Death with Blue Ribbon Read Free Page A

peering fiercely through steel-rimmed glasses, and her shrewish devotion to Carolus was not to be doubted.
    Carolus had never listened more unwillingly to a recital of misfortunes, for Rolland showed the quality he most disliked—pretentiousness. But he had long believed that the protection racket was more common and more successful in England than was generally supposed and he was tempted to challenge it. He had no faith in the comfortable conviction of many people who read about it in newspapers that ‘they only do it to their own kind.’ He knew it to be a cruel and cunning form of crime, difficult to detect and sometimes impossible to bring to justice. So he encouraged Rolland to tell his story.
    When he began with the visit of Rivers and Razor Gray a few days ago, Carolus drew him back to the past and in a few minutes had discovered, to his own satisfaction at least, how the Fleur-de-Lys Hotel had been purchased and the Haute Cuisine Restaurant added to it.
    â€˜What kind of pub was it before?’ he asked.
    â€˜Oh, just a pub,’ said Rolland. ‘Nothing but local trade.’
    He could not have said anything more calculated to lose the sympathy of Carolus.
    â€˜Nothing but local trade. I see. And what has happened to the “local trade” now?’
    â€˜We still get a few in the Georgian Lounge. The better type.But we had to abolish the Public Bar. There simply wasn’t room. They mostly go to the Black Horse at Netterly. It’s three or four miles away, but they all have cars nowadays.’
    â€˜Go on, Mr Rolland.’
    â€˜Then I built on the restaurant. Georgian style. Chairs imitation Chippendale. Murals by a very clever lady artist representing hunting scenes. Silver …’
    â€˜I see it all,’ said Carolus. ‘You were successful from the first?’
    â€˜It took a lot of building up. But I’m pleased to say we are now one of the few Five Star restaurants in Great Britain, recommended by…’
    â€˜Yes. Yes. You have a good
chef
?’
    â€˜Antoine. I have to make suggestions, you know. But he can carry them out. And I have a first-rate head waiter. Stefan. He was at the Bordelaise for years.’
    Rolland had mentioned one of the best restaurants in London.
    â€˜Why isn’t he still there?’
    â€˜There was some trouble, I believe.’
    â€˜What trouble?’
    â€˜Stefan is temperamental.’
    â€˜You mean he drinks?’
    â€˜I’ve
never seen any evidence of it. Well, nothing serious. Stefan…’
    â€˜Russian?’ asked Carolus.
    â€˜No. Birmingham. His name’s Stephen Digby. But he has
style.
I saw it at once and gave him a chance.’
    â€˜Very shrewd of you. You don’t think he’ll… let you down?’
    â€˜No. I’ve got him where I want him.’
    â€˜You’re very frank. Who else is employed?’
    â€˜Two Moroccan waiters. Ali and Abdul. Stefan brought them back from Tangier. They don’t have much to do with anyone. The customers seem to like them though. There’s a wine waiter called Molt.’
    â€˜And in the kitchen?’
    â€˜Antoine’s assistant Tom Bridger. Very good chap. Reliable. And an apprentice, David Paton.’
    â€˜All male?’
    â€˜No. There’s a local woman for cleaning—Mrs Boot. And the barmaid, of course.’
    â€˜What about her?’
    Rolland looked uncomfortable.
    â€˜Oh, she’s just a barmaid. Manageress of the bar we call her.’
    â€˜What is her name?’
    â€˜Her professional name is Gloria Gee.’
    â€˜Very nice too. It goes with Stefan and Antoine. Is she young?’
    â€˜Under thirty.’
    â€˜Pretty?’
    â€˜I suppose so.’
    â€˜Get on with the customers?’
    â€˜As far as I know.’
    â€˜You seem to have a very satisfactory staff.’
    â€˜They want watching, of course. I have to be everywhere at once. If I didn’t see to