Sue for Mercy - Veronica Heley Page 0,38
long to find that one of the deep drawers of Bianca’s desk had been lined with a metal container. The top opened upwards, in two halves, but was secured by a lock for which there was no trace of the key.
“Watch the door for me,” said David, fishing some probes from his bag. “I need about half an hour clear in this room, without interruption.”
“Suppose Julian comes back? He’s only gone for a short walk.”
“Then you’ll tell him that the telephone engineer is tracing a wiring fault on the extension phone in here.”
“But if he recognises you...”
“Not got up like this, he won’t. We’ve not met for years, and anyway the Brenners of this world don’t study the faces of their social inferiors. Now get out and make me that coffee you were talking about, will you?”
I made the coffee. When I took him in a mug, he had the box open and was replacing the bulb in the desk lamp with one of a stronger calibre. I opened my mouth to protest and closed it again. David Ashton knew exactly what he was doing. While I hovered in the doorway, he took photographs of certain papers which he’d selected from the drawer. Only when he’d finished and was locking them away again did I notice that he was now wearing cotton gloves.
“Tell me,” I said, “Will you be present at the festive lunch tomorrow?”
“Of course not. I’m at present in bed with flu in Belfast, and likely to stay there for at least another day, or so Inge tells me. I think she’ll probably have to call the doctor in tomorrow to check that I’m not going to die on her. I shall drop these negatives into Whitestones, change at Green Gables, and be on the next plane back to Belfast.” He replaced the ordinary bulb in the lamp and tidied the desk, checking that he’d left everything as he’d found it. “It’s worth a little risk. Oh, by the way, Sue — Charles is looking very fine drawn. He can take a lot of pressure, but dealing with J.B. on top of everything else seems to me to be asking for it. Take him away for a holiday when this is finished, will you?”
“Everyone seems to have elected me Charles’ keeper — except Charles himself. If he does want to marry me, then he might make an effort and put it into words!”
The front door clicked open, and Julian strode in, calling for his wife. David’s carriage reduced to a slouch as he bent for his bag and I hastened to distract the master of the house.
“Telephone engineer,” I explained. “Checking on that fault. Can I get you anything — some coffee?”
“Oh — perhaps.” He made as if to follow me to the kitchen, but stopped to pick up a newspaper. He unfolded it, intent on something.
“Aspirins for your headache?” I asked brightly. “Did you take some?”
David crept out of Bianca’s room and made his way behind Julian’s back to the disembowelled telephone by the door. Julian gave him half a glance and returned to his paper.
“I don’t think so,” he said absently. “Just bring the coffee here, there’s a good girl.”
“I don’t like to think of you not taking aspirins if you’ve still got a headache,” I said, closing in on him, and trying to look worried. I expect I succeeded, for I really was worried. David screwed the casing back on to the telephone and tested it. Judging by the rigid set of his shoulders and the way he set to dismantling it once more, the phone was still dead. I cursed myself yet again for my ham-handedness.
“You’re an odd girl, aren’t you?” said Julian, a little amused. “I couldn’t think what Charles saw in you at first, but I suppose some men like to be waited on hand and foot. Then again, if you’re as sensible as you look, you’ll pretend to be short-sighted if you spot lipstick on his handkerchief, or suspect he’s been working late rather more than is necessary.”
“I don’t think he’s like that.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Your devotion may soothe his pride for the moment, but I daresay he’ll be sniffing at Bianca’s heels again within a month.”
“Do you really believe that?” I had almost forgotten David, working away in the background. I held Julian’s eye with mine until his eyelids flickered and he looked away. No, he didn’t really believe it.
“Coffee!” he said, to change the subject. He