‘You do not believe in things being lucky or unlucky? You modern young people attach no importance to things of that sort?’
‘I don’t know – I shouldn’t like to have anything that had been stolen.’
Miss Olivia began to fold up her work.
‘I do not care to hear reflections upon our ancestor,’ she said coldly. ‘I believe I informed you that he left Italy for political reasons. I imagine that he had every right to take with him his share of the patrimony which would have been his had he remained. I think I will now say good night.’
Derek left the piano to open the door for her. When she had gone out he shut it again and came back to the fire with a mischievous expression on his face.
‘Feeling snubbed, darling?’
‘You were listening?’
‘Oh, passionately! She prides herself on her articulation, and you may have noticed that I was playing in a whisper. I’m just wondering why you were treated to those old wives’ tales.’
‘So am I.’
He laughed.
‘Well, I got the impression that she was a bit disappointed, but I don’t know why. She may have wanted to scare you off the horrid unlucky stuff, or she may have wanted to get you all worked up and interested in it.’
‘Why should she want to scare me off?’
‘She might want to protect you, or she might want to stop you laying sacrilegious hands on the Treasure.’
‘Then why should she want to get me interested?’
‘More bits and pieces from Anna! She is quite firm about the Treasure being unlucky, but she says of course if someone who wasn’t a Benevent handled it, the curse mightn’t act, or it wouldn’t matter so much if it did! Old Mr. Benevent went a bit childish before he died. He must have been about a hundred. Anna said he talked quite a lot about the Treasure. He told her the thing to do was to get someone who didn’t matter to do the job for you. He said he wouldn’t handle it himself and no Benevent ought to, but it could be done by a stranger.’
Candida had a horrid cold feeling.
‘What did he mean?’
‘I don’t know. She got rather carried away talking, and when I began to ask questions she was scared and dried up. I had to promise I wouldn’t let anyone know that she had talked.’
‘Derek – you’ve just told me!’
He waved that away.
‘Darling, what she meant was the Aunts! She wouldn’t give a damn whether you knew or not as long as you didn’t tell them. Anyhow it’s all rubbish, only – Look here, Candida, you keep out of it! Don’t get interested in it, don’t get scared about it! If she offers to show it to you, say you’d rather not!’
‘Why?’
‘I can’t tell you, because I don’t know. I’ve just got a very strong feeling that it’s better left alone. Part of the feeling is that perhaps Alan Thompson didn’t leave it alone, and that it would have been better for him if he had. Speaking for myself, I wouldn’t go within a mile of the stuff for a million – and I can’t put it stronger than that!’
Candida said,
‘Where is it?’
She got one of his most charming smiles.
‘Darling, I don’t know, and I don’t want to.’
Chapter Fourteen
When Candida reached her room she was surprised to find Nellie there. It was no more than half past ten, but that was late for her to be turning down the bed and putting in a hot water-bottle, and when she looked round it was plain to see that she had been crying. Candida shut the door and came towards her.
‘Why, Nellie, is anything the matter?’
Tears started again from between the reddened lips. The girl said angrily,
‘No, there isn’t, nor yet there isn’t going to be! I’m clearing out!’
‘Clearing out?’
Nellie stamped her foot.
‘Yes, I am, and nobody’s going to persuade me different! The money is good, and I won’t say it isn’t, but what’s the good of that if you’ve been scared out of your life or had something happen to you that you’re never going to forget?’
Candida said in a half-hearted voice,
‘Nellie, what do you mean?’
‘I mean I’m catching the 9.25 back to London in the morning, and I don’t care what Aunt Anna says, or whether she ever speaks to me again or not!’
Candida came a step nearer.
‘Has anything happened?’
‘I’m not talking about it!’
‘But, Nellie – ’
‘What you don’t say nobody can’t bring up against you, and that’s flat! I’m not talking and I’m not staying! But I’ll go as far as this – what’s sauce for one of us is just as well sauce for the other!’
Candida said slowly, ‘What – do – you – mean?’
Nellie tapped with her foot.
‘Can’t you take a hint?’ Her voice had remained angry. ‘Here, let me by!’
Candida went back against the door and stood there.
‘Not just yet,’ she said. ‘There isn’t any hurry, and I think you have said too much not to say a little more.’
The girl was shaking.
‘Let me by!’
‘In a minute. Look here, Nellie, don’t be silly. Come and sit down and tell me what has upset you. You say you are getting out, and you’ve as good as told me that I’d better get out too. You can’t say things like that and leave them floating in the air.’
Nellie tossed her head.
‘Well then, I can, and what’s more I’m going to! Least said, soonest mended!’
Candida was silent for a minute. Then she said,
‘Someone has upset you. Who was it? Was it Derek?’
Nellie laughed.
‘Go on! You don’t suppose I couldn’t look after myself with his kind! Anyhow he’s all right is Mr. Derek. I mean he might want to lark about a bit, but – he’s all right. ’Smatter of fact he’s got a girl in Retley – been going with her steady for quite a long time. Only don’t you give him away – there wouldn’t half be a row if it came out. He’s told me all about her. Showed me her photo, too. Not pretty, you know, but ever so nice. And you could tell he was fond of her, the way he looked. A girl can always tell.’
The atmosphere had changed. They were two girls talking about a love affair. Candida laughed and said,
‘Oh, I won’t give him away.’ And then, ‘So it wasn’t Derek who upset you. Was it Anna?’
Nellie said in a scornful voice,
‘She fusses, and I won’t say I haven’t cheeked her, but that’s all in the family. Up in the air one minute and all right again the next – that’s Aunt Anna. Always been like that, she has. I wouldn’t take any notice of Aunt Anna.’
‘Is it Joseph then – your uncle?’
Nellie blazed.
‘He’s no uncle of mine, thank God! What Aunt Anna wanted to marry him for, I can’t think! Twenty years younger than her, and all he thinks about is money! Disgusting I call it! And how Aunt Anna could!’
Candida had a fleeting thought that thumbed its nose and suggested with a giggle that Anna’s savings must be considerable and her family would naturally prefer them to come their way. It was the kind of guttersnipe thought which you repress and dismiss. But Nellie appeared to have caught a glimpse of it, for she said on a defiant note,
‘And you needn’t think we’d have minded if it had been what you could call suitable, and not someone that was young enough to be her son and just to please the Miss Benevents. We all know she’s fond of them – do anything for Miss Cara she would. But you’re not called on to marry a chap that’s after your money just because it suits the people you work for!’
Candida laughed.
‘I suppose not, but I expect it’s been done before now. Well, you don’t like Joseph. Is that why you are going?’
‘It’s reason enough!’
‘But is it the reason?’
Nellie looked her straight in the face and said, ‘No!’
‘Then – ’
Nellie flushed.
‘Why can’t you leave it alone? I don’t like it here, and I’m clearing out! And if you’ve got any sense you’ll clear out too! Let me go!’