Виктория Холт - The Pride of the Peacock

“In the gallery,” repeated Lilias and there was a tremor in her voice.

“I thought I heard the spinet again.”

There was a brief silence, then Jimson said: “It must be out of tune.

I’ve heard that spinets have to be tuned frequently. “

“Are you sure that everything’s all right?” I asked.

“Oh yes, Mrs. Madden,” Mrs. Laud assured me.

“We can look after Lilias."

“I’m only sorry that we disturbed you,” said Jimson.

“Yes,” echoed Lilias meekly.

“I’m very, very sorry, Mrs. Madden.” I went out. There was a great deal that puzzled me about that family.

Mrs. Laud came to my room while I was changing for dinner.

“May I come in for a moment, Mrs. Madden?” she asked.

“I wanted to have a word with you and tell you how sorry I am for what happened this afternoon. It was dreadful that we should have disturbed you.”

“Oh please, Mrs. Laud, it was nothing. I’m only sorry for Lilias’s trouble.”

“Well, that’s it, Mrs. Madden. She’s a little upset. You can guess what it is, perhaps.”

I looked at her blankly.

“Ifs this Mr. Dickson. She’s upset because he’s been sent to Sydney.”

“Oh, I understand.”

“She’s very taken with him. I’ve been against her marrying, but perhaps I’m wrong.”

“Have they talked of marrying ?”

There’s nothing been said officially, you understand, but Lilias was very upset when he went away. “

“But he’s only gone for a short time.”

“She’s got some idea that Mr. Madden might want him to stay permanently in Sydney.”

“I didn’t gather that’

"You would know, of course. I keep forgetting you’re one of the directors of the Company. It seems so strange for a lady to be in that position.”

“It was Mr. Henniker’s idea.”

“Oh, I know he was a one for ideas. Well, I thought I’d better explain about Lilias.”

“Don’t think any more about it, Mrs. Laud.”

Lilias seemed to have recovered at dinner time. The conversation was, as usual, about business. I was able to join in now and I always enjoyed doing so. But suddenly my pleasure was shattered when Joss said: “I think a trip to England will be necessary in the not too distant future.”

I stared at him in amazement.

“It seems we have only just arrived here,” I said.

That’s how it is in business,” he replied easily.

“One can never be sure when something is going to arise.”

What is this that has arisen?

“New markets are opening up in London. There’s a growing demand there for black Australian opals. Naturally we was to exploit that."

” So you are proposing to go to England ? “

“Nothing definite yet. Ifs just something that may well necessary.”

I felt deflated and wretched. It was so easy to understand Isa was going to England, so he would go too. I dare say she would be very discreet. She would leave and then he would discover that he had to go too. He was already paving the way.

I no longer had any appetite, and as soon as we left the table I made an excuse to go to my room. I had noticed the way in which Joss had looked at me when he had made th announcement that he was about to go to England. It seemed as though he were waiting for me to protest.

I won’t give him that satisfaction, I thought. But I shall let him know that I am aware that the reason for his sudden desire to leave for England is not due to business but to Isa.

I had made up my mind that when Jeremy Dickson returnee I would tell him about my discovery of the red purse. could talk to him freely.

Then I told myself that I could be no such thing because it was an implied accusation against Joss. How could I bring myself to talk about the red purse?

I had never felt so alone in the whole of my life.

I came home one afternoon to a quiet house and went to my room. As I stood there, my hand on the door handle, I heard again that ghostly touch on the spinet keys.

I ran upstairs as fast as I could. It was the same procedure The music stopped and there was no one seated at the spinel Someone was playing tricks on me. And as I looked round the gallery I noticed that there was a difference. One of the curtains which hung at intervals along the walls in the manner of the gallery at Oakland was disarranged. I went to it and drew it right back. I had disclosed a door which I had never. known was there before. A light shone through the mist now Someone had been playing the spinet and stepped behind the curtain and left the gallery before I arrived by way of that door.

This must be the answer for the door was not quite shut, That time the trickster had had to escape in too much of hurry to disguise his escape.

I pushed open the door and peered into darkness. I felt with my foot.

It was a stair. Cautiously-for I was in complete darkness-I stepped down two steps. Then something shifted under me. I clutched at something to save myself. It was a banister but I couldn’t see it. I felt my feet slide from under me and I was seated on something dank and cold.

So shocked was I that I was unable to move for some moments. I was aware of the sound of heavy objects falling, with bumping movements as though they were falling down stairs.

I called out: “Help! Help!” and tried to stand up. My eyes were growing accustomed to the darkness and I could make out this staircase which seemed to go down into gloom.

Then I heard someone shouting from below.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

It was Mis Laud’s voice.

I called out: “I’m here, Mrs. Laud. I’ve fallen.”

Did you come from the gallery? I’ll come up there . “

I sat there waiting. I realized what had happened. I had started down a staircase which was blocked in some way. I had had a narrow escape for I should have had a very bad fall if I had not found the banister in time and been able to save myself.

Mrs. Laud appeared behind me.

“Whatever’s happened? Let me help you, Mrs. Madden. Just a moment, I’ll get a candle. It’s that old staircase.”

I stood up gingerly and she half dragged me back into the gallery.

“I saw the door open,” I said. "I no idea there was a door there. “

” It was hidden by that curtain. There’s a stairway between this floor and the one below. It hasn’t been used for years. Someone must have put boxes in there at some time and used it as a sort of cupboard. “

“Ifs very dangerous,” I said.

“I don’t remember anyone’s using it for years. Just stand up, will you, Mrs. Madden. I don’t think you’ve broken any thing. How do you feel?”

“Stiff and sore and rather shaken. I thought I’d broken a leg or something.”

“You could have done yourself some real damage. Perhaps I should help you to your room. I could get you something. They say a cup of tea with plenty of sugar is good for that sort of shock” I just want to sit here for a moment and think. I heard the playing this afternoon.”

She looked uneasy.

“Did you really. Mis Madden?"

” You think I imagined it, don’t you ?”

Well, people do imagine things when they’re a bit wrought up, don’t they? “

“I didn’t know I was wrought up ” Well,” she flapped her hand vaguely.

“Everything .. "

” Everything?" I insisted.

“Well, Mr. Madden talking of going off like that and the way things are.”

It was impossible to keep secrets from people who shared one’s household. I dare say there was a great deal of talk about my relationship with Joss.

I said: “What I should like to know is why mat door was open. No one has used that staircase for years, you say. But someone has been using it lately, I think, someone who has been playing the spinet and escaping by it. I think that today whoever it was didn’t forget to shut that door but left it open for a purpose.”