of con science they usually mean the fear of being found out.”
“And you ’ ve no qualms on that score?”
“Hardly, my dear. You see, I ’ ve got it all taped out. If you were to go to Roger with your version of ... of that incident of five years ago, the dear old dunderhead might believe you—if, as they say, he ’ s beginning to fall for you. But I think it would give even his loyalty a jolt to hear that amusing little story that ’ s leaked out from Bhindi—of the old rani ’ s emeralds actually being traced to your suitcase.”
She blew another series of smoke rings. “I must confess I was staggered myself when I heard the rumor.”
“I suppose you thought it was just an amazing coincidence.” It seemed miraculous to Stella that she should be able to keep her temper so firmly under control. It hardly seemed her own voice that was speaking. And then she added, raising herself a little higher on the cushions, “But it wasn ’ t that at all, Allegra!”
“ What do you mean ?” Off her guard for a second, Allegra rapped out the question.
Stella shrugged her shoulders. “My dear Allegra, you can ’ t expect me to hand you out information that might be of value to you. No one holds all the cards, all the time.”
“You ’ re bluffing, of course!” Allegra tried to sound convinced but did not altogether succeed.
“By no means. As I ’ ve said before, there is no need for any sort of a showdown because I ’ ve no intention of marrying Roger Fendish—or anyone else, for that matter. Miss Jellings and I will be leaving Ghasirabad very soon—and passing out of the lives of the Fendish family for good and all.”
A sound that might have been a sob, might have been a sigh, broke from Allegra, betraying a sudden loosening of nervous tension. But almost instantly she tautened again.
“I don ’ t know that I believe you,” she said venomously. “If I make up my mind to lie low and say nothing, you I may well steal a march on me—and hand Roger your version of a certain matter.”
“Don ’ t judge me by your own rotten standards, please.” Stella spoke with biting contempt.
“Still on that moral uplift tack!” Allegra got up and w retched herself deliberately like a small, sleek kitten. "Well, Star—or perhaps I ’ d better begin to practice calling you Miss Hantley—I shall say nothing to Roger or Jim for the moment. But if you double-cross me and start spilling any sort of a story to either of them, I won ’ t hesitate to retaliate. And you know as well as I do that even if I don ’ t, as you said just now, hold all the cards, I certainly hold t hat invaluable article—the odd trick.” And stubbing out her cigarette wit h the heel of her smart green leather shoe, she picked up her handbag and slipped out of the room as silently as she had entered it a quarter of an hour before.
CHAPTER NINE
Fortunately, Miss Jellings put down Stella ’ s haggard looks to fatigue after heavy nursing and did not question her; and after a long night ’ s sleep—for she was in truth too tired to be kept awake even by worry—she felt more able to cope with the situation.
It was in the middle of the morning that the first problem arose. Three mounted orderlies appeared at the rest house, magnificent in the state livery, and two of them led other horses—small, spirited Arabs. While the pair sat like graven images, the third dismounted and coming up the veranda steps handed a large white envelope to a hovering servant who brought it into Stella with a grave, “His Highness sends his salaams to the memsahib ,” and then withdrew.
“A letter from Chawand Rao,” Stella exclaimed. “Oh, Jelly, I wonder what he has to say about my sudden disappearance!”
“Perhaps it ’ s your salary to date,” Jelly retorted dryly. “You ’ ve never mentioned his giving you any pay for your services.”
“Heavens! I never gave it a thought. The money side of the business did not enter my
“And you ’ ve no qualms on that score?”
“Hardly, my dear. You see, I ’ ve got it all taped out. If you were to go to Roger with your version of ... of that incident of five years ago, the dear old dunderhead might believe you—if, as they say, he ’ s beginning to fall for you. But I think it would give even his loyalty a jolt to hear that amusing little story that ’ s leaked out from Bhindi—of the old rani ’ s emeralds actually being traced to your suitcase.”
She blew another series of smoke rings. “I must confess I was staggered myself when I heard the rumor.”
“I suppose you thought it was just an amazing coincidence.” It seemed miraculous to Stella that she should be able to keep her temper so firmly under control. It hardly seemed her own voice that was speaking. And then she added, raising herself a little higher on the cushions, “But it wasn ’ t that at all, Allegra!”
“ What do you mean ?” Off her guard for a second, Allegra rapped out the question.
Stella shrugged her shoulders. “My dear Allegra, you can ’ t expect me to hand you out information that might be of value to you. No one holds all the cards, all the time.”
“You ’ re bluffing, of course!” Allegra tried to sound convinced but did not altogether succeed.
“By no means. As I ’ ve said before, there is no need for any sort of a showdown because I ’ ve no intention of marrying Roger Fendish—or anyone else, for that matter. Miss Jellings and I will be leaving Ghasirabad very soon—and passing out of the lives of the Fendish family for good and all.”
A sound that might have been a sob, might have been a sigh, broke from Allegra, betraying a sudden loosening of nervous tension. But almost instantly she tautened again.
“I don ’ t know that I believe you,” she said venomously. “If I make up my mind to lie low and say nothing, you I may well steal a march on me—and hand Roger your version of a certain matter.”
“Don ’ t judge me by your own rotten standards, please.” Stella spoke with biting contempt.
“Still on that moral uplift tack!” Allegra got up and w retched herself deliberately like a small, sleek kitten. "Well, Star—or perhaps I ’ d better begin to practice calling you Miss Hantley—I shall say nothing to Roger or Jim for the moment. But if you double-cross me and start spilling any sort of a story to either of them, I won ’ t hesitate to retaliate. And you know as well as I do that even if I don ’ t, as you said just now, hold all the cards, I certainly hold t hat invaluable article—the odd trick.” And stubbing out her cigarette wit h the heel of her smart green leather shoe, she picked up her handbag and slipped out of the room as silently as she had entered it a quarter of an hour before.
CHAPTER NINE
Fortunately, Miss Jellings put down Stella ’ s haggard looks to fatigue after heavy nursing and did not question her; and after a long night ’ s sleep—for she was in truth too tired to be kept awake even by worry—she felt more able to cope with the situation.
It was in the middle of the morning that the first problem arose. Three mounted orderlies appeared at the rest house, magnificent in the state livery, and two of them led other horses—small, spirited Arabs. While the pair sat like graven images, the third dismounted and coming up the veranda steps handed a large white envelope to a hovering servant who brought it into Stella with a grave, “His Highness sends his salaams to the memsahib ,” and then withdrew.
“A letter from Chawand Rao,” Stella exclaimed. “Oh, Jelly, I wonder what he has to say about my sudden disappearance!”
“Perhaps it ’ s your salary to date,” Jelly retorted dryly. “You ’ ve never mentioned his giving you any pay for your services.”
“Heavens! I never gave it a thought. The money side of the business did not enter my
Similar Books
