Days Without Number by Robert Goddard Page A

on.'
    'It's not my place to comment on such things, really.'
    T'd be grateful if you did.'
    'Well, he'd been drinking even more just lately, not a doubt of it. A lot more.'
    'Really?'
    'Oh yes. I'd know, wouldn't I? He wasn't one to chuck out his own empties.'
    Nick grinned. 'I suppose not.'
    78
    'I put it down to all the argufying about selling the house.'
    'Ah. You know about that, do you?'
    'Couldn't help knowing. Matter of fact, I was at Trennor the day Miss Hartley called round, which was the start of it all, seemingly. I didn't know what they were talking about at the time, of course. I had my work to attend to. But your father told me about the offer later. Came right out with it, he did. Said I had a right to know, seeing as I'd be out of a job if the sale went through.'
    'Look, Pru, we'd have--'
    'Oh, don't worry about me, Nicholas. If someone's offering you a fair price for the place - and this is more than fair, so your sister tells me - then you should take it. Time I retired, anyhow. Why your father set his face against it I wouldn't know. I don't think he quite trusted Miss Hartley, though. I can say that. And I can see why. There was something, well, strange about her.'
    'Was there?'
    'Like her mentioning you, for one thing.'
    'Mentioning me?'
    'When she called at Trennor.'
    'She mentioned me - specifically?'
    'As she was leaving. I heard them talking at the door from the kitchen. Miss Hartley said, "Are you the father of Nicholas Paleologus?" Like she knew you.'
    'But she didn't.'
    'No. That's right. 'Cos when your father said yes and asked her if she knew you, she said, "No, but I've heard of him." Peculiar, I thought. Very peculiar.'
    'What did Dad think?'
    'Well, your father asked her what she meant by it, but she only said, "It doesn't matter," then took herself off smartish. I suppose it doesn't matter really, when you come down to it.'
    'Probably not.' But that was Nick's second lie of the morning. It mattered. Oh yes, it mattered all right.
    79
    Nick found himself with plenty to think about over a solitary lunch at the Spaniards, Cargreen's riverside pub. The foul weather had deterred most potential customers and he had the bar more or less to himself. He sat by the fire, listening to the rain beating against the windows, wondering what exactly was going on. How had Elspeth Hartley heard of him? He had certainly never heard of her. The only answer that came to mind was one he very much wanted to disbelieve. And the only way to find out if he could disbelieve it--
    Nick's mobile trilled, causing him to jump with surprise. But a bigger surprise followed when he pulled the phone out of his pocket and pressed the button.
    'Hello.'
    'Nick? Elspeth Hartley here.'
    'Elspeth.' His heart missed a beat. 'Hi.'
    'I've just been speaking to Irene. I was really sorry to hear about your father. It must have been quite a shock.'
    'It certainly was.'
    'Please accept my condolences.'
    The sentiment was faintly old-fashioned, sowing the fleeting suspicion in Nick's mind that she might already have tendered her condolences - anonymously. 'Thanks.'
    Ts this a bad time to talk?'
    'No.'
    'OK. Good. I phoned Irene to ask if you'd been able to persuade your father to change his mind over the weekend. I never expected-- Well, it's just terrible, what happened.'
    'Yeah.'
    'Irene couldn't say much. There were a lot of customers in. She suggested I call you and ask . . . well, where we go from here, I suppose.'
    'We go to see our solicitor. Then we go to our father's funeral.'
    'Sorry. Of course. Look, I--'
    'Tell you what. Why don't we meet, later today, after the solicitor's said his piece? I should be able to answer your questions then.'
    80
    'Oh. All right. Great.' She sounded relieved at his change of tone. 'In Plymouth?'
    'If that's where you are.'
    'It is, yeah. What time would suit you?'
    'Six o'clock.'
    'That's fine with me. Where do you want to meet?'
    'You choose.'
    'OK. Do you know the Compton? It's a pub in Manna