Jumping Jenny by Anthony Berkeley Read Free Book Online Page B

chap, and she leads him an absolute dog’s life. Oh, well, thank heaven I’m a bachelor.”
    “Very temporarily, though?”
    “Oh, very,” said Ronald with a laugh.
    “Once a married man, always a married man, I’m afraid,” Roger said compassionately. “Both you and your brother are marrying types, aren’t you?”
    “Yes, I suppose so,” Ronald agreed, and swallowed a sip of his whisky-and-soda. “Poor David, though. A first marriage should never be binding.”
    Roger, who had heard something like this already during the evening, knew what line to take. “One develops,” he said tactfully.
    “Yes, of course. But apart from that one hasn’t the knowledge of the other sex. An experienced man might have seen through Ena during the engagement, and been able to save his soul; David was far too green. And now that he has …”
    “Seen through her?”
    “No, met the girl who would be exactly right for him. Yes, it’s very tough luck.”
    “There’s no chance of a friendly divorce?”
    “None! Ena would certainly never agree. She’s got her bird in its cage, and it wouldn’t be she who’d ever open the door. So David hasn’t approached her on the topic at all. She’d only be more impossible than ever if she knew he was in love with someone else. I don’t know why I’m telling you all this, Sheringham.”
    “You should drink beer instead of whisky,” Roger suggested.
    “Perhaps that’s it. Anyhow, I apologise for inflicting all this family history on you. It can’t possibly interest you.”
    “On the contrary, all human relationships interest me, especially tangles. But I really am very sorry for your brother. Isn’t it possible for anything to be done?”
    “Nothing short of murder,” said Ronald gloomily.
    “And that,” said Roger, “always does seem to me a little drastic. Well, here’s luck to you, Ronald, at any rate.”
    “Thanks,” said Ronald, brightening. “Yes, my goodness, Sheringham, I’ve struck it lucky. Agatha really is …”
    His conversation threatened to become maudlin. Ronald should have stuck to beer.
    “Yes, rather,” said Roger hastily. “Look here, hadn’t we better be getting back to the ballroom?”
     

CHAPTER IV
     
    SOMEONE IS MURDERED
I
    Dr. Philip Chalmers ran his car into the garage-yard, which had once been the stable-yard. His radiator had nearly boiled on the way back, and he wanted to fill it up now and not keep Lucy waiting when they came down. He had had to drive past, but not across, the big semicircle of gravel in front of the house to reach the yard, and in the moonlight had seen three cars still standing there, so evidently the party had not broken up yet. Without bothering to work it out, Dr. Chalmers knew that one of these cars must be the Mitchells’, one the David Strattons’, and the other the one which had brought Margot Stratton and Mike Armstrong from London, whither they were returning that night. The party therefore remained exactly as he had left it three-quarters of an hour ago.
    Dr. Chalmers was a little sorry, because that meant that it would be he who would break up the gathering. Lucy would be annoyed, too, because the visit had not taken so long as he had expected; he had been only three-quarters of an hour over it instead of the hour he had promised her. But that could not be helped. Dr. Chalmers was tired; and he intended to get to bed as soon as he possibly could, party or no party, Lucy or no Lucy. Late hours did not suit him any longer. Dr. Chalmers mildly envied Ronald, who, in spite of being three years older, seemed to thrive on late hours.
    While he was filling his radiator he heard one of the cars starting up and, a moment later, saw its tail-light disappearing down the drive. That was rather a relief. He and Lucy would not now be the first to leave. As, a minute later, he passed the two remaining cars on his way to the front door, Dr. Chalmers had the curiosity to see which one it was that had gone. He noticed