Danger Point

Chapter 34

MISS SILVER was walking along the high street next day, when she saw Mrs. Dale Jerningham get out of a car and go into Ashley’s through the big swing door. The car, which was driven by Rafe Jerningham, moved on again at once and disappeared amongst the traffic. Miss Silver watched it go. She thought it turned down into Market Square, but she wasn’t sure. She followed the tall, slim figure in white and came up with it in the Ladies’ Outfitting.

“Good-morning, Mrs. Jerningham.”

Lisle turned from the counter, startled.

“Miss Silver!”

“We do keep meeting, don’t we?” said Miss Silver affably.

Lisle said “Yes” in a rather shaken tone. They did keep on meeting – but it couldn’t mean anything – if it did mean anything, it would mean… She said, hurrying to get away from her own thoughts, “I’m getting a bathing-dress. Mine got torn -” And there her voice faltered and dropped.

Miss Silver gave her little cough.

“Ah, yes – that would be when you were nearly drowned, would it not? I remember you told me. But you did not tell me how it happened, or who saved you. You were bathing with your husband and his cousins, were you not?”

The elderly saleswoman brought a pile of stockinette bathing-dresses and put them down on the counter.

“Perhaps you wouldn’t mind looking these through, Mrs. Jerningham. We’re rather busy this morning.” She went away.

There was no one near them at that counter. Lisle picked up a cream jersey tunic and said,

“Oh, I think I made too much of it. I couldn’t have been in any real danger.”

“It is most alarming to get out of one’s depth,” said Miss Silver. “I think you mentioned that you were not a good swimmer.”

Lisle tried for a smile.

“Oh, not at all. And the others are so good. I went farther out than I meant to and could not get back, and they were laughing, and splashing, and ducking one another, so they didn’t hear me.” She looked at Miss Silver with wide, darkened eyes. “It’s rather horrid when you call and no one hears you.”

“But somebody did hear you,” said Miss Silver briskly.

Lisle’s golden brown lashes came down and hid her eyes. A bright colour showed in her cheeks and ebbed again. She said in a soft, confused voice,

“I don’t know – I don’t remember – it was just like drowning – I went down, you know.”

“Who saved you, Mrs. Jerningham?”

“There was a man bathing off the beach. People aren’t supposed to – the ground all belongs to Tanfield – but he had run his car on to the downs and come down by the cliff path. I don’t even know his name – nobody thought of asking him. But he heard me call and saw me go down, and swam out and brought me in. I was quite a long time coming round.” She stopped and went on again, stumbling over her words. “It – it was dreadful for my – husband and – the others to – to think of my being nearly drowned so – so close to them. Dale was – was dreadfully upset. And my bathing-dress got torn at the neck where the man caught hold of me, so – so I have to get another. I haven’t bathed since, but it’s no good putting it off, is it? The only way to get over being nervous about a thing is to go on and do it. Don’t you think so?”

“Sometimes,” said Miss Silver. “But I don’t think I should go out of my depth if I were you.”

Lisle said, “No.” And then, “Rafe said that too. But Dale is such a good swimmer that he wants me to try – Which of these shall I get? Do you like the cream? I have a cream rubber cap.”

“I shouldn’t go out of my depth,” said Miss Silver gravely. “Are you coming to see me, my dear?”

Lisle looked at her for a moment, and then looked away. The look held sadness, but no embarrassment.

“I don’t think I can.”

Miss Silver came nearer.

“I want to ask you a question. Will you believe that I have a serious reason for asking it, and not think me impertinent?”

Lisle raised her head and looked round quickly. They were alone at the counter. To the right the stocking counter was doing a brisk business. They were as much alone as if four solid walls had closed them in. She said in a young, warm voice,

“I should never think that.”

Miss Silver coughed.

“You told me you had made a will in your husband’s favour. I want to ask you whether there were any other substantial legacies.”

Lisle caught her breath. She had not expected this. Rafe… She repeated the name aloud.

“Rafe – there was one for Rafe.”

“Does he know that?”

“Yes – I told him-”

“A substantial legacy?”

“Twenty thousand pounds.”

Miss Silver leaned towards her and said in the lowest possible voice,

“Mrs. Jerningham – will you take my advice? Will you do something?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Ring up your solicitor – now, at once, from here. Tell him you are not satisfied with your will and you propose to make a new one. Tell him you wish the old one destroyed – now, at once. I do not know whether he will take such an instruction over the telephone. If he knows you well enough to be quite sure that it is you who are speaking, he may do so – it does not really very much matter. Instruct him to do it and ring off. Then go home and tell every member of your family what you have done. Make any excuse you like, but make it quite clear that you have given instructions to have your existing will destroyed. Go up to town as soon as you can and make sure that these instructions have been carried out. Make a provisional will leaving everything to some charity.”

Lisle did not look at her. She put out a hand and groped for Miss Silver’s hand. Her eyes were fixed upon the cream-coloured bathing-dress. She said,

“Why – why?”

“Don’t you know why? Come and see me, my dear.”

The fair head was very slightly shaken.

“I can’t do that.” The hand on Miss Silver’s wrist withdrew.

Miss Silver looked at her.

“Take my advice and do not go out of your depth.”

The saleswoman was coming back. “I’m out of it already,” said Lisle Jerningham in an extinguished voice.