Death in Kenya by M. M. Kaye Page B

was,’ he ended deliberately, ‘very much upset at the prospect of Miss Caryll’s arrival.’
    Victoria shrank back in her chair as though he had struck her, while Eden flushed a dull red and Em said indignantly: ‘That is not true! You are imagining things. I told her that if she would rather Victoria did not come she had only to say so.’
    Drew said: ‘Lady Emily, I did not know your granddaughter-in-law very well. But I knew her well enough to know that she would not allow her own feelings in the matter to stand in the way of your wishes; and I cannot imagine any normal woman feeling much enthusiasm for having an ex-fiancée of her husband’s installed as a permanent fixture in the home.’
    â€˜Is that true?’ demanded Mr Gilbert of Victoria. ‘Were you two engaged?’
    â€˜I——’ began Victoria, but got no further. Eden was on his feet again, his handsome face ugly with anger.
    â€˜No it is not! There was at one time what I believe is termed an “understanding” between us, but it was a purely private matter, and still is. So you needn’t think that you’re going to wash a lot of dirty linen in public and drag Victoria into this beastly business. You can keep her out of it!’
    â€˜My dear Eden, no one is trying to drag Miss Caryll into anything,’ said Greg pacifically. ‘But, unfortunately, the personal relationships of people who are involved, however inadvertently, in a murder case, are always a matter of interest.’
    â€˜Victoria is not “involved” in any of this!’
    â€˜Only indirectly.’
    Em straightened herself in the wing-back chair, and once again it was an autocrat who sat there; imperious, regal and accustomed to being obeyed. She said: ‘I think we had better get this quite straight, Greg. I am not a fool, and I dislike beating about the bush. It wastes time. What you are attempting to discover is whether Eden, or possibly myself, murdered Alice – be quiet, Eden! That is it, isn’t it?’
    â€˜As a matter of fact,’ said Mr Gilbert, ‘and speaking solely for myself— No. But that is because you are both personal friends of mine and I know you fairly well. Speaking officially, however, it is not outside the bounds of possibility, and therefore it is just as well to consider that angle so that it can be abandoned. Helps clear the decks, if you know what I mean.’
    â€˜I know exactly what you mean,’ said Em tartly. ‘And you will allow me to tell you that I consider the suggestion an impertinence.’
    â€˜Impertinence my foot!’ blazed Eden. ‘It’s a damned insult!’
    Em said wearily: ‘Oh, do be quiet Eden. To term it an insult is to take it seriously. I suppose that such a thing might just be possible, but it is in the highest degree improbable.’
    Drew gave her an odd sideways look and said reprovingly: ‘You ought to count up to ten before you make statements like that, Em. It was, I think, the late lamented Sherlock Holmes who announced that in any problem, if the impossible was eliminated, what remained, however improbable, was bound to be the answer. Or words to that effect.’
    â€˜If that is so, Greg had better arrest me at once!’ retorted Em with spirit. ‘Of course I could have done it! I was here, wasn’t I? In fact I was the only person who was here. Eden was in Nairobi, and as far as I know no one else called at Flamingo that evening. However, I assure you that I did not do it. And now perhaps we can terminate this unpleasant interview. Unless of course there are any more questions that Greg wishes to ask?’
    â€˜A few,’ said Greg placidly. ‘These queer incidents in the house – the breakages. Can you remember exactly when they started?’
    Em wrinkled her brow in thought and after a moment or two said slowly: ‘Let me see – the first thing was the