Thou Shell of Death Read Free Page B

suppose nothing’s known about his source of income?’
    ‘Couldn’t say. He’s had plenty of opportunities of making capital out of his position as Public Idol No. 1. But he’s not made great use of them, as far as I know. But all these questions you’d far better ask him. If he really thinks there’s anything in these threats, he’ll have to open up to you a little.’
    Sir John heaved himself out of his chair. ‘Well. Must be off. Got to dine with the Home Secretary tonight—fussy old hen, he’s suddenly developed Communist-phobia; thinks they’re going to put a bomb under his bed. Ought to know they don’t allow acts of individual violence. Wouldn’t mind if they did blow him up, as a matter of fact. His idea of dinner is boiled mutton and grocer’s Graves.’
    He took Nigel by the arm and piloted him towards the door. ‘I’ll just pop in and tell Herbert and Elizabeth not to go giving you away as Sherlock Minor while you’re down there. I’ll wire O’Brien you’re coming on the twenty-second. There’s a train from Paddington at 11.45: get you down there in good time for tea.’
    ‘So you’ve got everything fixed, haven’t you, you old schemer?’ said Nigel affectionately. ‘Thanks very much for the job—and the saga.’
    Pausing outside the drawing-room door, Sir John squeezed his nephew’s arm and whispered, ‘Look after him, won’t you? I feel I ought to have insisted more strongly on police protection. Those letters would make things pretty difficult for us if anything should happen. And of course you’ll let me know at once if you find out there
is
anything behind them. I should simply override his wishes if we had anything definite to go on. Good-bye, boy.’

II
    The Airman’s Tale
    AS IT HAPPENED , Nigel did not travel by the 11.45. On the night of the 21st he was rung up by Lord Marlinworth’s butler, who said that his master and mistress had been delayed in town and would not be travelling down to Chatcombe till tomorrow. They would be very pleased to give Mr Strangeways a lift down in their car and would call for him sharp at 9.00 a.m. Nigel thought it politic to accept this semi-royal invitation, though four or five hours of Lord Marlinworth’s reminiscences in such a confined space would be likely to give him a headache.
    On the stroke of nine the next morning the Daimler drew up outside Nigel’s door. To his aunt and uncle road travel was still a complicated adventure, not to be undertaken lightly. Although the saloon car was as draughtless and dustless as a hospital ward, Lady Marlinworth habitually carried a thick motoring-veil, several layers of petticoat and a bottle of smelling salts for any journey of more than twenty miles. Her husband, in an enormous check ulster, cloth cap and goggles, looked like a cross between Edward the Seventh and Guy Fawkes—a point the cluster of street urchins which had rapidly formed was not slow to take up. A valet and Lady Marlinworth’s personal maid were taking the luggage down by train; but the spacious interior of the car was chock-a-block with enough equipment for a polar expedition. Getting in, Nigel barked his shin on a gigantic hamper, and the way to his seat seemed to be paved with hot-water bottles.
    When he was at last settled in, Lord Marlinworth consulted his watch, unfolded an ordnance map, took up the speaking-tube and, with the air of a Wellington ordering the whole line to advance, said, ‘Cox, you may proceed.’
    During the journey Lord Marlinworth kept up a ceaseless flow of light conversation. As they passed through the suburbs, he commented unfavourably upon their architecture and drew a parallel between it and the makeshift character of twentieth-century civilisation. At the same time he generously conceded that the people who lived there played no doubt a necessary part in the community and were admirable persons in their way. The country reached, he alternated between calling his companion’s attention to