A Pocket Full of Rye Read Online Free PDF Page B

it—unofficially. Off the record, so to speak?”
    â€œGo ahead then, Miss Dove. I’ve no witness, as you’ve already observed.”
    She leaned back, swinging one slim foot and narrowing her eyes.
    â€œLet me start by saying that I’ve no feeling of loyalty to my employers. I work for them because it’s a job that pays well and I insist that it should pay well.”
    â€œI was a little surprised to find you doing this type of job. It struck me that with your brains and education—”
    â€œI ought to be confined in an office? Or compiling files in a Ministry? My dear Inspector Neele, this is the perfect racket. People will pay anything— anything —to be spared domestic worries. To find and engage a staff is a thoroughly tedious job. Writing to agencies, putting in advertisements, interviewing people, making arrangements for interviews, and finally keeping the whole thing running smoothly—it takes a certain capacity which most of these people haven’t got.”
    â€œAnd suppose your staff, when you’ve assembled it, runs out on you? I’ve heard of such things.”
    Mary smiled.
    â€œIf necessary, I can make the beds, dust the rooms, cook a meal and serve it without anyone noticing the difference. Of course I don’t advertise that fact. It might give rise to ideas. But I can always be sure of tiding over any little gap. But there aren’t often gaps. I work only for the extremely rich who will pay anything to be comfortable. I pay top prices and so I get the best of what’s going.”
    â€œSuch as the butler?”
    She threw him an amused, appreciative glance.
    â€œThere’s always that trouble with a couple. Crump stays because of Mrs. Crump, who is one of the best cooks I’ve ever come across. She’s a jewel and one would put up with a good deal to keep her. Our Mr. Fortescue likes his food—liked, I should say. In this household nobody has any scruples and they have plenty of money. Butter, eggs, cream, Mrs. Crump can command what she likes. As for Crump, he just makes the grade. His silver’s all right, and his waiting at table is not too bad. I keep the key of the wine cellar and a sharp eye on the whisky, and gin, and supervise his valeting.”
    Inspector Neele raised his eyebrows.
    â€œThe admirable Miss Crichton.”
    â€œI find one must know how to do everything oneself. Then—one need never do it. But you wanted to know my impressions of the family.”
    â€œIf you don’t mind.”
    â€œThey are really all quite odious. The late Mr. Fortescue was the kind of crook who is always careful to play safe. He boasted a great deal of his various smart dealings. He was rude and overbearing in manner and was a definite bully. Mrs. Fortescue, Adele—was his second wife and about thirty years younger than he was. He came across her at Brighton. She was a manicurist on the look out for big money. She is very good-looking—a real sexy piece, if you know what I mean.”
    Inspector Neele was shocked but managed not to show it. A girl like Mary Dove ought not to say such things, he felt.
    The young lady was continuing composedly:
    â€œAdele married him for his money, of course, and his son, Percival, and his daughter, Elaine, were simply livid about it. They’re as nasty as they can be to her, but very wisely she doesn’t care or even notice. She knows she’s got the old man where she wants him. Oh dear, the wrong tense again. I haven’t really grasped yet that he’s dead. . . .”
    â€œLet’s hear about the son.”
    â€œDear Percival? Val, as his wife calls him. Percival is a mealy-mouthed hypocrite. He’s prim and sly and cunning. He’s terrified of his father and has always let himself be bullied, but he’s quite clever at getting his own way. Unlike his father he’s mean about money. Economy is one of his passions. That’s why