No Wind of Blame

‘Oh, Alexis, joking at such a time! Oh, how could you think I’d be so frightful?’

‘You are overwrought, then. As for your Police Inspector, I snap my fingers at him, so! Do not trouble your so lovely little head on my account, my Vicky!’

A telephone-bell had rung in the distance a minute or two before, and Peake now came into the hall to tell Mary that Mr Steel wished to speak to her.

She pulled herself out of her chair. ‘All right, Peake; I’ll take it in the library,’ she said.

Steel’s voice, at the other end of the wire, sounded deeper even than usual. He said: ‘That you, Mary? I’ve just heard the most incredible— It isn’t true, is it?’

‘If you mean Wally’s death, yes, it’s true.’

There was a slight pause. ‘Mary, you don’t mean he was actually murdered, do you?’

‘I’m afraid so. How did you hear of it?’

‘One of my men’s just come in with the news. He says it’s all over the village. Good God, I couldn’t believe it! Mary, how’s Ermyntrude?’

‘She’s upset, naturally. We hope to get her to bed.’

‘I’ll come over at once. We can’t talk on the telephone.’

‘Oh no, you will not come over!’ said Mary. ‘Dr Chester’s with her now, and she doesn’t want any visitors tonight. Besides, the more you stay out of this the better it’ll be, Robert. Peake heard what you said to me this morning, and he told the police.’

‘Hell, what do you think I care for

that?’

‘I don’t know, and I’m past minding, but if you come over here you won’t see Aunt Ermy, I promise you.’

There was another pause. ‘All right. I’ll wait till the morning. Tell her I rang up, won’t you?’

‘Oh yes, I’ll tell her!’ said Mary, glancing round as the door opened, and Vicky came into the room. ‘Sorry, I can’t stay any longer. Good-bye!’ She put down the receiver. ‘What have you done with the Prince, Vicky? He hasn’t gone back into the drawing-room, has he?’

‘No, upstairs. That was one time I didn’t strike on the box, wasn’t it?’

‘Did you think you were going to?’

‘Well, I thought there was just a chance. Did Robert ring up to condole?’

‘He rang up to know if it was true. He wanted to come round, but I stopped him.’

Vicky lit a cigarette, and flicked the match into the hearth. ‘Oh, I think you were frightfully right! I shouldn’t be at all taken aback if we discovered he did it, would you?’

‘Don’t!’ implored Mary. ‘Yes, of course I should. It isn’t possible!’

‘Darling, I’m simply dripping with sympathy for you, but don’t suddenly be a dewy innocent, because I don’t feel I can bear it. If Percy didn’t do it, Alexis or Robert must have. There isn’t anybody else.’

‘Vicky, don’t say things like that! You don’t know: there may have been others we’ve never heard of. What would you think if Robert or the Prince said it must be you, because you happened to be in the shrubbery at the time?’

Vicky blew a cloud of smoke. ‘But, Mary, dear pet, how could I possibly? I practically never hit anything when I take a gun out.’

‘That isn’t the impression you generally try to put across,’ said Mary dryly. ‘Anyone listening to you would imagine you were a pretty good shot.’

‘Yes, but when I give that impression, I’m just putting on an act,’ explained Vicky. ‘Actually, I’m rather a lousy shot, I think.’

‘I’ll remember to tell the Inspector so, if he asks me,’ promised Mary.

Nine