Inspector Alleyn 3-Book Collection 2: Death in Ecstasy, Vintage Murder, Artists in Crime. Ngaio Marsh

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       CHAPTER 7 Janey and Maurice

      Miss Jenkins was one of those women who are instinctively thought of by their Christian names. She looked like a Janey. She was shortish, compact, with straight hair, well brushed, snapping black eyes, snub nose, and an amusing mouth. Without being pretty she was attractive. Her age was about twenty-two. She walked briskly towards Alleyn, sat down composedly and said: ‘Well, Inspector Alleyn, let’s get it over. I’ll answer any questions you like, compromising or uncompromising, as long as it’s over quickly.’

      ‘I thank whatever gods may be,’ rejoined Alleyn, ‘and there are enough to begin with on the premises, if you’ll excuse my saying so.’

      ‘We are rather generously endowed, aren’t we?’ said Janey.

      ‘You must forgive me. I didn’t mean to be offensive.’

      ‘You weren’t. I’m not altogether an ass. This is rather a rum show, I dare say.’

      ‘You don’t talk like my idea of an Initiate.’

      ‘Don’t I? Well perhaps I’m not a very good one. I’m thinking of back-sliding, Inspector Alleyn. Oh, not because of this awful business. At least – I don’t know. Perhaps it has shown us up in rather an unattractive light.’ She paused and wrinkled her forehead. ‘It all seems very bogus to you I expect, but – but – there’s something in it or I thought so.’

      ‘When I was an undergraduate I became a Plymouth Brother for two months. It seemed frightfully important at the time. I believe nowadays they go in for Black Magic.’

      ‘Yes, Maurice tried that when he was up. Then he switched over to this.’

      ‘You speak of Mr Pringle?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘Did he introduce you to this church?’

      ‘Clever of you,’ said Janey. ‘Yes, he did.’

      ‘When was this?’

      ‘Oh, about six months ago.’

      ‘You have advanced rather quickly, surely.’

      ‘This was my first evening as an Initiate. Maurice has been one for some time. I was to have begun special instruction next week.’

      ‘You don’t mean to go on with it?’

      ‘I don’t,’ said Janey.

      ‘Would you mind telling me why?’

      ‘I think perhaps I would.’ She looked thoughtfully at Alleyn. ‘No, I’ll tell you. I’ve got my doubts about it. I’ve had my doubts about it for some time, to be quite honest.’

      ‘Then why –’

      ‘Maurice was so terribly keen. You see we’re engaged. He could talk of nothing else. He’s awfully highly strung – terribly sensitive – and – sort of vulnerable, and I thought –’

      ‘You thought you would keep an eye on him – that it?’

      ‘Yes. I don’t know why I’m telling you this.’

      ‘I am sure you will not regret doing so. Miss Jenkins, do you know what Mr Pringle was driving at when he said that Mr Garnette was keeping them all quiet, that Mrs Candour would have taken Miss Quayne’s place if she could, and that he was going to tell everybody something?’

      ‘How do you know Maurice said that?’

      ‘You may remember he was in the middle of it when I arrived. He stopped short when he saw me. I heard some of it. Mr Bathgate has told me the rest. What is the explanation?’

      ‘I don’t think I can answer that.’

      ‘Can’t you? Why not?’

      ‘I don’t want to stir it all up. It has got nothing to do with this dreadful thing. I’m sure of that.’

      ‘You cannot possibly be sure of that. Listen to me. Mr Bathgate is prepared to swear that Miss Quayne put nothing into the cup after it was handed to her. She took it by the stem in both hands and drank from it without changing their position. She died two minutes after she drank from the cup. It had gone round the circle СКАЧАТЬ