A Death in Two Parts Read Online Free PDF Page A

certainly changed, Patience thought, surrendering herself to a highly perfumed embrace.
    â€œPatience, my lamb, it’s heaven to see you. You’re an angel to come, and, bless you, you’ve got my cape. No, no, keep it on; it’s cold in here – you’d think at least there’d be enough heating on a fast train – going to the dogs we are, my dear, and quickly, but at least you’ll find things pretty comfortable at the Hall. We had central heating put in just after the war, you know, and it’s wonderful how Joseph manages to get hold of coal to run it on – he has the most useful friends, the lamb. You remember Joseph, don’t you, my pet?”
    Patience remembered old Mrs Ffeathers’ younger son with a minimum of enthusiasm as a red-faced man who did something in the City and came home smelling of beer to pinch little girls where they liked it least. “Yes, indeed,” she said. “Does he still go up to town every day?”
    â€œGood Lord, no. You are behind the times. He did wonderfully in the war one way and another and he’s been resting on his laurels ever since.”
    â€œReally,” Patience was amazed. “I’d have thought he was –” she hesitated, then braved it – “a bit old for the army.”
    â€œThe army?” Josephine raised enamelled eyebrows. “Who said anything about the army? No, no, the home front, my dear, the home front. Supplies and buildings and all those things – he made a packet, I can tell you. You should see Emily in her pearls.”
    â€œHow is Emily?” Patience had forgotten all about Joseph’s insignificant wife, probably because everyone else always did.
    â€œOh, pale as ever. I wanted her to come up with me this time and get something done about her face – really, my dear, you should see it – too dreary – but she said Joseph was satisfied with her the way she was … of course he is, never looks at her from month’s end to month’s end. Lucky she’s got that fish-faced girl to keep her occupied. Lord, you should hear Mark on his cousin Priss – she wanted to be a social worker, would you believe it! A Ffeathers a social worker! Mother put her foot down pretty hard about that, I can tell you. Poor old Priss; if you ask me it was anything to get away from the Hall. She fell with a crash for Mark – they all do, my lamb, they all do – and of course he’d as soon takeout an earwig.” She paused and lit another cigarette. “But tell me all about yourself, my sweet; Paul says you’re quite the young intellectual these days, but you look all right, thank God. I was prepared for the worst when he said that. Mary wanted to go to Girton while Mark was up, but I wasn’t having any of that; just spoiling your market, that’s what it is. You’ll live to be thankful you didn’t finish; what in the name of goodness does a girl want with a lot of phoney education? Just tell me that.”
    Patience did not try. “What is Mary doing?” she asked.
    â€œGetting in and out of engagements so fast I’ve lost count,” said her mother proudly. “You must have seen pictures of her in the columns. She’s got a flat in town now but she’ll be down for Christmas. She’s bringing a friend – such a charming young man – Tony Wetherall. He actually has a job – public relations or something for one of the papers; I never remember which, but it works out beautifully. He has tickets for everything, my dear; Mary adores it. They are going to the opera tonight or she’d have come down with us, but I’m delighted to have a chance to hear all about you before we get down to that madhouse. I do hope you’ll be happy, my pet. Mother’s a bit difficult at times, but all she needs is handling. I know you’re just the person for it, and the trouble is the rest of us have such a