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How simple women were, even clever women! He had long ceased to be
amazed at their immense capacity for believing.
Credulity was one of the weaknesses of human-kind that he could never
understand.
But, Maurice, isn t this as good an opportunity as we can get? Nobody will
interrupt you& why, you are here with your clients for hours on end! Tell me
about the cheque and how he came to forge it. I want to get things right.
He spread out his hands in a gesture of mock helplessness.
What a child you are, Mary! How can you imagine that I would be in the
mood to talk of Johnny, or plan for you? Keep your promise, my dear!
She faced him squarely.
Maurice, I m going to be awfully plain-spoken.
What was coming? he wondered. There was a new resolution in her voice, a
new courage in her eyes. She was so unlike the wilting, terrified being of the
morning that he was for a moment staggered.
Do you really wish me to come tonight& just to talk about the cheque that
Johnny has forged?
He was so taken aback by the directness of the question that he could not for
the moment answer.
Why, of course, he said at length. Not only about the forgery, but there are
so many other matters which we ought to talk over, Mary. If you re really going
into the country, we must devise ways and means. You can t go flying off into
Devonshire, or wherever it is you intend settling, at a minute s notice. I am
getting some catalogues from one of my from a house agent I represent. We
can look over these together
Maurice, is that true? I want to know. I m not a child any longer. You must
tell me.
She had never looked more lovely to him than in that moment of challenge.
Mary, he began, I am very fond of you
What does that mean that you love me?
The cold-bloodedness of the question took his breath away.
Does it mean, you love me so much that you want to marry me? she asked.
Why, of course, he stammered. I am awfully fond of you. But marriage is
one of the follies that I have so far avoided. Does it mean anything, my dear? A
few words mumbled by a paid servant of the Church&
Then you don t want to marry me, Maurice? she said quietly. I am right
there, aren t I?
Of course, if you wish me he began hastily.
She shook her head.
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I don t love you and I don t wish to marry you, if that is what you mean,
she said. What do you really want of me?
She was standing close to him when she asked the question, and in another
instant she was struggling in his arms.
I want you you! he breathed. Mary, there is no woman in the world like
you& I adore you&
Summoning all her strength, she broke free from his grasp and held him
breathlessly at arm s length.
I see! She could hardly articulate the words. I guessed that. Maurice, I
shall not come to this house tonight.
Meister did not speak. The wild rush of passion which had overcome him had
left him curiously weak. He could only look at her; his eyes burnt. Once he put
up his trembling hand as though to control his lips.
I want you here tonight. The voice was scarcely audible. You have been
frank with me; I will be as frank with you. I want you: I want to make you
happy. I want to take away all the dread and fear that clouds your life. I want to
move you from that squalid home of yours. You know what has happened to
your brother, don t you? He s been released on ticket-of-leave. He has two
years and five months to serve. If I prefer a charge of forgery against him, he
will get seven years and the extra time he has not served. Nine and a half
years& you realise what that means? You ll be over thirty before you see him
again.
He saw her reel, thinking she was going to faint, caught her by the arm, but
she shook off his hand.
That puts the matter in a different light, doesn t it?
He read agreement in a face which was as white as death.
Is there no other way, Maurice? she asked in a low voice. No service I
can render you? I would work for you as a housekeeper, as a servant I would
be your best friend, whatever happened to you, your loyalist helper.
Meister smiled.
You re getting melodramatic, my dear, and that is stupid. What a fuss over a
little supper party, a little flirtation.
Her steady eyes were of his.
If I told Johnny she began slowly.
If you told Johnny, he d come here, and be. even more melodramatic. I
should telephone for the police and that would be the end of Johnny. You
understand?
She nodded dumbly.
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CHAPTER 37
At five o clock Meister told her she could go home for the evening. Her head
was aching; she had done practically no work that afternoon, for the letters were
blurred and illegible specks of black that swam before her eyes. No further
reference was made to the visit of the evening, and she hurried from the house
into the dark street. A thin fog lay on Deptford as she threaded a way along the
crowded side-walk of High Street.
Suppose she went to Alan? The thought only occurred to be rejected. She
must work out her own salvation. Had Johnny been at home when she arrived,
she might have told him, even if he had not guessed from her evident distress
that something unusual had occurred.
But he was out; had left a note on the table saying that he had gone to town to
see a man he knew. She remembered the name after a while; it was a gentleman
farmer who had been a neighbour of theirs in the old days at Lenley. It was a
dismal thought that all these preparations of Johnny s would come to naught if
She shuddered. Either prospect she did not dare think about.
She went to her room and presently came her little maid-of-all-work with the
announcement that a gentleman had called to see her.
I can t see anybody. Who is it?
I don t know, miss. He s a fellow with a beard.
She walked quickly past the girl across the dining-room into the tiny hall.
You don t know me, I think, said the man at the door. My name is Bliss.
Her heart sank. Why had this man come from Scotland Yard? Had Maurice,
in one of those paroxysms of unreasonable temper, sent him?
Come in, please.
He walked into the room, a cigarette drooping from his bearded mouth, and
slowly took off his hat, as though he were reluctant to pay even this tribute of
respect to her.
I understand your brother s been released from prison today or was it
yesterday?
Yesterday, she said. He came home this morning.
To her surprise, he made no further reference to Johnny, but took from his
pocket a morning newspaper and folded it to show a column on the front page.
She read the advertisement his finger indicated.
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X2Z. LBa4T. QQ57g.
LL418TS. A79Bf.
What does it mean? she asked.
That is what I want to know, said Bliss, fixing his dark eyes on her. It is a
message either from The Ringer to his wife, or from his wife to The Ringer, and
it is in a code which was left at this flat last week. I want you to show me that
code.
I m sorry, Mr. Bliss she shook her head but the code was stolen I
thought by
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