Crime at Tattenham Corner by Annie Haynes Page B

anywhere else?”
    â€œOh, John has taught me a lot since we were married,” Sophie said, her lips trembling. “He – he often told me I was the aptest pupil he ever had.”
    â€œI should have said you were one of the most unbusiness-like people in the world,” Mrs. Dolphin remarked politely. “However, one never knows. There was a poisonous looking woman asking for you in the hall just now, Sophie. They were trying to get rid of her.”
    â€œI am not seeing anyone,” Sophie said in an uninterested fashion. “No one but my own people, that is to say. I should be inundated with callers if I allowed myself to be visible.”
    There was a tap at the door and Forbes appeared. “My lady, there is a person asking for you in the hall. Henry says they can’t get rid of her anyhow.”
    â€œThey must tell her to go,” Lady Burslem said impatiently. “Say I am seeing no one.”
    â€œYes, my lady.” Forbes hesitated. “Only Henry said, your ladyship said no one but the family, and this lady said – said her name was Burslem – Mrs. James Burslem. And while he was telling her that it was impossible for her to see your ladyship, Miss Burslem came in, and – and the lady introduced herself to her, and Miss Burslem took her into the library.”
    â€œMrs. James Burslem!” Sophie repeated, her white cheeks suddenly flushing crimson. “Oh, I think I must see her. After all, she is my sister-in-law.”
    â€œA sister-in-law your husband took care to keep at a distance,” Mrs. Dolphin said contemptuously. “Don’t be an ass, Sophie. Of course you need not be interviewed by this woman because she married your husband’s brother. A nice time he has had with her, I should imagine, from the look of her. But, if you feel she is being badly treated, I will ascertain for you what she wants.”
    â€œNo,” Lady Burslem said firmly, “I must see her myself.” She got up as she spoke. “No, Clare, I would rather go alone, really. I don’t suppose I shall be very long. You stay here –”
    â€œCertainly not!” said Mrs. Dolphin in a tone as decided as her sister’s. “I shall not leave you alone to face the brazen-looking creature I saw downstairs.”
    Lady Burslem still looked inclined to object, but Clare Dolphin settled the matter by taking her arm and marching her downstairs.
    The library door was ajar and they could hear voices inside the room, Pamela’s and another’s, loud, and with a pronounced cockney twang. As she heard it, Sophie Burslem shivered.
    Mrs. James Burslem was standing on the hearthrug with one arm round Pamela, who in her sombre black looked an odd contrast to her stepmother in her loose, white kimono.
    Mrs. James Burslem dropped her hold of Pamela and came across the room to greet Sophie. She took Lady Burslem in her arms, the big fur coat she wore, warm though the day was, flopping and seeming to envelop Lady Burslem altogether.
    â€œYou poor darling! What you must have gone through! My heart has bled for you!” she said in a loud, raucous tone. “I was just telling Pamela here that I have thought of nothing else since I saw the terrible news in the paper. You had my letter, of course?”
    With some difficulty Sophie extricated herself from the voluminous embrace. “Yes, I think so,” she said, putting her hand to her head. The flush that had been called up by the news of Mrs. James’s arrival had faded now, leaving her by contrast more ghastly looking than ever.
    â€œJust to explain how it was Jimmy couldn’t come to the funeral, you know,” Mrs. James went on. “Now just you sit down, you poor dear,” giving Lady Burslem a push into the nearest chair. “I went to the church, of course, and I thought maybe you would have asked me to come back after; but of course you were not there or anybody that knew me. You