A Conspiracy of Ravens Read Online Free PDF Page B

face. An actor’s good looks are his stock in trade, I suppose.”
    “Yes. I thought about that.”
    They talked for some time about the accident, and finally Dora changed the subject. “I’m so sorry you weren’t named superintendent. It was so unfair ! Everyone thought you were going to get that position.”
    Actually the failure to be appointed to superintendent had cut deeply into Matthew Grant. He was next in line after Superintendent Winters, and when Winters had gone, he had expected to be promoted. He could not complain to Dora nor tell the complete truth, so he said simply, “A great deal of politics was involved. The new superintendent is Edsel Fenton. He has connections in high places.”
    “Do you think he’s an able man?”
    “Oh, very able.”
    “Well, do you like him, Matthew?”
    Dora’s use of his first name made Grant glow. “Not really. He’s not a likable person, but he’s fair enough, I suppose.”
    They talked as they drank tea and nibbled small pieces of jam cake. He was interrupted, however, when suddenly the door opened and Dora’s aunt Bertha came in. The heavyset woman had blunt features. She felt that it was her duty to see that the Newton family maintained its place and kept the proper behaviour.
    “What’s this?” Bertha said loudly, her eyes fixed on Grant. “Sitting alone in a parlour in the dark?”
    “We were just having tea, Aunt Bertha. Would you care to join us?”
    “I must say we would never have had a thing like this happen in my day!” Bertha drew herself up and aimed her rather prominent nose at Matthew Grant. “It shows a lack of propriety and good taste. I’m surprised at you, Inspector, but then, you come from a world that doesn’t understand what good manners are.”
    Grant had come to his feet, as had Aldora, when Bertha had begun her tirade, and now he bowed slightly and said, “I’m sorry if I have broken any of your rules, Lady Bertha.”
    “They’re not my rules! They’re the rules of good society, but I expect you wouldn’t know about that.”
    “Aunt Bertha,” Dora said, her eyes flashing, “you mustn’t say such things!”
    Bertha Mulvane, however, had much more to say. She was primed to deliver a long sermon on the bad manners of the lower class—in which she placed a lowly inspector from Scotland Yard. Aldora knew her aunt very well and said hurriedly, “The inspector has come to see Mr. Tremayne. Come along, Inspector. I’ll take you to his room.”
    Bertha glared at Grant and got in one parting shot. “You might buy a book on social etiquette, Inspector, and learn how to behave among the better classes.”
    A hot reply rose to Grant’s lips, but he managed to shut it off. “I’ll run out immediately, as soon as I leave here, and buy some books that will improve my behaviour.”
    Dora whispered as she led him down the hall, aware that Bertha was watching them go, “Don’t pay any attention to her, Matthew. She’s just an old grump!”

    The small parlour that had been made into a bedroom for Dylan Tremayne was brightly illuminated by the sunlight that streamed in through the big windows on one wall. Dylan was sitting across a small table from David, and as he watched the small boy, he was fascinated, as he always was, by the workings of David Trent’s active brain. He knew that Serafina did not like that David showed more interest in matters of the imagination than in science, but it pleased Dylan. He waited, watching the sunlight touch the boy’s fair hair and thinking how much it looked like Serafina’s with a distinctive curl. David’s dark blue eyes were touched with just a bit of aquamarine colour, and he was sitting on the edge of his seat, studying the board in front of him. Finally he reached out and moved one checker.
    “Now, boy, are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
    “Yes.”
    Dylan laughed. “Well, that was the right move. You see, I have no place to go except to let you jump me. Here you are.”