Part 23 (1/2)
”When was that exactly ?”
”Let me see--it must have been one, two--nearly three
weeks before his death was announced.”
”Did he seem--ill ?”
”Well, no, I wouldn't say he seemed exactly ill. lie had a very hearty vigorous manner. Mrs. Lansquenet was very surprised to see him. She said, ' Well, really, Richard, after all these years l' And he said, 'I came to see for myself exactly how things are with you.' And Mrs. Lansquenet said, ' I'm all right.' I think, you know, she was a teeny bit offended by his turning up so casually--after the long break.
Anyway Mr. Abernethie said, ' No use keeping up old griev-ances.
You and I and Timothy are the only ones left--and n.o.body can talk to Timothy except about his own health.'
And he sad, Perre seems to have. made yo happy, so t seems I was in the wrong. There, will that content you ? '
Very nicely he said it. A handsome man, though elderly, of course.”
”How long was he here ?”
”He stayed for lunch. Beef olives, I made. Fortunately it was the day the butcher called.”
Miss Gilchrist's memory seemed to be alraost wholly culinary.
”They seemed to be getting on well together ?”
”Oh, yes.”
Susa paused and then said:
”Was Aunt Cora surprised when--he died ?”
”Oh yes, it was quite sudden, wasn't it ?”
”Yes, it was sudden... I meant--she was su,.rprised. He hadn't given her any indication how ill he was.'
”Oh--I see what you mean.” Miss Gilchrist paused a moment. ”No, no, I think perhaps you are right. She did
say that he had got very old--I think she said senile...”
”But you didn't think he was senile ?”
”Well, not to look at. But I didn't talk to him much, naturally I left them alone together.”
Susan looked at Miss Gilchrist speculatively. Was Miss Gilchrist the kind of woman who listened at doors ? She was honest, Susan felt sure, she wouldn't ever pilfer, or cheat over the housekeeping, or open letters. But inquisitiveness can drape itself in a mantle of rect.i.tude. Miss Gilhrist might
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have found it necessary to garden near an open window, or to dust the hall... That would be within the permitted lengths. And then, of course, she could not have helped hearing someth, ing...
”You didn t hear 'any of their conversation ? ' Susan asked.
Too abrupt. Miss Gfichrist flushed angrily.
”No, indeed, Mrs. Banks. It has never been my custom to listen at doors I”
That means she does, thought Susan, otherwise she'd just say ”No.”
Aloud she said: ”I'm so sorry, Miss Gilchrist. I didn't mean it that way. But sometimes, in these small flimsily built cottages, one simply can't help hearing nearly everything that goes on, and now that they are both dead, it's really rather important to the fam,y to know just what was said at that meeting between them.'
The cottage was anything but flimsily built--it dated from a st.u.r.dier era of building, but Miss Gilchrist accepted the bait, and rose to the suggestion held. out.
”Of course what you say is quite true, Mrs. Banks---this is a very small place and I do appreciate that yu would want to know what pa.s.sed between them, but really I m afraid I can't help v,e? much. I think they were talking about Mr. Abernethie s health--and certain--well, fandes he had.