Beggar’s Choice by Patricia Wentworth Page B

should.”
    â€œDidn’t he offer to help you at all?”
    â€œYes—on conditions.”
    â€œAnd you couldn’t take them?”
    â€œNo.”
    She didn’t ask what they were—that was a relief; she just sat and looked at him with perfectly round innocent eyes under a fluff of dark hair. The little gray hat lay on the floor beside her chair. Her hair was darker than he had expected. Its brown was the soft velvet brown of a bulrush. It increased her resemblance to a kitten, for it had the light, soft look of fur. It was very thick, and yet very light.
    After a bit she said, “The job Peter got was offered to you first.”
    Car flushed up to the roots of his hair and objurgated Peter in his heart.
    â€œOh well, it was for either of us. It—it wouldn’t have suited me to leave England then.”
    She nodded.
    â€œYou let Peter have it. How many jobs have you had since Peter went out?”
    â€œI couldn’t say.”
    â€œHave you got a job now?”
    â€œNot just at the moment.”
    A look came over her face like a shadow passing quickly.
    â€œYou think I’m very inquisitive. I’m not . I’ve got to ask you something more, and I’m scared you’ll be angry with me.”
    She didn’t look in the least scared; she looked as friendly as the friendliest importunate creature that does not know what it is to get no for an answer.
    â€œI’ve got to ask you a very impertinent thing. If you’ve had a lot of jobs, what’s the reason you haven’t kept any of them?”
    Just for a moment Car was angry.
    â€œMy own incompetence, I suppose,” he said.
    â€œ Well !” said Corinna. Her sparkling look accused him of mock humility. She sat up, dimpling. “Do you want me to believe that?”
    â€œI’m afraid it’s true.”
    She went suddenly as grave as a judge.
    â€œCarthew Fairfax—you’ve got to tell me the truth. Was it your opinion that you were being incompetent before you got fired from those jobs?”
    After a moment he met her look squarely.
    â€œNo, I thought I was doing pretty well.”
    â€œThere hadn’t been any complaints?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œThey just fired you all of a sudden?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œEvery time?”
    He thought for a moment. Beecher—he’d been getting along like a house on fire with old Beecher—and then, “I’m sorry, Mr. Fairfax, but we’re cutting down the staff.” Prothero—yes, that was sudden enough. Craddock—you couldn’t count Craddock, who was just pure beast. But Gray—Gray had been full of a decent embarrassment.
    â€œWhy did you ask me that?”
    â€œI’m going to ask you something else,” said Corinna. “I’m going to ask you whether you’ve got an enemy. No, I’m not—I’m going to ask you who your enemy is. I don’t need to ask whether you’ve got one.” A little hot color stood in her cheeks. Her eyes met his squarely.
    Car leaned back smiling.
    â€œI’m afraid I’m my own enemy, Miss Lee.”
    She clapped her hands together sharply.
    â€œYou don’t like me for a cousin!”
    â€œWhy——”
    â€œDidn’t I call you Carthew right away? If it isn’t the worst slap in the face I’ve ever had, to be called Miss Lee as if I was my own chaperone and at least as old as Cousin Abby!”
    Car laughed, as one laughs at a child.
    â€œMy mistake! Let’s begin all over again. I’m Car, and you’re Corinna.”
    â€œAnd we’re talking business,” said Miss Lee reprovingly.
    â€œAre we?”
    â€œI am.” She put her head a little on one side, let her lashes fall just a shade, and asked,
    â€œWho was that girl on the stairs?”
    â€œFay Everitt?”
    â€œFay Something—I didn’t get her whole name. Who is she?”
    Car experienced an