"Mr. Radmore," she went on hastily, "is taking a motor tour. But he'll be
back in London soon, and I'll let you know the moment I know he's settled
down."
"I should 'ave thought," said the woman, "that the Major would 'ave 'ad a
club where Piper could 'ave written."
"If he has, I don't know it."
And then, all at once, Enid Crofton pulled herself together. After all
the interview was going quite smoothly. Nothing--well, disagreeable--had
been said.
She got up from her chair. "I hope you'll forgive me, Mrs. Piper, for
saying that Piper will never keep any job if he behaves as he did with
these last people--I had a very disagreeable letter from the lady."
Mrs. Piper, alias Madame Flora, grew darkly red.
"Piper 'ad a shock this last July," she said, moving a little farther
into the room, and so nearer to Enid Crofton. "The thing's been
a-weighing on 'is mind for a long time. It's something 'e won't exactly
explain. But it's on 'is conscience. Only yesterday 'e says to me, 'e
says, 'If I'm drinking, my dear, it's to drown care; I ought to have
spoken up very differently to what I done at the poor Colonel's inquest."
The terrible little woman again took a step or two forward, and then she
waited, as if she expected the lady to say something.
Pages:
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240