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for her.
Had she but known, that was exactly what he was
doing. Dodge had apprised him of his wish to marry
Trottie and he had expressed pleased surprise, de-
lighted that his attempt to play Cupid had been so
successful.
`We would wish to remain in your service, sir,'
said Dodge.
`Well, of course I couldn't manage without you,
Dodge, and having Miss Trott is a bonus, isn't it?'
`Certainly it is, sir. But what about Miss Lally?'
`Ah, yes, a matter which must be looked into as
soon as possible.'
Dodge went back to his kitchen, leaving Mr van
Linssen to sit back in his chair and allow his
thoughts to dwell upon Eulalia. A proud piece, he
reflected lovingly, who would probably deny her
love out of sheer cussedness. It was, he decided, time
to do something about that, but first things first.
194 FATE TAKES A HAND
He had had a long day six hours in Theatre, a
ward round, several private patients to see at the end
of the afternoon nevertheless, that evening he
drove to Ursula's home. He should be feeling guilty,
he thought, at putting an end to their engagement,
but it had weeks ago become a farce. Ursula had
relied on her pretty face and amusing manner to at-
tract him, and once they had become engaged she
had allowed her selfishness and impatience at his
work to take over. He had known for some time that
she was marrying him for his money and position
and not because she loved him, and he, knowing this,
had lost any feeling for her long ago since, he had
to admit, he had walked into the flower shop and
seen Eulalia...
The maid answered the door, and when he asked
if Miss Kendall was at home she said in a fluster,
`Yes, sir, in the drawing-room, but I don't know...'
He didn't wait to hear the rest of it but went up
the staircase two at a time and opened the imposing
door. Ursula was there, so was the American he had
met at the dinner party. They were so closely locked
in each other's arms that neither of them saw Fenno
for a few moments.
He didn't say anything, but stood leaning against
the door, smiling a little. Kindly Fate was helping
his plans along very nicely. It was Ursula who broke
the silence. 'So here you are, ready to spend half an
hour with me out of your precious day well, you
needn't bother! I've decided not to marry you. I'd
BETTY NEELS 195
die of boredom within a month.' She gave him a
defiant look. 'I'm going to marry Wilbur.'
Mr van Linssen strolled across the room. 'We met
at a dinner party some weeks ago, did we not?' He
shook hands with the man. 'Congratulations, and
you, Ursula. I do hope you will be very happy.' He
bent and pecked her cheek and she began to tug the
ring off her finger. 'No. Oh, no, keep it. What would
I want with a diamond ring?' He smiled a little. Eu-
lalia would get his grandmother's old-fashioned sap-
phire and rose diamond ring, handed down from one
bride to the next. He said blandly, 'I won't interrupt
your plans for the evening. I'll see myself out.'
He left the house, whistling cheerfully. He wasn't
in the least tired and he still had a good deal of plan-
ning to do.
CHAPTER NINE
MR DODGE came on the following Friday, but he
came in Mr van Linssen's car and Mr van Linssen
was driving. Eulalia was in the kitchen baking an
apple tart and it was Trottie who stumped to the door
on her crutches and let them in.
She lifted her face with the unselfconsciousness of
a child for Dodge's kiss, and was kissed in turn by
Mr van Linssen. 'She's in the kitchen,' she said.
`Arthur, help me on with my coat. We'll go the the
Boy and Horseshoe and get a bottle of sherry. I dare
say there'll be coffee by the time we get back.'
Dodge allowed his features to relax into a smile
and Mr van Linssen laughed. 'I haven't wished you
happy yet. I do with all my heart Dodge is a lucky
man.'
Eulalia had heard their voices, and when he
opened the kitchen door she was standing, the roll-
ing-pin in her hand, her face pale, her heart thumping
nineteen to the dozen. He closed the door gently be-
hind him and said, 'Hello, Eulalia. Do you intend to
whack me with that rolling-pin?'
She was having trouble with her breath. 'No, no.
I I'm surprised. I'm making apple tart that's all.'
He came up to the table. 'Oh, good, for I have
196
BETTY NEELS 197
come, so to speak, holding an olive-branch in my
hand.'
`An olive-branch?' she repeated stupidly. 'What
for?'
`I believe that it is Peter's half-term on Thursday?'
When she nodded, he added, 'I'm going to Holland
that day perhaps he might like to come with me,
and you too, of course.'
`Go with you? To Holland?' She gathered her
scattered wits together. 'We haven't passports.'
`A minor detail. Will you come, Eulalia?' He
smiled at her then, and she picked up the rolling-pin
again so that she need not look at him.
`We can't Charlie and Blossom and I won't
leave Trottie alone.'
`Well, of course not. Dodge will come and stay
with her and look after things.'
He had an answer for everything.
She tried again, still studying the rolling-pin.
`Miss Kendall is she going to Holland with you?'
`No, no. I rather think that in the near future she
will be going to the States. A most suitable match,
I gather, although I deplore his taste in ties.' She
raised her eyes long enough to inspect his Italian
silk, richly sombre and probably wildly expensive.
He went on in a casual voice, 'We er agreed to
differ on the subject of marrying.'
`None of this has anything to do with me,' said
Eulalia in a high voice.
`Don't be a silly girl. All I am doing is offering
198 FATE TAKES A HAND
Peter and you a few days' holiday. You will stay at
my home but I shall be away almost all of the time.
Is it not a good opportunity for Dodge and Trottie
to get to know each other?' He added in a smug
voice, 'We mustn't be selfish.'
She rolled the pastry for an unnecessary length of
me. 'Would you take Peter alone? There's really no
ti
need for me to go with him.'
`My dear girl, am I expected to see that he changes
his socks and washes behind his ears?'
`No. Isn't there another woman there to do that?'
She glanced up and saw his smile. 'Oh, yes, sev-
eral. You will be quite safe, Eulalia.'
Well, I'll have to think about it.' She tried to
`
sound cool but her voice wobbled a bit at the thought
of spending several days with him.
`13y all means,' he agreed affably. 'You can tell
me when we've had coffee.'
`I said think about it,' she said crossly, 'and I must
ask Peter...'
`Without wishing to state the obvious, I suspect
that he will want to go.' He wandered off to meet
Trottie and Dodge as they came in, and Eulalia made
coffee and found the biscuits, and if she didn't have
overmuch to say for herself no one appeared to no-
tice.
Dodge washed the cups and saucers, and she sat
uneasily while Trottie and Mr van Linssen discussed
the weather. 'It's getting chilly,' he observed. 'Hol-
BETTY NEELS 199
land always seems colder. Well, it is, of course. You
had better bring something warm with you, Eulalia.'
Trottie looked suitably surprised. 'Going on a bit
of a holiday, Miss Lally and Peter too? Do you
both good, that peaked you've been looking lately.'
Eulalia shot him a dark look. A mean trick, pin-
ning her down to give an answer with Trottie there.
`I haven't...' she began, and caught his eye. He
wasn't smiling but something in his steady look
made her pause. She said weakly, powerless, it
seemed, to prevent her tongue from uttering the
words, 'Yes, we're going on holiday, Trottie just
for a few days it's Peter's half-term.'
`I dare say Holland's as nice as England,' said
Trottie. 'Well, almost. I've not much liking for for-
eign parts, myself.' She smiled at Mr van Linssen.
`Begging your pardon, though I don't count you as
foreign.'
`You flatter me, Trottie. You shall come to
Holland with Dodge later. He considers it quite a
pleasant place.'
He got to his feet. 'Well, we must go. I'm sorry I
can't stop to see Peter, but I've a list at three o'clock.
If I'm to take some time off I must work a little
harder first. Eulalia, get your passports from the post
office they'll only be temporary but we can get per-
manent ones later on. I'll be here quite early on [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]