Джорджетт Хейер - Duplicate Death

Mr.. Kane grinned. "I did. All due to my well-known tact and diplomacy, too! I passed on to Mother what Timothy told me, which wasn't a lot, but quite enough for Mother. I don't know the rights of it, but it does seem as though Beulah was made a sort of catspaw of by some nasty piece of work she was employed by in the City. Anyway, Timothy said she'd had the rawest of raw deals, the which I faithfully reported. You know Mother! All up in arms in defence of her sex before you could say knife! As a matter of fact, I think she and Beulah will get on all right. I didn't take to the girl at first, but when you get to know her she isn't a bad kid at all. Madly in love with Timothy!"

"She is?" Mrs. Kane said quickly.

"Oh, thinks he's the bee's roller-skates!"

"Then your Mother will like her! Are they actually engaged?"

"Yes, but nobody knows it yet."

The door opened to admit Miss Susan Kane and Master William Kane, washed, brushed, and escorted by their amiable tyrant. "Are Mummy and Daddy ready for us?" enquired this lady winningly. "May we play in here while Nanny pops the casserole in the oven? Ever so excited we are to have Daddy back again, and to hear all about the new Auntie we're going to have, aren't we, my ducks?"

So saying, the despot surrendered Master William Kane to his mother, smiled kindly upon Mr.. Kane, and withdrew, bearing the tea-tray with her.

"Pat!" said Mr.. Kane thunderously. "This is the End! Either you get rid of -"

"Yes, dear, but not in front of the children!" said Mrs. Kane hastily.