[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.He could do nothing for the girl; not so much assuggest a woman who would keep her company.He could not guess that at thatmoment, when his heart ached for her, Mary had a companion, and thatcompanion a woman.57CHAPTER 16Long after Johnny Lenley had been taken away Mary Lenley sat numbed,paralysed to inaction by the overwhelming misfortune which had come to her.She sat at the table, her hands clasped before her, staring down at the whitecloth until her eyes ached.She wished she could weep, but no tears had come.The only reminder she had of the drama that had been played out under thatroof was the empty feeling in her breast; it was as though her heart had beentaken from her.Johnny a thief! It wasn t possible; she was dreaming.Presently she wouldwake up from this horrible nightmare, hearing his voice calling her from thelawn& But she was not at Lenley Court: she was in a block of industrial flats,sitting on a cheap chair, and Johnny was in a prison cell.The horror of it madeher blood run cold.And Alan  what vicious trick of fate had made himJohnny s captor? She had a vivid memory of that scene which had precededJohnny s arrest.Every word Alan had spoken had been burnt into her brain.Too well she realised that Wembury had risked everything to save her brother.He had given him a chance.Johnny had only to keep silence and spend thenight in getting rid of those pearls, and he would have been with her now.Buthis fatal hauteur had been his undoing.She had no bitterness in her soul againstAlan Wembury, only a great sorrow for him, and the memory of his drawn facehurt her almost as much as Johnny s mad folly.She heard the bell tinkle faintly.It rang three times before she understood thatsomebody was at the front door.Alan perhaps, she thought, and, getting upstiffly, went out into the hall and opened the door.A woman stood there dressedin a long black mackintosh; a black hat enhanced the fairness of her hair andskin.She was beautiful, Mary saw, and apparently a lady. You ve made some mistake  she began. You re Mary Lenley, aren t you?An American, noted Mary, and looked her astonishment. Can I see you?The girl stood aside, and Cora Ann Milton walked into the room and lookedround.There was a faint hint of disparagement in her glance, which Mary wastoo miserable to resent. You re in trouble, aren t you?Uninvited, she sat down by the half-opened drawer of the table, took ajewelled case from her bag and lit a cigarette.58 Yes, I m in trouble  great trouble, said Mary, wondering how this womanknew, and what had brought her here at such an hour. I guessed that.I hear Wembury pulled your brother for a jewel theft  hecaught him with the goods, I guess?Mary nodded slowly. Yes, the pearls were in this house.I had no knowledge that they were here.She wondered in a dim way whether this American was Lady Darnleigh; somany members of the aristocracy have been recruited from the United Statesthat it was possible. My name s Milton  Cora Ann Milton, said the woman, but the namemeant nothing to Mary Lenley. Never heard of me, kid?Mary shook her head.She was weary in body and soul, impatient that thisintruder into her sorrow should leave her. Never heard of The Ringer?Mary looked up quickly. The Ringer? You mean the criminal who is wanted by the police? Wanted by everybody, honey.Despite the flippancy of her tone, Cora Ann s voice shook a little. By me more than anybody else  I m his wife!Mary got up quickly from her chair.It was incredible! This beautiful creaturethe wife of a man who walked everlastingly in the shadow of the gallows! I m his wife, nodded Cora Ann. You don t think it s a thing to boastabout? That s where you re wrong. And then, abruptly:  You re working forMeister, aren t you? I am working for Mr.Meister, said Mary quietly;  but really, Mrs.  Mrs.Milton, prompted Cora.  Mrs.Milton, I don t quite understand the object of your visit at this time ofnight.Cora Ann Milton was regarding the room with shrewd, appraising eyes. It s not much of an apartment you ve got, but it s better than that cute littlesuite of Meister s.She saw the colour come into the girl s face and her eyes narrowed. He s shown it to you eh? Gosh, that fellow s a quick worker! I don t understand what you mean. Mary was slow to anger, but now shefelt her resentment merging into anger.At the back of her mind was a confusedidea that, but for Johnny s misfortune, this woman would never have dared tosee her.It was as though his arrest had qualified her for admission to theconfidence of the underworld. If you don t know what I mean, I won t say much more about it, said thewoman coolly. Does Meister know I m back?59Mary shook her head.Mrs [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]