Through The Wall by Patricia Wentworth Read Free Book Online Page B

coming.”
    Cassy twisted her fingers.
    “Oh, Felix—I don’t think we can. Mr. Ashton—it’s her house, you know. Everything belongs to her now. She could turn us right out. It isn’t as if we had our own furniture or anything—it’s all hers.”
    He said, “I wasn’t speaking to you.” He met his mother’s stare. “You’d better wire and say the house is full.”
    Florence Brand’s face did not change at all. It was heavy, without any look of youth, but there were no lines on the pale, smooth skin.
    “Do you think that would be wise?”
    “I don’t care whether it’s wise or not.”
    Mrs. Brand appeared to consider this. When she spoke it was with great deliberation.
    “Eliza Cotton will not want to leave her room. I understand that she is, legally, in Marian’s service. There can therefore be no objection to her remaining on that side of the house. That leaves us four bedrooms and the attic on this side.”
    “Do you propose to put Helen in the attic?”
    Her answer was as bland as oil.
    “No. I hardly think that would be suitable. I thought perhaps Penny.”
    His face darkened.
    “Why?”
    “Well, your room would hardly be suitable—too small and cold. But I could move Penny to the attic, and Miss Adrian could have her room. She would not, in any case, care to be on Marian’s side of the house. It would not be pleasant for her to feel that she was being forced upon a stranger—would it?”
    Some sort of clash made itself apparent. Miss Cassy darted her birdlike glances at her sister’s face, which showed nothing, and at her nephew’s, which showed too much. There was a malicious sparkle in the bright blue eyes. She discerned the pressure of Florence’s formidable will, the resistance with which Felix opposed it, the moment when the resistance broke down. She was even aware of why it broke. Did he really want Helen Adrian on the far side of the house? He was fond of Penny. He didn’t like her being sent up to the attic. Penny wouldn’t like it either. Not only Cassy’s eyes but all her thoughts sparkled as she considered how pleased Penny would be at being sent up to the attic to make room for Helen Adrian. And Felix—dear me, how positively murderous he was looking. Of course he didn’t like it either— not at first—not whilst he was thinking about Penny—not until he began to remember that he would have Helen Adrian just across the landing. Ah—he was beginning to think of it now!
    She sipped her coffee and watched him over the rim of the Minton cup. He looked away, stared down at the letters, and said angrily,
    “Have it your own way! It’s all damnable!” Without sitting down he made himself a cup of coffee, gulped it down without milk or sugar, put an apple in his pocket, and went out of the room, banging the door behind him.
    He met Penny Halliday on the stairs and turned an accusing frown on her.
    “You’re late.”
    “About five minutes later than you, darling. Besides, I’ve been turning out the attic.”
    “What for?”
    “Well, Eliza will have to come over here, won’t she? And do you see her turning it out herself?”
    “Did they tell you to do it?”
    “Well, yes.”
    “Which of them?”
    “Aunt Cassy has been kind of hinting all round it for days, and yesterday Aunt Florence told me to get on with it.”
    “For Eliza?”
    A look of surprise came and went.
    “I suppose so.”
    He said in his most brutal voice,
    “It isn’t for Eliza, it’s for you.”
    Standing on the step above him, her eyes were almost level with his. They were brown eyes, round and clear. They matched her short brown curls, which she wore in an out-of-date bob. She stood there, small, and slight, and straight, with one hand resting on the banister. She leaned on it and said,
    “I don’t know what you mean.”
    “Helen’s coming on Monday. They’re giving her your room. You’re to have the attic.”
    She had a round childish face and a soft red mouth. Her skin was berry-brown