The Scandal at 23 Mount Street (An Angela Marchmont Mystery Book 9) by Clara Benson Read Free Book Online

brooch?’
    ‘I shall find some way of getting rid of it,’ he said. ‘There’s always a market for these things.’
    ‘Give it back,’ she said suddenly.
    ‘What?’
    ‘You heard me. Give it back. It’s not yours.’
    ‘But that won’t help. They’re not the forgiving sort.’
    ‘I didn’t mean that. I meant give it back to its rightful owners. They’ve lost their whole jewellery collection, so of course this won’t put things right, but at least it will go some way to making amends.’
    He gazed at her blankly.
    ‘But—’ he began.
    ‘Is it so difficult to understand?’ she said. ‘I thought I’d made myself clear enough.’
    ‘What do you suggest I do?’ he said. ‘Wrap it in brown paper and post it back to them with an apology?’
    ‘If you like,’ she said.
    ‘Why, that’s absurd,’ he said. He seemed astonished at the whole idea.
    ‘Listen,’ she said, ‘if you really meant what you said about giving it all up then you’ll do it. But don’t insult me by claiming that you’re going to retire for my sake when all the time you’re wandering around with stolen rubies in your pocket. I won’t stand for it. If you’re really serious about this, and if you really care in the slightest what I think of you—which I doubt—’
    ‘Of course I care what you think of me.’
    ‘Then do it,’ she said.
    Her expression held a challenge.
    ‘All right,’ he said after a moment’s hesitation. ‘I will.’
    ‘When?’
    ‘I don’t know. Now, if you like.’
    ‘Are you sure?’ said Angela, caught off guard, since she had been quite certain that he would make his excuses and leave.
    ‘Why not? I’m going away tomorrow, so the sooner the better.’
    ‘But how?’ said Angela. ‘You’re not really going to post it, are you?’
    ‘It’s not that far—not much more than an hour’s drive at this time of night, I shouldn’t think. I shall take it in person.’
    Angela stared at him, astounded. She had not expected this at all.
    ‘Good,’ she managed weakly. ‘I’m glad.’
    ‘But how will you know I’ve done it, if you won’t take my word?’ he said.
    She did not deny the implication, but came to a sudden decision. If he could be reckless, then so could she.
    ‘I’ll come with you,’ she said. ‘If you will insist on my acting as your conscience then I suppose I ought to rise to the occasion.’
    His face broke into a smile.
    ‘Splendid,’ he said. ‘Then let’s go.’

SIX
    They left at midnight, when the revellers were just attacking the giant white rabbit with yells and shrieks of glee. Angela found a woman from her party and said that she was going home, and that she would take a taxi so please not to worry about her, then ran off before any questions could be asked. Then she and Valencourt slipped out unobserved through a side door and hurried to his motor-car, which was parked not far away. Soon they were speeding along the Old Kent Road out of London. The roads were almost deserted at that time of night, and they sat mostly in silence. Angela was lost in her own thoughts, half-convinced that she was in the middle of the strangest dream, and that any moment she would wake up and find herself in her own bed—for surely she could not really be driving into deepest Kent with a notorious thief, on a mission to replace a stolen jewel, could she? And yet it had been her own idea. It was really none of her business whether he returned the thing or not, and it would have been much wiser altogether to feign unconcern as to what became of him, but she had the oddest feeling that tonight was important, and that what happened in the next few hours would somehow affect both of them for a long time to come. It was a strange impression, and one she could not shake off, but she supposed that anyone would feel the same way if they were placed in the situation in which she now found herself—which, after all, was a highly unusual one.
    At last they saw a sign for Faversham and