蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)- 第5部分

〃I　don't　know　what　you　are　getting　at；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃and　I　don't　care。　You　have　treated　Ruth　darned　badly。〃　

〃Oh；　I　have；〃　agreed　Kettering　lightly；　〃but　she's　tough；　you　know。　She's　your　daughter。　Underneath　the　pink…and…white　softness　of　her　she's　as　hard　as　granite。　You　have　always　been　known　as　a　hard　man；　so　I　have　been　told；　but　Ruth　is　harder　than　you　are。　You；　at　any　rate；　love　one　person　better　than　yourself。　Ruth　never　has　and　never　will。〃　

〃That　is　enough；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃I　asked　you　here　so　that　I　could　tell　you　fair　and　square　what　I　meant　to　do。　My　girl　has　got　to　have　some　happiness；　and　remember　this；　I　am　behind　her。〃　

Derek　Kettering　got　up　and　stood　by　the　mantelpiece。　He　tossed　away　his　cigarette。　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　very　quiet。　

〃What　exactly　do　you　mean　by　that；　I　wonder？〃　he　said。　

〃I　mean；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃that　you　had　better　not　try　to　defend　the　case。〃　

〃Oh；〃　said　Kettering。　〃Is　that　a　threat？〃　

〃You　can　take　it　any　way　you　please；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　

Kettering　drew　a　chair　up　to　the　table。　He　sat　down　fronting　the　millionaire。　

〃And　supposing；〃　he　said　softly；　〃that；　just　for　argument's　sake；　I　did　defend　the　case？〃　

Van　Aldin　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃You　have　not　got　a　leg　to　stand　upon；　you　young　fool。　Ask　your　solicitors；　they　will　soon　tell　you。　Your　conduct　has　been　notorious；　the　talk　of　London。〃　

〃Ruth　has　been　kicking　up　a　row　about　Mirelle；　I　suppose。　Very　foolish　of　her。　I　don't　interfere　with　her　friends。〃　

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Van　Aldin　sharply。　

Derek　Kettering　laughed。　

〃I　see　you　don't　know　everything；　sir；〃　he　said。　〃You　are；　perhaps　naturally；　prejudiced。〃　

He　took　up　his　hat　and　stick　and　moved　towards　the　door。　

〃Giving　advice　is　not　much　in　my　line。〃　He　delivered　his　final　thrust。　〃But；　in　this　case；　I　should　advise　most　strongly　perfect　frankness　between　father　and　daughter。〃　

He　passed　quickly　out　of　the　room　and　shut　the　door　behind　him　just　as　the　millionaire　sprang　up。　

〃Now；　what　the　hell　did　he　mean　by　that？〃　said　Van　Aldin　as　he　sank　back　into　his　chair　again。　

All　his　uneasiness　returned　in　full　force。　

There　was　something　here　that　he　had　not　yet　got　to　the　bottom　of。　The　telephone　was　by　his　elbow；　he　seized　it；　and　asked　for　the　number　of　his　daughter's　house。　

〃Hallo！　Hallo！　Is　that　Mayfair　81907？　Mrs　Kettering　in？　Oh；　she's　out；　is　she？　Yes；　out　to　lunch。　What　time　will　she　be　in？　You　don't　know？　Oh；　very　good；　no；　there's　no　message。〃　

He　slammed　the　receiver　down　again　angrily。　

At　two　o'clock　he　was　pacing　the　floor　of　his　room　waiting　expectantly　for　Goby。　

The　latter　was　ushered　in　at　ten　minutes　past　two。　

〃Well？〃　barked　the　millionaire　sharply。　

But　the　little　Mr　Goby　was　not　to　be　hurried。　

He　sat　down　at　the　table；　produced　a　very　shabby　pocketbook；　and　proceeded　to　read　from　it　in　a　monotonous　voice。　The　millionaire　listened　attentively；　with　an　increasing　satisfaction。　Goby　came　to　a　full　stop；　and　looked　attentively　at　the　wastepaper…basket。　

〃Um！〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃That　seems　pretty　definite。　The　case　will　go　through　like　winking。　The　hotel　evidence　is　all　right；　I　suppose？〃　

〃Cast　iron；〃　said　Mr　Goby；　and　looked　malevolently　at　a　gilt　armchair。　

〃And　financially　he's　in　very　low　water。　He's　trying　to　raise　a　loan　now；　you　say？　Has　already　raised　practically　all　he　can　upon　his　expectations　from　his　father。　Once　the　news　of　the　divorce　gets　about；　he　won't　be　able　to　raise　another　cent；　and　not　only　that；　his　obligations　can　be　bought　up　and　pressure　can　be　put　upon　him　from　that　quarter。　We　have　got　him；　Goby；　we　have　got　him　in　a　cleft　stick。〃　

He　hit　the　table　a　bang　with　his　fist。　His　face　was　grim　and　triumphant。　

〃The　information；〃　said　Mr　Goby　in　a　thin　voice；　〃seems　satisfactory。〃　

〃I　have　got　to　go　round　to　Curzon　Street　now；〃　said　the　millionaire。　〃I　am　much　obliged　to　you；　Goby。　You　are　the　goods　all　right。〃　

A　pale　smile　of　gratification　showed　itself　on　the　little　man's　face。　

〃Thank　you；　Mr　Van　Aldin；〃　he　said；　〃I　try　to　do　my　best。〃　

Van　Aldin　did　not　go　direct　to　Curzon　Street。　He　went　first　to　the　City；　where　he　had　two　interviews　which　added　to　his　satisfaction。　From　there　he　took　the　tube　to　Down　Street。　As　he　was　walking　along　Curzon　Street；　a　figure　came　out　of　No。　160；　and　turned　up　the　street　towards　him；　so　that　they　passed　each　other　on　the　pavement。　For　a　moment；　the　millionaire　had　fancied　it　might　be　Derek　Kettering　himself；　the　height　and　build　were　not　unlike。　But　as　they　came　face　to　face；　he　saw　that　the　man　was　a　stranger　to　him。　At　least　…　no；　not　a　stranger；　his　face　awoke　some　call　of　recognition　in　the　millionaire's　mind；　and　it　was　associated　definitely　with　something　unpleasant。　

He　cudgelled　his　brains　in　vain；　but　the　thing　eluded　him。　He　went　on；　shaking　his　head　irritably。　He　hated　to　be　baffled。　

Ruth　Kettering　was　clearly　expecting　him。　She　ran　to　him　and　kissed　him　when　he　entered。　

〃Well；　Dad；　how　are　things　going？〃　

〃Very　well；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃but　I　have　got　a　word　or　two　to　say　to　you；　Ruth。〃　

Almost　insensibly　he　felt　the　change　in　her；　something　shrewd　and　watchful　replaced　the　impulsiveness　of　her　greeting。　She　sat　down　in　a　big　armchair。　

〃Well；　Dad？〃　she　asked。　〃What　is　it？〃　

〃I　saw　your　husband　this　morning；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　

〃You　saw　Derek？〃　

〃I　did。　He　said　a　lot　of　things；　most　of　which　were　darned　cheek。　Just　as　he　was　leaving；　he　said　something　that　I　didn't　understand。　He　advised　me　to　be　sure　that　there　was　perfect　frankness　between　father　and　daughter。　What　did　he　mean　by　that；　Ruthie？〃　

Mrs　Kettering　moved　a　little　in　her　chair。　

〃I　…　I　don't　know；　Dad。　How　should　I？〃　

〃Of　course　you　know；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃He　said　something　else；　about　his　having　his　friends　and　not　interfering　with　yours。　What　did　he　mean　by　that？〃　

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Ruth　Kettering　again。　

Van　Aldin　sat　down。　His　mouth　set　itself　in　a　grim　line。　

〃See　here；　Ruth。　I　am　not　going　into　this　with　my　eyes　closed。　I　am　not　at　all　sure　that　that　husband　of　yours　doesn't　mean　to　make　trouble。　Now；　he　can't　do　it；　I　am　sure　of　that。　I　have　got　the　means　to　silence　him；　to　shut　his　mouth　for　good　and　all；　but　I　have　got　to　know　if　there's　any　need　to　use　those　means。　What　did　he　mean　by　your　having　your　own　friends？〃　

Mrs　Kettering　shrugged　her　shoulders。　

〃I　have　got　lots　of　friends；〃　she　said　uncertainly。　〃I　don't　know　what　he　meant；　I　am　sure。〃　

〃You　do；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　

He　was　speaking　now　as　he　might　have　spoken　to　a　business　adversary。　

〃I　will　put　it　plainer。　Who　is　the　man？〃　

〃What　man？〃　

〃The　man。　That's　what　Derek　was　driving　at。　Some　special　man　who　is　a　friend　of　yours。　You　needn't　worry；　honey；　I　know　there　is　nothing　in　it；　but　we　have　got　to　look　at　everything　as　it　might　appear　to　the　Court。　They　can　twist　these　things　about　a　good　deal；　you　know。　I　want　to　know　who　the　man　is；　and　just　how　friendly　you　have　been　with　him。〃　

Ruth　didn't　answer。　Her　hands　were　kneading　themselves　together　in　intense　nervous　absorption。　

〃e；　honey；〃　said　Van　Aldin　in　a　softer　voice。　〃Don't　be　afraid　of　your　old　Dad。　I　was　not　too　harsh；　was　I；　even　that　time　in　Paris？　…　By　gosh！〃　

He　stopped；　thunderstruck。　

〃That's　who　it　was；〃　he　murmured　to　himself。　〃I　thought　I　knew　his　face。〃　

〃What　are　you　talking　about；　Dad？　I　don't　understand。〃　

The　millionaire　strode　across　to　her　and　took　her　firmly　by　the　wrist。　

〃See　here；　Ruth；　have　you　been　seeing　that　fellow　again？〃　

〃What　fellow？〃　

〃The　one　we　had　all　that　fuss　about　years　ago。　You　know　who　I　mean　well　enough。〃　

〃You　mean　…〃　she　hesitated　…　〃you　mean　the　te　de　la　Roche？〃　

〃te　de　la　Roche！〃　snorted　Van　Aldin。　〃I　told　you　at　the　time　that　the　man　was　no　better　than　a　swindler。　You　had　entangled　yourself　with　him　then　very　deeply；　but　I　got　you　out　of　his　clutches。〃　

〃Yes；　you　did；〃　said　Ruth　bitterly。　〃And　I　married　Derek　Kettering。〃　

〃You　wanted　to；〃　said　the　millionaire　sharply。　

She　shrugged　her　shoulders。　

〃And　now；〃　said　Van　Aldin　slowly；　〃you　have　been　seeing　him　again　…　after　all　I　told　you。　He　has　been　in　the　house　today。　I　met　him　outside；　and　couldn't　place　him　for　the　moment。〃　

Ruth　Kettering　had　recovered　her　posure。　

〃I　want　to　tell　you　one　thing；　Dad；　you　are　wrong　about　Armand　…　the　te　de　la　Roche；　I　mean。　Oh；　I　know　there　were　several　regrettable　incidents　in　his　youth　…　he　has　told　me　about　them；　but　…　well；　he　has　cared　for　me　always。　It　broke　his　heart　when　you　parted　us　in　Paris；　and　now　…〃　

She　was　interrupted　by　the　snort　of　indignation　her　father　gave。　

〃So　you　fell　for　that　stuff；　did　you？　You；　a　daughter　of　mine！　My　God！〃　

He　threw　up　his　hands。　

〃That　women　can　be　such　darned　fools！〃　he　murmured。　

Chapter　6　

MIRELLE

Derek　Kettering　emerged　from　Van　Aldin's　suite　so　precipitantly　that　he　collided　with　a　lady　passing　across　the　corridor。　He　apologised；　and　she　accepted　his　apologies　with　a　smiling　reassurance　and　passed　on；　leaving　him　with　a　pleasant　impression　of　a　soothing　personality　and　rather　fine　grey　eyes。
For　all　his　nonchalance；　his　interview　with　his　father…in…law　had　shaken　him　more　than　he　cared　to　show。　He　had　a　solitary　lunch；　and　after　it；　frowning　to　himself　a　little；　he　went　round　to　the　sumptuous　flat　that　housed　the　lady　known　as　Mirelle。　A　trim　Frenchwoman　received　him　with　smiles。
'But　enter　then；　Monsieur。　Madame　reposes　herself。'
He　was　ushered　into　the　long　room　with　its　eastern　setting　which　he　knew　so　well。　Mirelle　was　lying　on　the　divan；　supported　by　an　incredible　amount　of　cushions；　all　in　varying　shades　of　amber；　to　harmonise　with　the　yellow　ochre　of　her　plexion。　The　dancer　was　a　beautifully　made　woman；　and　if　her　face；　beneath　its　mask　of　yellow；　was　in　truth　somewhat　haggard；　it　had　a　bizarre　charm　of　its　own；　and　her　orange　lips　smiled　invitingly　at　Derek　Kettering。
He　kissed　her；　and　flung　himself　into　a　chair。
'What　have　you　been　doing　with　yourself？　Just　got　up；　I　suppose？'
The　orange　mouth　widened　into　a　long　smile。
'No；'　said　the　dancer。　'I　have　been　at　work。'
She　flung　out　a　long；　pale　hand　towards　the　piano；　which　was　littered　with　untidy　music　scores。
'Ambrose　h