Red Money - Fergus Hume (warren buffett book recommendations TXT) 📗

Was Clever,  Since He So Readily Adapted

Himself To His Surroundings. He Was Not A Gentleman,  But He Looked Like

A Gentleman,  And Therein Lay A Subtle Difference As Lady Agnes Decided.

She Unconsciously In Her Manner,  Affable As It Was,  Suggested The Gulf

Between Them,  And Silver,  Quickly Contacting The Atmosphere,  Did Not

Love Her Any The More For The Hint.

 

Nevertheless,  He Admired Her Statuesque Beauty,  The Fairness Of Which

Was Accentuated By Her Sombre Dress. Blinking Like A Well-Fed Cat,

Silver Stared At His Hostess,  And She Looked Questioningly At Him. With

His Foxy Face,  His Reddish Hair,  And Suave Manners,  Too Careful To Be

Natural,  He More Than Ever Impressed Her With The Idea That He Was A

Chapter 11 ( Blackmail) Pg 99

Dangerous Man. Yet She Could Not See In What Way He Could Reveal His

Malignant Disposition.

 

"What Do You Wish To See Me About,  Mr. Silver?" She Asked Kindly,  But

Did Not--As He Swiftly Noticed--Offer Him A Cup Of Tea,  Although It Was

Close Upon Five O'clock.

 

"I Have Come To Place My Services At Your Disposal," He Said In A Low

Voice.

 

"Really,  I Am Not Aware That I Need Them," Replied Lady Agnes Coldly,

And Not At All Anxious To Accept The Offer.

 

"I Think," Said Silver Dryly,  And Clearing His Throat,  "That When You

Hear What I Have To Say You Will Be Glad That I Have Come."

 

"Indeed! Will You Be Good Enough To Speak Plainer?"

 

She Colored Hotly When She Asked The Question,  As It Struck Her Suddenly

That Perhaps This Plotter Knew Of Garvington's Slip Regarding The Check.

But As That Had Been Burnt By Pine At The Time Of Her Marriage,  She

Reflected That Even If Silver Knew About It,  He Could Do Nothing.

Unless,  And It Was This Thought That Made Her Turn Red,  Garvington Had

Again Risked Contact With The Criminal Courts. The Idea Was Not A

Pleasant One,  But Being A Brave Woman,  She Faced The Possibility Boldly.

 

"Well?" She Asked Calmly,  As He Did Not Reply Immediately. "What Have

You To Say?"

 

"It's About Pine's Death," Said Silver Bluntly.

 

"Sir Hubert,  If You Please."

 

"And Why,  Lady Agnes?" Silver Raised His Faint Eyebrows. "We Were More

Like Brothers Than Master And Servant. And Remember That It Was By The

Penny Toys That I Invented Your Husband First Made Money."

 

"In Talking To Me,  I Prefer That You Should Call My Late Husband Sir

Hubert," Insisted The Widow Haughtily. "What Have You Discovered

Relative To His Death?"

 

Silver Did Not Answer The Question Directly. "Sir Hubert,  Since You Will

Have It So,  Lady Agnes,  Was A Gypsy," He Remarked Carelessly.

 

"That Was Made Plain At The Inquest,  Mr. Silver."

 

"Quite So,  Lady Agnes,  But There Were Other Things Not Made Plain On

That Occasion. It Was Not Discovered Who Shot Him."

 

"You Tell Me Nothing New. I Presume You Have Come To Explain That You

Have Discovered A Clew To The Truth?"

 

Silver Raised His Pale Face Steadily. "Would You Be Glad If I Had?"

Chapter 11 ( Blackmail) Pg 100

 

"Certainly! Can You Doubt It?"

 

The Man Shirked A Reply To This Question Also. "Sir Hubert Did Not Treat

Me Over Well," He Observed Irrelevantly.

 

"I Fear That Has Nothing To Do With Me,  Mr. Silver."

 

"And I Was Dimissed From My Post," He Went On Imperturbably.

 

"On Mr. Jarwin's Advice," She Informed Him Quickly. "There Was No Need

For You To Be Retained. But I Believe That You Were Given A Year's

Salary In Lieu Of Notice."

 

"That Is So," He Admitted. "I Am Obliged To You And To Mr. Jarwin For

The Money,  Although It Is Not A Very Large Sum. Considering What I Did

For Sir Hubert,  And How He Built Up His Fortune Out Of My Brains,  I

Think That I Have Been Treated Shabbily."

 

Lady Agnes Rose,  And Moved Towards The Fireplace To Touch The Ivory

Button Of The Electric Bell. "On That Point I Refer You To Mr. Jarwin,"

She Said Coldly. "This Interview Has Lasted Long Enough And Can Lead To

Nothing."

 

"It May Lead To Something Unpleasant Unless You Listen To Me," Said

Silver Acidly. "I Advise You Not To Have Me Turned Out,  Lady Agnes."

 

"What Do You Mean?" She Dropped The Hand She Had Extended To Ring The

Bell,  And Faced The Smooth-Faced Creature Suddenly. "I Don't Know What

You Are Talking About."

 

"If You Will Sit Down,  Lady Agnes,  I Can Explain."

 

"I Can Receive Your Explanation Standing," Said The Widow,  Frowning. "Be

Brief,  Please."

 

"Very Well. To Put The Matter In A Nutshell,  I Want Five Thousand

Pounds."

 

"Five Thousand Pounds!" She Echoed,  Aghast.

 

"On Account," Said Silver Blandly. "On Account,  Lady Agnes."

 

"And For What Reason?"

 

"Sir Hubert Was A Gypsy," He Said Again,  And With A Significant Look.

 

"Well?"

 

"He Stopped At The Camp Near Abbot's Wood."

 

"Well?"

 

"There Is A Gypsy Girl There Called Chaldea."

Chapter 11 ( Blackmail) Pg 101

 

"Chaldea! Chaldea!" Muttered The Widow,  Passing Her Hand Across Her

Brow. "I Have Heard That Name. Oh,  Yes. Miss Greeby Mentioned It To Me

As The Name Of A Girl Who Was Sitting As Mr. Lambert's Model."

 

"Yes," Assented Silver,  Grinning. "She Is A Very Beautiful Girl."

 

The Color Rushed Again To The Woman's Cheeks,  But She Controlled Her

Emotions With An Effort. "So Miss Greeby Told Me!" She Knew That The Man

Was Hinting That Lambert Admired The Girl In Question,  But Her Pride

Prevented Her Admitting The Knowledge. "Chaldea Is Being Painted As

Esmeralda To The Quasimodo Of Her Lover,  A Servian Gypsy Called Kara,  As

I Have Been Informed,  Mr. Silver. But What Has All This To Do With Me?"

 

"Don't Be In A Hurry,  Lady Agnes. It Will Take Time To Explain."

 

"How Dare You Take This Tone With Me?" Demanded The Widow,  Clenching Her

Hands. "Leave The Room,  Sir,  Or I Shall Have You Turned Out."

 

"Oh,  I Shall Leave Since You Wish It," Replied Silver,  Rising Slowly And

Smoothing His Silk Hat With His Sleeve. "But Of Course I Shall Try And

Earn The Reward You Offered,  By Taking The Letter To The Police."

 

Agnes Was So Surprised That She Closed Again The Door She Had Opened For

Her Visitor's Exit. "What Letter?"

 

"That One Which Was Written To Inveigle Sir Hubert To The Manor On The

Night He Was Murdered," Replied Silver Slowly,  And Suddenly Raising His

Eyes He Looked At Her Straightly.

 

"I Don't Understand," She Said In A Puzzled Way. "I Have Never Heard

That Such A Letter Was In Existence. Where Is It?"

 

"Chaldea Has It,  And Will Not Give It Up Unless She Receives Five

Thousand Pounds," Answered The Man Glibly. "Give It To Me And It Passes

Into Your Possession,  Lady Agnes."

 

"Give You What?"

 

"Five Thousand Pounds--On Account."

 

"On Account Of Blackmail. How Dare You Make Such A Proposition To Me?"

 

"You Know," Said Silver Pointedly.

 

"I Know Nothing. It Is The First Time I Have Heard Of Any Letter. Who

Wrote It,  May I Ask?"

 

"You Know," Said Silver Again.

 

Lady Agnes Was So Insulted By His Triumphant Look That She Could Have

Struck His Grinning Face. However,  She Had Too Strong A Nature To Lower

Chapter 11 ( Blackmail) Pg 102

Herself In This Way,  And Pointed To A Chair. "Let Me Ask You A Few

Questions,  Mr. Silver," She Said Imperiously.

 

"Oh,  I Am Quite Ready To Answer Whatever You Choose To Ask," He

Retorted,  Taking His Seat Again And Secretly Surprised At Her

Self-Control.

 

"You Say That Chaldea Holds A Letter Which Inveigled My Husband To His

Death?" Demanded Lady Agnes Coolly.

 

"Yes. And She Wants Five Thousand Pounds For It."

 

"Why Doesn't She Give It To The Police?"

 

"One Thousand Pounds Is Not Enough For The Letter. It Is Worth More--To

Some People," And Silver Raised His Pale Eyes Again.

 

"To Me,  I Presume You Mean;" Then When He Bowed,  She Continued Her

Examination. "The Five Thousand Pounds You Intimate Is On Account,  Yet

You Say That Chaldea Will Deliver The Letter For That Sum."

 

"To Me," Rejoined The Ex-Secretary Impudently. "And When It Is In My

Possession,  I Can Give It To You For Twenty Thousand Pounds."

 

Lady Agnes Laughed In His Face. "I Am Too Good A Business Woman To Make

Such A Bargain," She Said With A Shrug.

 

"Well,  You Know Best," Replied Silver,  Imitating Her Shrug.

 

"I Know Nothing; I Am Quite In The Dark As To The Reason For Your

Blackmailing,  Mr. Silver."

 

"That Is A Nasty Word,  Lady Agnes."

 

"It Is The Only Word Which Seems To Suit The Situation. Why Should I

Give Twenty-Five Thousand Pounds For This Letter?"

 

"Its Production Will Place The Police On The Track Of The Assassin."

 

"And Is Not That What I Desire? Why Did I Offer A Reward Of One Thousand

Pounds If I Did Not Hope That The Wretch Who Murdered My Husband Should

Be Brought To Justice?"

 

Silver Exhibited Unfeigned Surprise. "You Wish That?"

 

"Certainly I Do. Where Was This Letter Discovered?"

 

"Chaldea Went To The Tent Of Your Husband In The Camp And Found It In

The Pocket Of His Coat. He Apparently Left It Behind By Mistake When He

Went To Watch."

 

"Watch?"

 

"Yes! The Letter Stated That You Intended To Elope That Night With Mr.