Through the Wall

Chapter 14

Miss Silver changed the library books. She was fond of a good historical novel, and found one by an author whom she admired. Her niece being one of those who prefer to read about people whose circumstances as nearly as possible resemble their own, she asked the girl at the counter to recommend a novel of strong domestic interest, and was provided with what proved to be a pleasantly written tale of family life. There was a father who was a solicitor, a mother of almost exactly Ethel’s age, and four children, made up of three boys and a girl. Hastily looking at the end to make sure that no harrowing incident cut short any of the infant lives, and finding the entire family very happily grouped round a Christmas tree on the last page, she bestowed one of her kindest smiles on the helpful assistant and said it would do very nicely indeed, thank you.

Coming out into the sunshine, she decided to walk the rest of the way down Cross Street, and then after turning to the left take a parallel road back to the Front. She had not yet located a fancy-work-shop, and would be pleased to do so. It was very agreeable to be able to saunter along in a leisurely manner and look in at the shop windows.

It was just before she came to the corner leading back to the Front that she came face to face with Helen Adrian. The recognition was mutual and immediate. Neither could, indeed, have been easily mistaken for anyone else. Miss Adrian appeared to be in very good spirits. She was accompanied by a dark moody-looking young man whom she introduced briefly as “Felix Brand-my accompanist.” After which she told him to go away and buy cigarettes, because Miss Silver was an old friend and she wanted to talk to her-“And we’ll be right over there in that shelter out of the wind.”

When he had gone away in gloomy silence she slipped a hand inside Miss Silver’s arm and took her across to the shelter. The sun was delightfully warm, and it really was pleasant to get out of the wind. Since it was now almost one o’clock, the Front was practically deserted. They had one side of the shelter entirely to themselves.

By the time they were settled Miss Adrian had explained that she was staying at Cove House. With a very little encouragement she was induced to explain a good deal more than that. Miss Silver was given a full account of the Brand family, the two households, and the iniquities of the will under which Martin Brand’s large fortune had passed to a hitherto unknown niece.

“And the extraordinary thing is this Marian Brand who comes in for all the money-well, it’s her sister Ina who turns out to be married to Cyril Felton. You remember I told you about him.”

Miss Silver coughed in an enquiring manner.

“Did you know of the connection?”

“Well, I did and I didn’t. Cyril didn’t exactly advertize that he was married. As a matter of fact, I was one of the few people who knew. He told me her name had been Brand, but I didn’t really connect her with Felix, you know. Actually, Cyril didn’t himself. There had been a family quarrel, and they didn’t know each other. It’s funny the way things turn out, isn’t it? If Felix had got the money instead of this girl Marian, I’d probably have been marrying him, but Fred Mount will be a lot easier to live with, so I expect it’s all for the best. And Felix has some pretty poisonous relations. That’s another thing to Fred’s credit-he hasn’t got any parents, and I always did say I wouldn’t marry anyone but an orphan.”

Her gaze was one of angelic candour, a fact of which she was perfectly well aware. She would have been very much surprised if she had known that Miss Silver was thinking what an extremely ill-bred young woman she was. She continued to gaze and to prattle.

“You remember I showed you those letters and told you I thought it might be Cyril who was trying it on. I actually did think so all the time. Blackmail isn’t exactly the sort of thing Felix would go in for, and it was bound to be one or other of them. At least that’s what I thought, because of what the letter said about last June. You remember, it said, ‘What about last June?’ So it was more or less bound to be either Felix or Cyril, because they were the only two who knew.”

Miss Silver coughed.

“Was there anything to know?”

“Well, there was in a way,” said Miss Adrian in a nonchalant manner. “I expect I’d better tell you about it, or you’ll be thinking it was worse than it was. Actually, you know, it wasn’t anyone’s fault. I told Felix he’d done it on purpose, but I don’t think he did-he’s not that sort. You see, there’s a cave just round the point from the cove. All that bit of beach belongs to the Brands, and there’s this cave. It’s not very big, but a year or two ago Felix found a sort of crack through to a second cave. He widened it enough to get through, and it’s his own special place-not many people know about it. I was staying at Cove House in June last year, and we slipped out after everyone was in bed and went down on the beach. It was a lovely night, and we talked about bathing, but in the end we didn’t. We went into the cave instead, and-you know how it is-we rather lost count of the time. And there it was, we got cut off by the tide and had to stay there all night.”

Miss Silver said, “Dear me!”

“Oh, well, there wasn’t anything in it. And no one knew up at the house. We got home to breakfast, and they just thought we’d been out for an early bathe. That cook they’ve had for donkey’s years, I thought she had a nasty suspicious eye, but she didn’t say anything, and nobody could ever have done more than guess if I hadn’t been fool enough to let on to Cyril.”

It was by now quite apparent to Miss Silver that Cyril Felton’s relations with Miss Adrian were certainly not those of a mere casual acquaintance encountered some time ago in a concert-party. There was no expression to her voice as she said,

“And what made you do that?”

“Too many cocktails,” said Miss Adrian frankly. “It seemed a good idea at the time, if you know what I mean. We both laughed about it a lot-Mrs. Brand and Miss Remington being so out of the way proper, and not having any idea that we had been out all night. And then I more or less forgot the whole thing, but it looks as if Cyril didn’t. And you know, if he went and told Fred, it wouldn’t be anything to laugh about. Fred hasn’t got that sort of sense of humour.”

Miss Silver made up her mind. Miss Adrian had approached her as a client, and though she had not taken the case she felt a certain obligation to be frank. She said with some gravity,

“You intend to marry Mr. Mount?”

The blue eyes widened.

“I can’t afford to miss the chance.”

Miss Silver coughed.

“When you came to see me, I advised you to take those letters to the police. When you said you could not do that, I recommended you to tell Mr. Mount about them yourself.”

Miss Adrian shook her golden head.

“You don’t know Fred.”

Miss Silver continued as if she had not spoken.

“You now say you are sure that Mr. Cyril Felton is the person who has been attempting to blackmail you. I am inclined to agree with you. Are you aware that he is in Farne?”

Miss Adrian exclaimed in a manner which Miss Silver considered profane. Rightly conjecturing that this indicated surprise, she continued.

“I heard Mrs. Felton give her name in the library just now, and subsequently witnessed a meeting between her and her husband. From their conversation I received the impression that there had been some kind of quarrel which Mr. Felton was anxious to make up, since he was so short of money that it was a matter of urgency that he should be received at Cove House.”

Helen Adrian nodded.

“Yes-that’s Cyril. And, from what I’ve heard about Ina and seen for myself, she’s the kind of girl to let him walk all over her like a door-mat.”

Miss Silver gave her slight prim cough.

“Even a door-mat may become worn out in time.”

“Meaning?”

“That it is possible that Mr. Felton may be disappointed.”

Helen Adrian appeared to be considering the implications of this. The angelic look was replaced by a shrewd one as she said,

“If he’s as hard up as all that, I could have a stab at buying him off. Look here, it’s an idea! I don’t think Ina could hold out against him-once a door-mat, always a door-mat. But Marian Brand is a different proposition. According to Cyril, she’s been supporting his wife for years and taking him in whenever he was on the rocks, which is about the only time he went near them. But I don’t think he cuts any ice with her really. Ina is fond of him, and Marian is fond of Ina. If Ina cooled off, I don’t think Cyril would get yes for an answer, so if Ina is really peeved with him, this is the time for me to drive my bargain. I tell you what I’ll do-I’ll tell Cyril I know he wrote those letters. He can take ten pounds to hold his tongue, or I’ll go to the police. That’s just what I’m going to say to him, you know-I won’t really. If he’s as hard up as you say, he’ll take the ten pounds. Of course he’ll mean to come back for more, but he won’t get the chance. I’ll tell Fred he can see about a licence, and once we’re married, well, it’s done. And I shall tell Cyril that if he makes a nuisance of himself, all he’ll get is Fred will just about make him wish he’d never been born. And the worse he behaves, the less Fred will believe anything he says about me. How’s that?” Miss Silver’s neat features expressed none of the distaste which she felt. If there was a slight dryness in her tone, her companion did not notice it. She said, “It would appear to be quite a prudent course of action, Miss Adrian.”