The Seven Dials Mystery Read Free Page B

and that his vacuous expression made Jimmy’s face quite intelligent by contrast.
    â€œ ’Morning, Lady Coote,” said Gerald Wade. “Where are all the others?”
    â€œThey’ve all gone to Market Basing,” said Lady Coote.
    â€œWhat for?”
    â€œSome joke,” said Lady Coote in her deep, melancholy voice.
    â€œRather early in the morning for jokes,” said Mr. Wade.
    â€œIt’s not so very early in the morning,” said Lady Coote pointedly.
    â€œI’m afraid I was a bit late coming down,” said Mr. Wade with engaging frankness. “It’s an extraordinary thing, but wherever I happen to be staying, I’m always last to be down.”
    â€œVery extraordinary,” said Lady Coote.
    â€œI don’t know why it is,” said Mr. Wade, meditating. “I can’t think, I’m sure.”
    â€œWhy don’t you just get up?” suggested Lady Coote.
    â€œOh!” said Mr. Wade. The simplicity of the solution rather took him aback.
    Lady Coote went on earnestly.
    â€œI’ve heard Sir Oswald say so many times that there’s nothing for getting a young man on in the world like punctual habits.”
    â€œOh, I know,” said Mr. Wade. “And I have to when I’m in town. I mean, I have to be round at the jolly old Foreign Office by eleven o’clock. You mustn’t think I’m always a slacker, Lady Coote. I say, what awfully jolly flowers you’ve got down in that lower border. I can’t remember the names of them, but we’ve got some at home—those mauve thingummybobs. My sister’s tremendously keen on gardening.”
    Lady Coote was immediately diverted. Her wrongs rankled within her.
    â€œWhat kind of gardeners do you have?”
    â€œOh just one. Rather an old fool, I believe. Doesn’t know much, but he does what he’s told. And that’s a great thing, isn’t it?”
    Lady Coote agreed that it was with a depth of feeling in her voice that would have been invaluable to her as an emotional actress. They began to discourse on the iniquities of gardeners.
    Meanwhile the expedition was doing well. The principal emporium of Market Basing had been invaded and the sudden demand for alarum clocks was considerably puzzling the proprietor.
    â€œI wish we’d got Bundle here,” murmured Bill. “You know her, don’t you, Jimmy? Oh, you’d like her. She’s a splendid girl—a real good sport—and mark you, she’s got brains too. You know her, Ronny?”
    Ronny shook his head.
    â€œDon’t know Bundle? Where have you been vegetating? She’s simply it.”
    â€œBe a bit more subtle, Bill,” said Socks. “Stop blethering about your lady friends and get on with the business.”
    Mr. Murgatroyd, owner of Murgatroyd’s Stores, burst into eloquence.
    â€œIf you’ll allow me to advise you, Miss, I should say— not the 7/11 one. It’s a good clock—I’m not running it down, mark you, but I should strongly advise this kind at 10/6. Well worth the extra money. Reliability, you understand. I shouldn’t like you to say afterwards—”
    It was evident to everybody that Mr. Murgatroyd must be turned off like a tap.
    â€œWe don’t want a reliable clock, said Nancy.
    â€œIt’s got to go for one day, that’s all,” said Helen.
    â€œWe don’t want a subtle one,” said Socks. “We want one with a good loud ring.”
    â€œWe want—” began Bill, but was unable to finish, because Jimmy, who was of a mechanical turn of mind, had at last grasped the mechanism. For the next five minutes the shop was hideous with the loud raucous ringing of many alarum clocks.
    In the end six excellent starters were selected.
    â€œAnd I’ll tell you what,” said Ronny handsomely, “I’ll get one for Pongo. It was his idea, and it’s a shame that he should be out of it.