‘He always locks his father in the house before he comes down to meet me,’ she said.
‘Which Colonel, Miss?’
It was the very first time that he had heard Miss Vaughan giggle.
‘You’d like to know,’ she said.
‘Only knew one Colonel myself, and he used to live up at a place called Y Briach, but he’s dead now, so wouldn’t be yours, would he?’
‘Sometimes we have lunch together,’ she said.
‘I am glad,’ said Jones. ‘Thought you’d no friends at all, Miss. Very important to have some friends.’
She very abruptly took out a puff, and began slowly powdering her nose.
‘D’you like to know things in advance, Jones?’
‘I don’t like to know anything in advance, Miss Vaughan.’
‘You look positively bewildered, Jones,’ Miss Vaughan said, smiling.
‘Do I?’
‘Yes.’
Her bag clicked shut, she got up, and Jones rose with her.
‘Glad you enjoyed your supper,’ he said.
‘I expect Mrs Gandell is really glad to have me, Jones,’ she said.
‘Very.’
They crossed the room together. ‘Back to your room then, Miss?’
‘That is where I live,’ she said, and slowly climbed the stairs.
Jones remained rooted, stuttered, ‘Yes, of course, well, good night, Miss. Sleep well.’ He began to clear the tables.
‘How very odd,’ he said to himself, ‘very odd indeed.’
And backwards and forwards he went, and in the kitchen began to wash up. ‘How the hell did that man get in?’ And then, ‘But did he get in? Did she imagine the whole thing,’ and he washed and wiped, after which he went back to the dining-room, relaid the two tables. ‘I wonder if Mrs Gandell knows anything about this?’
He checked on the windows, and the doors, picked up the transistor, turned out the light, and went upstairs.
He was surprised to find Mrs Gandell sat in a chair by the window that was partly open. She heard him come in, close the door, felt him behind her. He leaned over, stroked her shoulders.
‘How’s the headache, Mrs Gandell?’ in the gentlest of voices.
‘Not too bad,’ she said. ‘Has Vaughan had her supper?’
‘She has.’
‘I’ve been think about her, Jones.’
‘So’ve I.’
He collected a chair and sat beside her, he took her hand in his.
‘I’m still annoyed with her.’
‘Understood.’
She turned suddenly, ‘Oh Jones! Am I glad Mr Prothero’s coming!’
‘And his friend, too,’ Jones said, and gave her a warm smile. ‘That’s splendid news, Mrs Gandell, really splendid. Perhaps the ice cracked when we weren’t noticing. That Miss Vaughan was telling me she never notices anything. Think of that. Ah well, its actually the beginning. That’ll be three guests next week. Marvellous.’
‘I very nearly told her to pack her things and go, Jones.’
‘Why?’
She felt his hands stroking her knees.
‘There’s something about her that I dislike,’ Mrs Gandell said, ‘and yet I just don’t know what it is. Something.’
‘She is a bit strange, I know, but if she coughs up the cash, Mrs Gandell, why on earth should we worry.’
‘I should say very odd, Jones,’ she said.
