and your Lance was always the bad boy of the family." "I think that's all nonsense," said Pat robustly. "Maybe you're right," said Miss Ramsbottom, unexpectedly. "You can't just stick labels on people. But don't underestimate Percival. There's a tendency to believe that those who are labelled good are also stupid. Percival isn't the least bit stupid. He's quite clever in a sanctimonious kind of way. I've 216 never cared for him. Mind you, I don't trust Lance and I don't approve of him, but I can't help being fond of him. ... He's a reckless sort of fellow--always has been. You've got to look after him and see he doesn't go too far. Tell him not to under-estimate Percival, my dear. Tell him not to believe everything that Percival says. They're all liars in this house." The old lady added with satisfaction, "Fire and brimstone shall be their portion."