CHAPTER TWELVE

The Bell and the Book

SO ACCURATE AND LIVELY were Troy’s drawings that Alleyn recognized Desdemona Ancred as soon as she appeared on the top step of the third terrace and looked down upon the group, doubtless a curious one, made by himself, Panty and Fox. Indeed, as she paused, she struck precisely the attitude, histrionic and grandiose, with which Troy had invested her caricature.

‘Ah!’ said Dessy richly. ‘Panty! At last!’

She held out her hand towards Panty and at the same time looked frankly at Alleyn. ‘How do you do?’ she said. ‘Are you on your way up? Has this terrible young person waylaid you? Shall I introduce myself?’

‘Miss Ancred?’ Alleyn said.

‘He’s Mrs Alleyn’s husband,’ Panty said. ‘We don’t much want you, thank you, Aunt Dessy.’

Dessy was in the act of advancing with poise down the steps. Her smile remained fixed on her face. Perhaps she halted for a fraction of time in her stride. The next second her hand was in his, and she was gazing with embarrassing intensity into his eyes.

‘I’m so glad you’ve come,’ she said in her deepest voice. ‘So glad! We are terribly, terribly distressed. My brother has told you, I know.’ She pressed his hand, released it, and looked at Fox.

‘Inspector Fox,’ said Alleyn. Desdemona was tragically gracious.

They turned to climb the steps. Panty gave a threatening wail.

‘You,’ said her aunt, ‘had better run home as fast as you can. Miss Able’s been looking everywhere for you. What have you been doing, Panty? You’re covered in earth.’

Immediately they were confronted with another scene. Panty repeated her former performance, roaring out strange threats against her family, lamenting the cat Carabbas, and protesting that she had not infected him.

‘Really, it’s too ridiculous,’ Dessy said in a loud aside to Alleyn. ‘Not that we didn’t all feel it. Poor Carabbas! And my father so attached always. But honestly, it was a menace to all our healths. Ringworm, beyond a shadow of doubt. Fur coming out in handfuls. Obviously it had given them the disease in the first instance. We did perfectly right to have it destroyed. Come on, Panty.’

By this time they had reached the top terrace, with Panty waddling lamentably behind them. Here they were met by Miss Caroline Able, who brightly ejaculated: ‘Goodness, what a noise!’ cast a clear sensible glance at Alleyn and Fox, and removed her still bellowing charge.

‘I’m so distressed,’ Desdemona cried, ‘that you should have had this reception. Honestly, poor Panty is simply beyond everything. Nobody loves children more than I do, but she’s got such a difficult nature. And in a house of tragedy, when one’s nerves and emotions are lacerated—’

She gazed into his eyes, made a small helpless gesture, and finally ushered them into the hall. Alleyn glanced quickly at the space under the gallery, but it was still untenanted.