Part 38 (1/2)
I flung the door wide open and, before he could finish his sentence, ran up toto the feminine sense; he wanted to conceal it and to expose it at the saht arousewith King Edward, then the Prince of Wales I told him that if he would learn to waltz instead of prance I would dance with him, but till he did I should choose reat row; and, after sitting out two dances with the Prince, I put on my cloak and walked round to 40 Grosvenor Square without saying good night to Peter I was in oithout all rounddown, I saw Peter standing on the wall of our porch gazing across an angle of the area into the openof our library, conte into it; I raced downstairs to stop this dangerous folly, but I was too late and, as I opened the library-door, he had given a cat-like spring, knocking a flower- pot down into the area, and was by -table and scolded hireat deal of s and once he had won L500 by ju As ere talking I heard voices in the area; Peter, with the instinct of a burglar, instantly lay flat on the floor behind the sofa, his head under the valance of the chintz, and I rearette; this was all done in a second The door opened; I looked round and was blinded by the blaze of a bull's- eye lantern When it was removed from my face, I sao policeot up slowly and, withthe only possibility of Peter's full length being seen
MARGOT (with great dignity): ”Is this a practical joke?”
INSPECTOR (coolly): ”Not at all, ht to tell you a hanso this house a few o, he saw a man jump into that ”
He walked away fro his lantern over the area, peered down and saw the broken flower-pot I knew lying was more than useless and, as the truth had always servedmy father's servant, who looked sleepy, a heavy kick on the instep:
”That is quite true; a friend of o; but (looking doith a sweet an lar ”
HENRY HILL (my father's servant): ”How often I've told you,as Master Edward loses his latch-keys, there is nothing to be done and so is bound to happen! One day he will not only lose the latch-key, but his life”
INSPECTOR: ”I'htened you, madam, I will now take down your names ”
MARGOT (anxiously): ”Oh, I see, you have to report it in the police news, have you? Has the cabht have saved us all!”
I felt that I could have strangled the cab-table and, blowing the other out, led the way to the library-door, saying slowly:
”Margaret Emma Alice Tennant Do I have to addin a s to Hill) ”Your nahly roused and I regretted my kick when in a voice of thunder he said:
”Henry Hastings Appleby Hill”
I felt quite sure that my father would appear over the top of the stair and then all would be over; but, by the fortune that follows the brave, perfect silence reigned throughout the house I walked slohile Hill led the three policemen into the hall
When the front door had been barred and bolted, I ran down the back stairs and said, shtly:
”I shall tell ht, Hill”
When the coast was clear, I returned to the library with led hi fluff off his coat with an air of happy disengagement; I told him with e in the police news next day and that I was quite sure by the inspector's face that he knew exactly what had happened; that all this came from Peter's infernal teitated and eloquent, I was good for another ten , in his ht, my dear! He is a friend of mine! I wouldn't have nificent! Which shall ard, the policeman, the cabman or Hill?”
MARGOT: ”Don't be ridiculous! What do you propose doing?”
PETER (trying to kiss my hands which I had purposely put behinda chat with Inspector Wood and then with Hastings Appleby”
MARGOT: ”How do you know Inspector Wood, as you call hiood turn once”
MARGOT: ”What sort of turn?”
PETER: ”Sugar Candy insultedhim into a jelly in Brick Street, when Wood intervened and saved his life I can assure you he would do anything in the world for ht! He shall have a handso a brawl in Brick Street! How did you come to be in the East-end?”
PETER: ”East-end! Why, it's next to Down Street, out of Piccadilly”