Джорджетт Хейер - Death in the Stocks

Meanwhile Antonia had summoned her fiancé to come to see her as soon as he left the office. When he arrived, which was shortly after six o'clock, he found brother and sister arguing over the correct amount of absinthe to be put into the cocktail-shaker. Neither paid much attention to him until a decision had been reached, but when Kenneth had finally won his point on the score of being several years Antonia's senior, and the mixture had been well shaken and poured into the glasses, Antonia nodded to her betrothed and said: “I'm glad you were able to come. I've had the Superintendent-man here, and I think we ought to talk things over.”

Rudolph shot her one quick glance and said: “How very serious you look, darling! You mustn't let all this get on your nerves, you know. What has the worthy Superintendent got in his bonnet now?”

“This is a bloody cocktail,” said Kenneth dispassionately. “You can't have mixed it as I told you. If you think the human sleuth is interested in you you're wrong. He's hot on my trail, and I won't have him diverted. Oh here's Leslie! Leslie, my sweet, come on up!” He leaned out of the window and addressed Miss Rivers at the top of his voice. “The gyves are practically on my wrists, darling, so come up for a last cocktail. No, on second thoughts, don't. Tony mixed it. I'll stand you a drink at the Clarence Arms.” He drew in his head, set his glass down on the table and vanished precipitately from the studio.

Antonia, her attention once more distracted from her fiancé, hung out of the window and conferred with Miss Rivers until Kenneth presently emerged into the mews and swept the visitor off in the direction of the Clarence Arms. She then turned back to Rudolph and demanded to know what they had been talking about.

“Oh, I think you were worried about the Superintendent, weren't you?” Mesurier said. “It's all frightfully upsetting for you, dearest.”

“No, it isn't,” said Antonia bluntly. “But what I want to know is, what have you been up to, Rudolph?”

He changed colour, but replied with an amused laugh. “Up to, Tony? How do you mean?”

“Well,” said Antonia, finishing her cocktail, “the impression I've got is that you've been forging Arnold's name or something.”

“Tony!” he cried indignantly, “If that's the opinion you have of me -”

“Do shut up!” begged Antonia. “This is serious. It's why I went down to see Arnold on Saturday night. He said he was going to prosecute you.”

“Swine!”

“I know, but what was it all about?”

Mesurier took a turn round the studio, his hands thrust into his pockets. “I'm in a damned awkward position!” he said suddenly. “God knows knows I didn't want you to be dragged into it, but if I don't tell you some one else will. Think me what you like.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but just open that cupboard and see if there's a bottle of salted almonds, will you?” asked Antonia. “I've suddenly remembered buying some and putting them either there or -”

“They aren't here,” said Rudolph in all offended voice.

“Of course, if salted almonds are more important to you than my -”

“No, but I distinctly remember getting some,” said Antonia. “And if we've got some, it seems a pity - However, it doesn't really matter. Go on about the forgery.”

“There is no forgery. Though God knows I've been through such a hell of anxiety about money that it's a wonder I'm not a forger!”

“Bad luck!” said Antonia, with polite but damping sympathy.

Mesurier said in a more natural voice: “They've found out something. Not that it can harm me. What I mean is, it doesn't prove I murdered Arnold, though it naturally makes the police suspicious. I - you see Tony, I've been in a devil of a jam. Had to raise some cash somehow or other, and raise it quick, so I — sort of borrowed a spot from the firm - Arnold's firm, you know. Of course, I need hardly tell you it was nothing but a loan, to tide me over, and as a matter of fact I've been steadily paying it back. You do understand, don't you, darling?”

“Yes, absolutely,” replied Antonia. “You cooked the accounts and Arnold found out. I've often wondered how that's done, by the way. How do you do it, Rudolph?”

He flushed. “Please — ! It - this isn't very pleasant for me, Tony. I ought not to have done it, but I thought I could pay it all back before the next audit. I never dreamed Arnold had his eye on me. Then he sprang it on me — actually on Saturday morning. He was filthily offensive - you know what he could be like! We - we had a bit of a row, and he threatened to take the whole thing into court, largely, I'm afraid, because you'd told him of our engagement, darling. Not that I'm blaming you, but it was rather unfortunate, all things considered. And the devil of it is that we were heard - well - quarrelling - by that foul Miller girl, and, of course, she pitched in a highly exaggerated story to the Superintendent. And on top of that -” He paused, and studied his well-manicured nails for a moment, a pucker between his brows. “The most extraordinary thing,” he said slowly. “I confess I don't understand it. Some idiot of a village Constable imagines he saw my car ten miles from Hanborough on Saturday night. It's utterly absurd, of course, but you can see what an ugly complexion it puts on things.”

She sat up suddenly. “Rudolph, how did you know which day Arnold was murdered?”

He blinked at her. “I don't understand what you mean.”

“Yes, you do. On Sunday, when you came here for supper, you said you'd quarrelled with Arnold on the very day he was murdered.”

“Did I? I expect you'd told me, then. I don't know how else I could have known.”

“I wish you'd stop being guarded,” Antonia complained. “If you killed Arnold you might just as well say so, because Kenneth and I don't mind a bit about that, and we shouldn't dream of giving you away.”

“I didn't kill him. For God's sake don't go about talking like that!”

“Well, what's all this about your car being seen near Hanborough?”

“It wasn't! I mean, I don't know whether it was or not, but I wasn't in it. I was in my digs all evening. I can't prove that, but if they're going to take one sleepy bobby's word against mine -”

“The fact of the matter is none of us can prove anything,” said Antonia cheerfully. “You've merely joined the noble army of suspects. Kenneth'll be rather fed-up if you become chief suspect. He thinks he's being awfully clever, and I daresay he is. He can be when he likes.”

Rudolph let himself sink down into one of the big armchairs and dropped his head in his hands. “You can treat it like a joke, but I tell you it's damned serious,” he said, his voice a little unsteady. “That Superintendent thinks I did it. He doesn't believe anything I say. I can see he doesn't. I don't know what the hell to do, Tony!”

He sounded helpless, frightened, and although such a mood of panic was alien to her nature she responded at once as well as she could. “I shouldn't worry,” she said, patting his knee. “I'll ask Giles what he thinks. He's coming here this evening to talk business with Kenneth. You don't mind, do you?”

He seemed undecided. “He knows anyway,” he said. “Arnold wrote a letter about me to his uncle, and the Superintendent got it. Of course your cousin must have seen it. I don't know that I exactly mind consulting him, because I haven't anything to conceal. I mean -”

At this moment the studio door opened, and Giles Carrington came in, accompanied by Kenneth. Antonia greeted him with a friendly smile, but desired her brother to tell her what he had done with Miss Rivers.

“She pushed off homewards,” answered Kenneth. “Cigarette, Giles? - if there are any, which I doubt.”