蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)- 第8部分

〃Chubby　would　never　…〃　she　began。　

〃No；〃　said　Lenox；　〃I　don't　believe　he　would；　he　knows　a　jolly　sight　too　well　which　way　his　bread　is　buttered。〃　

〃Darling；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin；　〃you　have　such　a　coarse　way　of　putting　things。〃　

〃Sorry；〃　said　Lenox。　

Lady　Tamplin　gathered　up　the　Daily　Mail　and　her　negligee；　a　vanity…bag；　and　various　odd　letters。　

〃I　shall　write　to　dear　Katherine　at　once；〃　she　said；　〃and　remind　her　of　the　dear　old　days　at　Edgeworth。〃　

She　went　into　the　house；　a　light　of　purpose　shining　in　her　eyes。　

Unlike　Mrs　Samuel　Harfield；　correspondence　flowed　easily　from　her　pen。　She　covered　four　sheets　without　pause　or　effort；　and　on　re…reading　it　found　no　occasion　to　alter　a　word。　

Katherine　received　it　on　the　morning　of　her　arrival　in　London。　Whether　she　read　between　the　lines　of　it　or　not　is　another　matter。　

She　put　it　in　her　handbag　and　started　out　to　keep　the　appointment　she　had　made　with　Mrs　Harfield's　lawyers。　

The　firm　was　an　old…established　one　in　Lincoln's　Inn　Fields；　and　after　a　few　minutes'　delay　Katherine　was　shown　into　the　presence　of　the　senior　partner；　a　kindly；　elderly　man　with　shrewd　blue　eyes　and　a　fatherly　manner。　

They　discussed　Mrs　Harfield's　will　and　various　legal　matters　for　some　minutes；　then　Katherine　handed　the　lawyer　Mrs　Samuel's　letter。　

〃I　had　better　show　you　this；　I　suppose；〃　she　said；　〃though　it　is　really　rather　ridiculous。〃　

He　read　it　with　a　slight　smile。　

〃Rather　a　crude　attempt；　Miss　Grey。　I　need　hardly　tell　you；　I　suppose；　that　these　people　have　no　claim　of　any　kind　upon　the　estate；　and　if　they　endeavour　to　contest　the　will　no　court　will　uphold　them。〃　

〃I　thought　as　much。〃　

〃Human　nature　is　not　always　very　wise。　In　Mrs　Samuel　Harfield's　place；　I　should　have　been　more　inclined　to　make　an　appeal　to　your　generosity。〃　

〃That　is　one　of　the　things　I　wanted　to　speak　to　you　about。　I　should　like　a　certain　sum　to　go　to　these　people。〃　

〃There　is　no　obligation。〃　

〃I　know　that。〃　

〃And　they　will　not　take　it　in　the　spirit　it　is　meant。　They　will　probably　regard　it　as　an　attempt　to　pay　them　off；　though　they　will　not　refuse　it　on　that　account。〃　

〃I　can　see　that；　and　it　can't　be　helped。〃　

〃I　should　advise　you；　Miss　Grey；　to　put　that　idea　out　of　your　head。〃　

Katherine　shook　her　head。　〃You　are　quite　right；　I　know；　but　I　should　like　it　done　all　the　same。〃　

〃They　will　grab　at　the　money　and　abuse　you　all　the　more　afterwards。〃　

〃Well；〃　said　Katherine；　〃let　them　if　they　like。　We　all　have　our　own　ways　of　enjoying　ourselves。　They　were；　after　all；　Mrs　Harfield's　only　relatives；　and　though　they　despised　her　as　a　poor　relation　and　paid　no　attention　to　her　when　she　was　alive；　it　seems　to　me　unfair　that　they　should　be　cut　off　with　nothing。〃　

She　carried　her　point；　though　the　lawyer　was　still　unwilling；　and　she　presently　went　out　into　the　streets　of　London　with　a　fortable　assurance　that　she　could　spend　the　money　freely　and　make　what　plans　she　liked　for　the　future。　Her　first　action　was　to　visit　the　establishment　of　a　famous　dressmaker。　

A　slim；　elderly　Frenchwoman；　rather　like　a　dreaming　duchess；　received　her；　and　Katherine　spoke　with　a　certain　naiveté。　

〃I　want；　if　I　may；　to　put　myself　in　your　hands。　I　have　been　very　poor　all　my　life　and　know　nothing　about　clothes；　but　now　I　have　e　into　some　money　and　want　to　look　really　well　dressed。〃　

The　Frenchwoman　was　charmed。　She　had　an　artist's　temperament；　which　had　been　soured　earlier　in　the　morning　by　a　visit　from　an　Argentine　meat　queen；　who　had　insisted　on　having　those　models　least　suited　to　her　flamboyant　type　of　beauty。　She　scrutinized　Katherine　with　keen；　clever　eyes。　〃Yes　…　yes；　it　will　be　a　pleasure；　Mademoiselle　has　a　very　good　figure；　for　her　the　simple　lines　will　be　best。　She　is　also　très　anglaise。　Some　people　it　would　offend　them　if　I　said　that；　but　Mademoiselle；　no。　Une　belle　Anglaise；　there　is　no　style　more　delightful。〃　

The　demeanour　of　a　dreaming　duchess　was　suddenly　put　off。　She　screamed　out　diction　to　various　mannequins。　〃Clothilde；　Virginie；　quickly；　my　little　ones；　the　little　tailleur　gris　clair　and　the　robe　de　soirée　soupir　d'automne。　Marcelle；　my　child；　the　little　mimosa　suit　of　crepe　de　chine。〃　

It　was　a　charming　morning。　Marcelle；　Clothilde；　Virginie；　bored　and　scornful；　passed　sloing　and　wriggling　in　the　time…honoured　fashion　of　mannequins。　

The　Duchess　stood　by　Katherine　and　made　entries　in　a　small　notebook。　

〃An　excellent　choice；　Mademoiselle。　Mademoiselle　has　great　go？t。　Yes；　indeed。　Mademoiselle　cannot　do　better　than　those　little　suits　if　she　is　going　to　the　Riviera；　as　I　suppose；　this　winter。〃　

〃Let　me　see　that　evening　dress　once　more；〃　said　Katherine　…　〃the　pinky　mauve　one。〃　

Virginie　appeared；　circling　slowly。　

〃That　is　the　prettiest　of　all；〃　said　Katherine；　as　she　surveyed　the　exquisite　draperies　of　mauve　and　grey　and　blue。　〃What　do　you　call　it？〃　

〃Soupir　d'automne；　yes；　yes；　that　is　truly　the　dress　of　Mademoiselle。〃　

What　was　there　in　these　words　that　came　back　to　Katherine　with　a　faint　feeling　of　sadness　after　she　had　left　the　dressmaking　establishment。　

〃'Soupir　d'automne；　that　is　truly　the　dress　of　Mademoiselle。'〃　Autumn；　yes；　it　was　autumn　for　her。　She　who　had　never　known　spring　or　summer；　and　would　never　know　them　now。　Something　she　had　lost　never　could　be　given　to　her　again。　These　years　of　servitude　in　St　Mary　Mead　…　and　all　the　while　life　passing　by。　

〃I　am　an　idiot；〃　said　Katherine。　〃I　am　an　idiot。　What　do　I　want？　Why；　I　was　more　contented　a　month　ago　than　I　am　now。〃　

She　drew　out　from　her　handbag　the　letter　she　had　received　that　morning　from　Lady　Tamplin。　Katherine　was　no　fool。　She　understood　the　nuances　of　that　letter　as　well　as　anybody　and　the　reason　of　Lady　Tamplin's　sudden　show　of　affection　towards　a　long…forgotten　cousin　was　not　lost　upon　her。　It　was　for　profit　and　not　for　pleasure　that　Lady　Tamplin　was　so　anxious　for　the　pany　of　her　dear　cousin。　Well；　why　not？　There　would　be　profit　on　both　sides。　

〃I　will　go；〃　said　Katherine。　

She　was　walking　down　Piccadilly　at　the　moment；　and　turned　into　Cook's　to　clinch　the　matter　then　and　there。　She　had　to　wait　for　a　few　minutes。　The　man　with　whom　the　clerk　was　engaged　was　also　going　to　the　Riviera。　Everyone；　she　felt；　was　going。　Well；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life；　she；　too；　would　be　doing　what　'everybody　did。'　

The　man　in　front　of　her　turned　abruptly；　and　she　stepped　into　his　place。　She　made　her　demand　to　the　clerk；　but　at　the　same　time　half　of　her　mind　was　busy　with　something　else。　That　man's　face　…　in　some　vague　way　it　was　familiar　to　her。　Where　had　she　seen　him　before？　Suddenly　she　remembered。　It　was　in　the　Savoy　outside　her　room　that　morning。　

She　had　collided　with　him　in　the　passage。　

Rather　an　odd　coincidence　that　she　should　run　into　him　twice　in　a　day。　She　glanced　over　her　shoulder；　rendered　uneasy　by　something；　she　knew　not　what。　The　man　was　standing　in　the　doorway　looking　back　at　her。　A　cold　shiver　passed　over　Katherine；　she　had　a　haunting　sense　of　tragedy；　of　doom　impending。。。　

Then　she　shook　the　impression　from　her　with　her　usual　good　sense　and　turned　her　whole　attention　to　what　the　clerk　was　saying。　

Chapter　9　

AN　OFFER　REFUSED

It　was　rarely　that　Derek　Kettering　allowed　his　temper　to　get　the　better　of　him。　An　easygoing　insouciance　was　his　chief　characteristic　and　it　had　stood　him　in　good　stead　in　more　than　one　tight　corner。　Even　now；　by　the　time　he　had　left　Mirelle's　flat；　he　had　cooled　down。　He　had　need　of　coolness。　The　corner　he　was　in　now　was　a　tighter　one　than　he　had　ever　been　in　before；　and　unforeseen　factors　had　arisen　with　which；　for　the　moment；　he　did　not　know　how　to　deal。　

He　strolled　along　deep　in　thought。　His　brow　was　furrowed；　and　there　was　none　of　the　easy；　jaunty　manner　which　sat　so　well　on　him。　Various　possibilities　floated　trough　his　mind。　It　might　have　been　said　of　Derek　Kettering　that　he　was　less　of　a　fool　than　he　looked。　He　saw　several　roads　that　he　might　take　…　one　in　particular。　If　he　shrank　from　it；　it　was　for　the　moment　only。　

Desperate　ills　need　desperate　remedies。　He　had　gauged　his　father…in…law　correctly。　A　war　between　Derek　Kettering　and　Rufus　Van　Aldin　could　end　only　one　way。　Derek　damned　money　and　the　power　of　money　vehemently　to　himself。　He　walked　up　St　James's　Street；　across　Piccadilly；　and　strolled　along　it　in　the　direction　of　Piccadilly　Circus。　As　he　passed　the　offices　of　Messrs。　Thomas　Cook　&　Sons　his　footsteps　slackened。　He　walked　on；　however；　still　turning　the　matter　over　in　his　mind。　Finally；　he　gave　a　brief　nod　of　his　head；　turned　sharply　…　so　sharply　as　to　collide　with　a　couple　of　pedestrians　who　were　following　in　his　footsteps；　and　went　back　the　way　he　had　e。　This　time　he　did　not　pass　Cook's；　but　went　in。　The　office　was　paratively　empty；　and　he　got　attended　to　at　once。　

〃I　want　to　go　to　Nice　next　week。　Will　you　give　me　particulars？〃　

〃What　date；　sir？〃　

〃The　14th。　What　is　the　best　train？〃　

〃Well；　of　course；　the　best　train　is　what　they　call　'The　Blue　Train。'　You　avoid　the　tiresome　Customs　business　at　Calais。〃　

Derek　nodded。　He　knew　all　this；　none　better。　

〃The　14th；〃　murmured　the　clerk；　〃that　is　rather　soon。　The　Blue　Train　is　nearly　always　all　booked　up。〃　

〃See　if　there　is　a　berth　left；〃　said　Derek。　

〃If　there　is　not　…〃　He　left　the　sentence　unfinished　with　a　curious　smile　on　his　face。　

The　clerk　disappeared　for　a　few　minutes；　and　presently　returned。　〃That　is　all　right；　sir；　still　three　berths　left。　I　will　book　you　one　of　them。　What　name？〃　

〃Pavett；〃　said　Derek。　He　gave　the　address　of　his　rooms　in　Jermyn　Street。　

The　clerk　nodded；　finished　writing　it　down；　wished　Derek　good　morning　politely；　and　turned　his　attention　to　the　next　client。　

〃I　want　to　go　to　Nice　…　on　the　14th。　Isn't　there　a　train　called　the　Blue　Train？〃　

Derek　looked　round　sharply。　

Coincidence　…　a　strange　coincidence。　He　remembered　his　own　half…whimsical　words　to　Mirelle；　〃Portrait　of　a　lady　with　grey　eyes。　I　don't　suppose　I　shall　ever　see　her　again。〃　But　he　had　seen　her　again；　and；　what　was　more；　she　proposed　to　travel　to　the　Riviera　on　the　same　day　as　he　did。　

Just　for　a　moment　a　shiver　passed　over　him；　in　some　ways　he　was　superstitious。　He　had　said；　half…laughingly；　that　this　woman　might　bring　him　bad　luck。　Suppose　…　suppose　that　should　prove　to　be　true。　From　the　doorway　he　looked　back　at　her　as　she　stood　talking　to　the　clerk。　For　once　his　memory　had　not　played　him　false。　A　lady　…　a　lady　in　every　sense　of　the　word。　Not　very　young；　not　singularly　beautiful。　But　with　something　…　grey　eyes　that　might　perhaps　see　too　much。　He　knew　as　he　went　out　of　the　door　that　in　some　way　he　was　afraid　of　this　woman。　He　had　a　sense　of　fatality。　

He　went　back　to　his　rooms　in　Jermyn　Street　and　summoned　his　man。　

〃Take　this　cheque；　Pavett；　cash　it　first　thing　in　the　morning；　and　go　around　to　Cook's　in　Piccadilly。　They　will　have　some　tickets　there　booked　in　your　name；　pay　for　them；　and　bring　them　back。〃　

〃Very　good；　sir。〃　

Pavett　withdrew。　

Derek　strolled　over　to　a　side…table　and　picked　up　a　handful　of　letters。　They　were　of　a　type　only　too　familiar。　Bills；　small　bills　and　large　bills；　one　and　all　pressing　for　payment。　

The　tone　of　the　demands　was　still　polite。　

Derek　knew　how　soon　that　polite　ton