“You saw …”
“Yes. I saw you come out with Oliver Gerson.”
She did not answer.
“You know of course that Benedict has forbidden him to come to the house?”
She nodded.
I said: “Celeste, please forgive me … but …”
“I know what you are thinking. You are quite wrong. I went to see him because … well, you know he left the house in a hurry.”
I nodded.
“He had found some lace mats in his luggage … only small things. He said he had swept them up at some time when he was getting his things together. He thought they might be valuable … special lace and so on … and he wanted to return them.”
“And he did? And are they valuable?”
“I don’t know. I’d never seen them before. I did not know they were missing. I just put them back in the room which had been his. Surely you didn’t think …”
“Not really. But, you see, Benedict having quarrelled with him …”
“Benedict never talks to me of that sort of thing. Mr. Gerson said there had been some misunderstanding. He didn’t want Benedict to know that he had seen me … and he thought our meeting like that was the best way of returning the mats.”
“He could be rather dangerous, you know,” I said.
“Dangerous?”
“Well, there was this quarrel. I thought he would not be coming to the house again.”
“He did tell me that he had been badly treated.”
“And you believed his side of the story.”
She shrugged her shoulders.
I did not know how far I could go and it occurred to me that I was getting into dangerous waters. Benedict had spoken to me on the spur of the moment, in the heat of his anger against Oliver Gerson and because he knew that I had overheard enough to piece some story together. He would trust my discretion. Perhaps I was going too far now.
“I don’t think it is wise to see him,” I finished lamely.
“It is good of you to worry about me, Rebecca. I’m all right. I would never take a lover … if that is what you are thinking. I love Benedict. I always have. I wish I didn’t. I’m a fool, I know, but I do. He is the only one I want. It’s not easy … being here with him when he shows so clearly that he does not love me.”
“Dear Celeste, forgive me.”
“There isn’t anything to forgive. I’m so glad you are here. You’ve helped me a lot. Sometimes I am so wretched, Rebecca.”
“You can always talk to me.”
“Talking helps,” she admitted. “You understand how it is.”
“Yes, I understand. I meant forgive me for thinking …”
“You mean about Oliver Gerson?”
“I think he could be a dangerous man,” I said.
It was always interesting to drink a cup of tea in Mrs. Emery’s room. Her all-seeing eyes missed little. I knew at once that something excited her.
She poured out the tea in her special cups.
“My goodness, Miss Rebecca, that Mr. Marner is a one, isn’t he? You can’t help noticing that he’s around … singing that one about kangaroos and things. You’d think you was in the wilds of Australia. But you can’t help liking him. He’s got a smile for everyone … no matter who. Mind you, he’s not exactly what I’d call a true gentleman.”
“It depends on your definition of a gentleman, Mrs. Emery.”
“Oh, I know one when I see one. I’ve always worked for them. But he’s a bit of a caution. That Miss Belinda thinks the sun shines out of his eyes.”
“She is apt to get these feelings for people … and mostly men.”
“She’ll be a little Madam when she grows up, I shouldn’t wonder.”
“Some children are like that. They are attracted by people and put them on a pedestal.”
I was rejoicing that her adoration for Oliver Gerson had waned and that Tom Marner had clearly stepped into his shoes.
“It does you good to hear them all laughing away,” she said. “Another cup?”
“Thank you, Mrs. Emery. It’s delicious.”
She nodded, gratified.
“Have you noticed the change in that Leah?”
“Leah?” I queried.
“A bit of a misery, I used to think. Might have had all the troubles of the world on her shoulders. Well, she’s changed. Now there she is laughing away with the children and that Mr. Marner. Do you know, I heard her singing the other day.”
“What … Leah?”
“I couldn’t believe my ears. She used to go round with that mournful face as though she was going to a funeral. Now chatting away she is … and she was always such a close customer.”
“I’m glad. Mr. Marner seems to have made himself very popular.”
“I suppose he’ll soon be moving on.”
“I’m afraid so. There will be lamentations in the nursery.”
“Miss Belinda will be very sorry … that Leah, too. By the way, it’s good news about the shuffle. That’s what Emery calls it. Something to do with the government. It seems it’s really coming now … after all the talk about it.”
“You mean the Cabinet reshuffle.”
“Emery knows all about these things. I reckon he ought to have gone in for it himself. He thinks there’s a good chance of something coming out of it for our gentleman.”
“Mr. Lansdon?”
“Who else? It’s not only Emery. There’s a bit in the paper. Emery cuts bits out and saves them, you know. Emery would like the Foreign Office for him but he doesn’t think there is going to be a change there. The Home Office would be good. Or the War Office … Emery says.”
“You’re very ambitious for him.”
“Emery’s a very ambitious man.”
I could not help smiling at this perfect example of the joys of reflected glory.
“We’re keeping our fingers crossed … Emery and me …”
I was still smiling. A session with Mrs. Emery was as refreshing as her tea.
When I was passing Benedict’s study, he opened the door suddenly and stood smiling at me.
“Rebecca, could you spare a moment?”
“But of course.”
“Then come in.”
I went in, he indicated a chair and I sat down. He took his place at his desk and we sat facing each other.
“I thought I’d let you know,” he said. “I am definitely out of the club business. The deal has gone through.”
“That must be a great relief to you.”
“Yes, it is. The Devil’s Crown decided me. I only wish I could have done it years ago.”
“I hear there is a possibility of a Cabinet post.”
“A possibility,” he admitted. “There’s only a hint at the moment, but I think there is almost certain to be one.”
“Well, good luck.”
“Thank you.”
“The Emerys are very eager for your success.”
He smiled. “I gathered that from Emery.”
“They are very loyal.”
He nodded. “And one needs loyalty in this business.”
“It’s very acceptable in any.”
“I thought I’d tell you about the clubs because of our little talk the other day. It was what your mother would have wanted.”
We were silent for a moment.
Then he said: “By the way, Gerson hasn’t been prowling round, has he?”
I had a quick vision of him, coming out of The Hanging Judge with Celeste.
“Around the house … no, I shouldn’t think so.”
“That’s good. I never discovered how he got that key. I should like to know. I don’t suppose I ever shall. But that sort of thing shakes one. I’ve always been so careful.”
“Yes,” I said. “It’s a mystery.”
I rose. Our conversation seemed to have come to an end and our relationship was still such that there was embarrassment between us.
I said: “I’m glad about the clubs. I am sure it is for the best.”
He nodded. “I thought you’d like to know.”