The Ivory Dagger

CHAPTER XLIV

Ray Fortesque came back to a disorganized house and the news of Marsham’s arrest. It was Mary Good who poured it all out to her in Lila’s room, with a good deal of ‘Who would ever have thought it!’ and, ‘It only shows you can’t ever tell.’

‘And I’m sure I don’t know how we’re going to carry on-not with the house full the way it is now. I suppose that won’t only be till after the inquest, but Frederick he don’t seem to know whether he’s coming or going-you’d think he’s never as much as laid a table. And those two girls carrying on and saying they wouldn’t have come in to oblige if they had known they were going to get mixed up with a murderer! I’m sure the only one going on as if nothing had happened is Mrs. Marsham. It don’t seem natural, but there she is, beating up eggs for a soufflé and planning to make an orange cake with those tangerines that come in. And when I said to her, “You take and have a lay-down, and I’ll make you a good strong cup of tea”, all she has to say is, “Thank you, Mary”. She’s a very well-spoken person, I’ll say that for her. “Thank you”, she says, “but there’s no need, and I’ve got the lunch to do”. Always very set on her cooking, Mrs. Marsham, but it don’t seem natural to me. They say Marsham was quite out of himself when the Chief Inspector told him he was going to be charged with the murder-took up a chair and threw it clean across the room. Frederick says it took the three of them and Professor Richardson to master him. Strong as a bull, Fredrick says he was, and roaring like anyone crazy.’

There was a good deal more on the same lines, but in the end Mary Good remembered that Frederick must be superintended and went away in a hurry.

Ray felt rather as if the sea had been breaking over her. If it was really all over, if Bill was clear, if the nightmare had broken, why, then anything was possible. She must let Bill know-she must go down to the Blue Room and ring him up at once. But as she turned to the door, Lila caught at her-a pale, wide-eyed Lila with soft trembling lips.

‘Ray-’

‘What is it? Don’t keep me. I must let Bill know.’

‘No, Ray, wait! Please, please wait! I don’t want him to come-I don’t really. It’s no good his being angry, or anyone being angry.’

Ray subdued her throbbing impatience. It was no good being impatient with Lila, it only muddled her. She said quite gently,

‘I promise you he won’t be angry.’

Tears had brimmed up in the blue eyes.

‘He will when I say I don’t want to marry him. It always makes them angry when I say that.’

Ray took her by the shoulders.

‘Look her, let’s get this perfectly clear. You don’t want to marry Bill?’

Lila shook her head. Two large, beautiful tears overflowed and ran down. ‘Oh, no!’

‘You don’t want Bill Waring-you’re quite sure about that?’

Lila gave a big childish sob.

‘I don’t want anyone-anyone-except Adrian.’

Ray laughed, shook her a little, and kissed the wet patch on her left cheek.

‘All right, darling, don’t worry. You shall have Adrian if you want him. I rather think I’m taking Bill myself. “Jack shall have Jill, Nought shall go ill. The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well! ” ’

She ran out of the room, leaving Lila confused but comforted.

On her way across the hall Ray encountered Adrian Grey. Impulse having the upper hand, she caught him by the arm.

‘Look here-is this all true about Marsham?’

‘I’m afraid so.’

‘Mary Good was telling me. I’m ringing up Bill. If you’ve got five minutes to spare, would you like to go up to Lila and do a bit of soothing? She’s in a flap. She seems to think someone is going to try and make her marry Bill. See if you can get her to believe that Bill doesn’t want to marry her any more than she wants to marry him.’

‘Why doesn’t he?’ Adrian ’s tone was a little indignant.

A very beautiful colour came up in Ray’s cheeks. Her dark eyes sparkled.

‘I think he sees it was a mistake.’

The indignation faded. He said,

‘Lila doesn’t want him?’

Ray shook the arm she was holding.

‘Of course she doesn’t want him-she never did! She only wanted to get away from Lady Dryden. There’s only one person she wants. And if you don’t know who it is you had better go and find out.’

She let go of him and ran on to the Blue Room. When she looked back at the door Adrian was already half-way up the stairs.