The Tiger in the Well by Philip Pullman Read Free Book Online Page A

House. "I feel such a fool. He knew who I was from the start; and I thought I was being so clever. ..."
    Harriet was upstairs in the bath, and soon, when Sarah-Jane had put her to bed, Sally would go up and spend a little

    time with het, making up stories or singing nursery rhymes. For the moment she and Margaret were alone, and the kettle hissing on the hearth and the occasional clop of hooves on the road outside the front gate were the only sounds. Sally usually liked to watch the light fading from the garden, but she'd drawn the curtains early tonight; it looked less like light fading than like darkness gathering, and she wanted to keep it out.
    There was a knock, and EUie came in to remove the tea things. She was a steady, pleasant girl who'd worked for the Garlands when they lived in Bloomsbury, before the fire in which Frederick had died. She'd recently become engaged to the local doctor's groom, so she'd be leaving. Sally was pleased for her, but sorry to be losing her.
    A thought occurred to Sally as she handed EUie her cup and saucer.
    "Ellie," she said, "how many people knew that Mr. Webster and Mr. Jim were going to be away.''"
    "What, people in the town, miss.? I should think most people that knows 'em. It wasn't a secret, as you might say."
    "Have you told anyone where they were going.^*"
    "Only Sidney, miss. My intended. Have I done wrong.
    miss
    "No, not at all. But is there anyone who knows, for instance, that they're way off in the jungle now.? Have you talked about Jim's latest letter, for instance.?"
    "Well, only Cook, I should think, miss. I can't remember really. Oh, now wait a minute. That letter with the ink that'd run—that last one—you remember, miss, you said it must have fallen in the Amazon. You read me what he'd writ, all about shrunken heads and that, and how he said him and Mr. Webster would either come home in a ship or in a cardboard box. That made Cook laugh, that did. She said if they sent his shrunken head home she'd hang it up over the stove to keep the flies off the meat. Anyway, miss, we was talking about this in the kitchen, and the knife man was there. He joined in as well; we had a right old laugh. I know you

    shouldn't laugh at that really, but Mr. Jim would laugh more than anyone,"
    "Of course he would. Who's the knife man?"
    "I forget his name. Cook might know. The old knife cleaner, when he gave up last year, this feller came along instead. He comes once a month to sharpen the knives and scissors and all that, miss. But it's a funny thing ..."
    "What's funny, Ellie.?"
    "Well, he don't go to Dr. Talbot's. Sidney says old Mr. Pratt—the old knife cleaner—he still calls there. But he doesn't come here anymore; this new man does. Very friendly, ever so interested in everything, and he does a good job too. I mean, old Mr. Pratt, he was ever so slow. I don't think Cook would've told Mr. Pratt not to come anymore, she wouldn't do that, but it was just that this new man knocked one day and said Mr. Pratt had had to give up, and did we want his trade. Have I done anything wrong, miss.'"'
    "Of course not, Ellie. When's he due to come again, do you know.-^"
    "He came last week, so he won't be back for a while now. He doesn't come regular, he just calls every month or thereabouts."
    "Next time he comes, could you let me know without telling him.^ Just come and find me and tell me he's in the kitchen."
    "Right you are. Miss Lockhart. I'll remember."
    She gathered up the teacups and plates, and left.
    Margaret said, "A spy, then."
    "It sounds like it, doesn't it.'"'
    "D'you think you ought to go to the police.'"'
    "They'd laugh, Margaret. Where's the crime.? Don't forget, this man's married to me, or so they'd think. He's probably got every right to spy on his wife."
    "Well, your lawyer, then. Tell him."
    "Yes, I'll do that," said Sally. "I suppose that might help."
    Shortly afterward, Margaret left for the station, and Sally went up to Harriet. They had an extra long time