The Dower House Mystery by Patricia Wentworth Read Free Book Online

once.”
    Ellen sniffed.
    â€œI can’t say as ’ow I do,” she said. And Amabel laughed.
    â€œNonsense, Ellen, you know quite well what I mean. I do wish you’d cheer up. You and Jenny Brown will soon have everything as nice as possible. I remember Jenny quite well—that is to say, I remember the twins, and Jenny must be one of them. Now, what was the other one’s name? Annie? Yes, that was it, Annie—Jenny and Annie. They had bright red hair, and bright brown freckles. I wonder what’s happened to Annie.”
    â€œI don’t ’old with red ’air myself,” said Ellen.
    But Amabel was not listening. The cab had turned with a lurch, just clearing a rickety gate-post, and she leaned out again, looking eagerly into the dusk.
    The drive had been dreadfully neglected. The trees met overhead, and the thickly heaped leaves were like a carpet under foot. The wheels of the cab made no sound. It was only three o’clock, but the light seemed to have failed. It was a relief to come out, as from a tunnel, upon the weed-grown gravel in front of the house.
    The cabman got down, rang the bell, opened the door of the cab. Marmaduke instantly hurled himself through the opening, and greeted Amabel’s descent with loud and piercing barks.
    â€œMarmaduke, be quiet! Ellen, do stop him. Yes, we’ll have to ring again. I don’t think they can have heard. Marmaduke! ”
    Marmaduke dodged Ellen’s umbrella, cast a green and baleful glance at her, and retreating to a safe distance, sat down and continued to bark.
    Amabel looked about her in dismay. Poor Miss Georgina! Poor Miss Harriet! What on earth would they have said to all this? Weeds everywhere—weeds and moss; dead shrubs; ivy fallen in long festoons; the very door-step filmed with green, and the brass knocker black! As she looked, the door opened slowly, hesitatingly.
    Amabel had to take a step forward before she could see anyone; the hall was so dark.
    â€œIs it Jenny Brown?” she said. “May we have a light, Jenny? It’s so dark coming in. There is electric light in the house now, isn’t there? Will you turn it on, please.”
    It was really very dark. Jenny, moving from behind the door, was only a shadow until light from a globe in the ceiling suddenly flooded everything. It showed the hall much as Amabel remembered it, and Jenny Brown, changed indeed beyond recognition. Amabel remembered two little red-haired girls with corkscrew curls, quicksilver tempers, and eyes that saw everything. She saw now a limp, faded woman with an expressionless face and pale eyes that blinked at the light. The red hair was still red, but dry and lifeless; it was arranged in tight, smooth plaits that almost covered the back of Jenny’s head.
    â€œTwenty years!” thought Amabel with half a sigh. She turned to speak to Ellen, and, turning, caught a glimpse of her own face in the Dutch mirror which hung, as it had always hung, above the iron-clamped dower chest. Its faceted border threw back the light. Amabel saw herself set in a brilliant ring, light in her eyes, and a warm flush upon her cheeks. The effect was strange and startling. It was as if she had seen her own youth, as if the years had been suddenly wiped out.
    Jenny had set tea upstairs in the little room which the two Miss Forshams had always used.
    â€œI thought the drawing-room would be so cold for you, ma’am,” she said timidly. “And I thought perhaps you’d like your tea here; and if you please, ma’am, I’ve made up the bedroom opposite for you—Miss Harriet’s bedroom that was;—and please, ma’am, will you like your maid next to you, in Miss Georgina’s room, or will I put her down the passage?”
    â€œOh, I think I’ll have Ellen next to me,” said Amabel. “Let me see, you and your mother are downstairs, are you not?”
    â€œYes, ma’am. Mr. Forsham lets us use