Blindfold by Patricia Wentworth Page A

off, but I got into a horrid place. Oh, Miles, it really was.”
    Miles frowned. She had come up the steps of No. 16 Varley Street. He said quickly,
    â€œWhat sort of horrid? You mustn’t stay there, Kay.”
    â€œOh, but I didn’t. I was only there two months. I didn’t like the people or their friends—rather horrid men. I left as soon as I could.”
    â€œAnd came to 16 Varley Street?”
    She nodded.
    â€œPerhaps it was ungrateful to say that about their friends being horrid, because it was really one of their friends who helped me to get another place—at least not exactly a friend—” She broke off. “Miles, she told me not to tell anyone, so perhaps I oughtn’t—”
    â€œYou’re to tell me at once!”
    â€œBut she said—you see, it might make it awkward for her with her friends. You do see that?”
    â€œWell, I’m not any of her friends. You’re going to tell me at once!”
    When he looked like that, she could believe that it was nearly eight years since he had last ordered her about. She had been very ready to be ordered about, but it was nearly eight years ago. She smiled a little fleeting smile, because the eight years which had changed them both so much hadn’t really changed anything at all. She would still do what he told her, but she would do it with a little secret amusement.
    â€œWell, it was like this,” she said. “Nurse Long used to come to the house sometimes—not to the parties, you know, but just quietly in the afternoon to see Mrs Marston. I think they’d been at school together, so she wasn’t like the other people who came. And one day she spoke to me going down the stairs. It was rather curious, Miles, because she said, ‘Is your name Kay Moore?’ and when I said it was, she asked me if I had an aunt called Rhoda. She said she used to know her long ago. Then she asked me if I liked the place, and of course it was rather difficult to say I didn’t, but when we got down to the door she gave me her address and said if I wanted to make a change she might be able to help me.”
    â€œWhat was the address?” said Miles quickly.
    â€œ16 Varley Street,” said Kay.
    â€œHow long have you been there?”
    Kay looked at him. There was something in his voice which she didn’t understand. It seemed to ring an echo in her own mind. She couldn’t understand what it said. It was just an echo. She answered his question.
    â€œOnly since Saturday. I came in on Saturday evening.” She went on talking, because she rather wanted to drown that echo. “Miles, it was rather funny. I gave notice at the Marstons about a week ago, so I really had almost another month to put in there. Then on Saturday afternoon Mrs Marston sent for me and said she would like me to go at once, because she was suited, but her friend Nurse Long was wanting someone and would I speak to her on the telephone. So I did, and she told me the girl there had left in a hurry and she would like to engage me. So of course I was very glad, because I really hadn’t anywhere to go, and I haven’t been able to save anything yet because of having to get uniform and all that sort of thing. Mrs Marston got the things and stopped it out of my wages. That was why I couldn’t leave before.”
    â€œTell me about 16 Varley Street, Kay.”
    Kay’s heart gave a little flutter of happiness. Lovely to have someone to tell. It was when you had to bottle things up that they were sort of frightening. There wasn’t anything to be frightened of, and there wasn’t anything to tell, but it was lovely to have someone to tell it to. She was in the outside seat, and she sat right round with her back against the rail so that she could face Miles. There was hardly anyone else on the top of the bus, only two giggling children about half way down on the other side, and a workman with a large bag