felt instinctively the presence of something hard and menacing, a kind of
metallic strength that found expression in the tones of her voice and in that
gimletlike quality of her eyes.
For the first time Tuppence felt afraid. She had not feared Whittington,
but this woman was different. As if fascinated, she watched the long cruel line
of the red curving mouth, and again she felt that sensation of panic pass over
her. Her usual self-confidence deserted her. Vaguely she felt that deceiving
this woman would be very different to deceiving Whittington. Mr. Carter’s
warning recurred to her mind. Here, indeed, she might expect no mercy.
Fighting down that instinct of panic which urged her to turn tail and run
without further delay, Tuppence returned the lady’s gaze firmly and
respectfully.
As though that first scrutiny had been satisfactory, Mrs. Vandemeyer
motioned to a chair.
“You can sit down. How did you hear I wanted a house-parlourmaid?”
“Through a friend who knows the lift boy here. He thought the place might
suit me.”
Again that basilisk glance seemed to pierce her through.
“You speak like an educated girl?”
Glibly enough, Tuppence ran through her imaginary career on the lines
suggested by Mr. Carter. It seemed to her, as she did so, that the tension of
Mrs. Vandemeyer’s attitude relaxed.
“I see,” she remarked at length. “Is there anyone I can write to for a
reference?”
“I lived last with a Miss Dufferin, The Parsonage, Llanelly. I was with
her two years.”
“And then you thought you would get more money by coming to London, I
suppose? Well, it doesn’t matter to me. I will give you L50–L60–whatever you
want. You can come in at once?”
“Yes, ma’am. To-day, if you like. My box is at Paddington.”
“Go and fetch it in a taxi, then. It’s an easy place. I am out a good
deal. By the way, what’s your name?”
“Prudence Cooper, ma’am.”
“Very well, Prudence. Go away and fetch your box. I shall be out to
lunch. The cook will show you where everything is.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Tuppence withdrew. The smart Annie was not in evidence. In the hall below
a magnificent hall porter had relegated Albert to the background. Tuppence did
not even glance at him as she passed meekly out.
The adventure had begun, but she felt less elated than she had done earlier
in the morning. It crossed her mind that if the unknown Jane Finn had fallen
into the hands of Mrs. Vandemeyer, it was likely to have gone hard with her.
CHAPTER X
ENTER SIR JAMES PEEL EDGERTON TUPPENCE betrayed no awkwardness in her new
duties. The daughters of the archdeacon were well grounded in household tasks.
They were also experts in training a “raw girl,” the inevitable result being
that the raw girl, once trained, departed elsewhere where her newly acquired
knowledge commanded a more substantial remuneration than the archdeacon’s meagre
purse allowed.
Tuppence had therefore very little fear of proving inefficient. Mrs.
Vandemeyer’s cook puzzled her. She evidently went in deadly terror of her
mistress. The girl thought it probable that the other woman had some hold over
her. For the rest, she cooked like a chef, as Tuppence had an opportunity of
judging that evening. Mrs. Vandemeyer was expecting a guest to dinner, and
Tuppence accordingly laid the beautifully polished table for two. She was a
little exercised in her own mind as to this visitor. It was highly possible that
it might prove to be Whittington. Although she felt fairly confident that he
would not recognize her, yet she would have been better pleased had the guest
proved to be a total stranger. However, there was nothing for it but to hope for
the best.
At a few minutes past eight the front door bell rang, and Tuppence went to
answer it with some inward trepidation. She was relieved to see that the visitor
was the second of the two men whom Tommy had taken upon himself to follow.
He gave his name as Count Stepanov. Tuppence announced him, and Mrs.
Vandemeyer rose from her seat on a low divan with a quick murmur of pleasure.
“It is delightful to see you, Boris Ivanovitch,” she said.