Read Online The Gold Masters by Norman Russell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Norman Russell
Ads: Link
morning of Friday, the twenty-eighth of this month.’
‘The twenty-eighth? But, ma’am, my work—’
‘I know your work is terribly important, Mr Lane,’ said Madam Sylvestris sharply, ‘but surely you can find a substitute for thatmorning? It cannot be any other time but that which the spirits have decreed. It is the last time that you will see the fully evolved spirit of your child on this side of the grave.’
‘Yes…. Yes, ma’am, you’re right, and I’m sorry if I appeared ungrateful. I thank you for your goodness and kindness to me from the bottom of my heart, and I shall be here without fail on the morning of the twenty-eighth.’
‘Curteis,’ asked Sir Hamo Strange, as his confidential secretary came into the study after dinner that evening, ‘is there anyone waiting for me downstairs? I fancy I heard the front-door bell ringing a minute ago.’
‘There’s a gentleman newly arrived, sir, who said that he was expected. He wouldn’t give his name, and I humoured him by not pressing the point. I’ve settled him in the writing-room.’
Curteis made no attempt to suppress a rather contemptuous smile.
‘Narrow-faced man? Black whiskers?’ asked Strange. ‘Very well. Bring him up here, will you, Curteis. You know who he is, I expect?’
‘Yes, sir, but I thought it advisable to pretend that I didn’t recognize him. That kind of silly pretence seems to satisfy the fellow’s vanity.’
‘Yes, well, never you mind about his vanity. He’s a man with many uses. Bring him up here, now, and then make yourself scarce.’
When Curteis returned with the visitor, he ushered him into Sir Hamo’s study, closed the door silently, and went downstairs. Strange told the visitor rather curtly to sit down.
‘Now, Portman,’ said the great financier, ‘have you carried out the little commission I entrusted to you? Or did you have scruples in the matter? Maybe it’s of no significance, but it’s as well to cover all eventualities. Whatever the outcome, you won’t lose by it.’
‘I have undertaken the commission, sir,’ Arthur Portman replied, ‘and I’ve come here this evening to tell you the result. Our vault at Peto’s Bank in the Strand contains just over half a million pounds in gold. When the Swedish consignment leaves there on the twenty-eighth, there will remain nine hundred pounds in sovereigns, sufficient to stock the tills, but nothing else.’
‘Hm … You do appreciate, do you not, that when you come to work for me, you will receive double at least what Peto pays you as chief counter clerk? Good, I see you do. All I ask in return is discretion. And the Temple of Light – all went well there, I trust?’
Mr Arthur Portman smiled, and his smile was met by that of Sir Hamo Strange.
‘Oh, yes, sir. All went well in that direction. If I may say so without disrespect, the spirits have been very much on our side this month.’
Sir Hamo Strange motioned towards a fat envelope placed on the edge of his desk. Portman picked it up, put it without comment into the pocket of his well-cut morning coat, and walked softly from the room.
‘ Sir ’, Box read in a note that had been brought across to him from Whitehall Place, ‘it was all true. I saw the spirit of my wife’s uncle, who talked about things known only to our family. And then Catherine Mary appeared, looking just as she did in life. She was wearing the dress in which we buried her. I saw her lips moving, but the words came from the mouth of Madam Sylvestris. It’s all true, Mr Box. I’ve been promised that at the next seance Baby will speak in her own little voice!’
Arnold Box put away PC Lane’s hastily scribbled note in the desk drawer. It was after nine, and the usual evening calm had settled over 4 King James’s Rents. Box sat in thought, watching the flames leaping in the fireplace. Could it be true? No … These people had all kinds of subtle and not so subtle ways of parading their deceit. Lane was an
‘The twenty-eighth? But, ma’am, my work—’
‘I know your work is terribly important, Mr Lane,’ said Madam Sylvestris sharply, ‘but surely you can find a substitute for thatmorning? It cannot be any other time but that which the spirits have decreed. It is the last time that you will see the fully evolved spirit of your child on this side of the grave.’
‘Yes…. Yes, ma’am, you’re right, and I’m sorry if I appeared ungrateful. I thank you for your goodness and kindness to me from the bottom of my heart, and I shall be here without fail on the morning of the twenty-eighth.’
‘Curteis,’ asked Sir Hamo Strange, as his confidential secretary came into the study after dinner that evening, ‘is there anyone waiting for me downstairs? I fancy I heard the front-door bell ringing a minute ago.’
‘There’s a gentleman newly arrived, sir, who said that he was expected. He wouldn’t give his name, and I humoured him by not pressing the point. I’ve settled him in the writing-room.’
Curteis made no attempt to suppress a rather contemptuous smile.
‘Narrow-faced man? Black whiskers?’ asked Strange. ‘Very well. Bring him up here, will you, Curteis. You know who he is, I expect?’
‘Yes, sir, but I thought it advisable to pretend that I didn’t recognize him. That kind of silly pretence seems to satisfy the fellow’s vanity.’
‘Yes, well, never you mind about his vanity. He’s a man with many uses. Bring him up here, now, and then make yourself scarce.’
When Curteis returned with the visitor, he ushered him into Sir Hamo’s study, closed the door silently, and went downstairs. Strange told the visitor rather curtly to sit down.
‘Now, Portman,’ said the great financier, ‘have you carried out the little commission I entrusted to you? Or did you have scruples in the matter? Maybe it’s of no significance, but it’s as well to cover all eventualities. Whatever the outcome, you won’t lose by it.’
‘I have undertaken the commission, sir,’ Arthur Portman replied, ‘and I’ve come here this evening to tell you the result. Our vault at Peto’s Bank in the Strand contains just over half a million pounds in gold. When the Swedish consignment leaves there on the twenty-eighth, there will remain nine hundred pounds in sovereigns, sufficient to stock the tills, but nothing else.’
‘Hm … You do appreciate, do you not, that when you come to work for me, you will receive double at least what Peto pays you as chief counter clerk? Good, I see you do. All I ask in return is discretion. And the Temple of Light – all went well there, I trust?’
Mr Arthur Portman smiled, and his smile was met by that of Sir Hamo Strange.
‘Oh, yes, sir. All went well in that direction. If I may say so without disrespect, the spirits have been very much on our side this month.’
Sir Hamo Strange motioned towards a fat envelope placed on the edge of his desk. Portman picked it up, put it without comment into the pocket of his well-cut morning coat, and walked softly from the room.
‘ Sir ’, Box read in a note that had been brought across to him from Whitehall Place, ‘it was all true. I saw the spirit of my wife’s uncle, who talked about things known only to our family. And then Catherine Mary appeared, looking just as she did in life. She was wearing the dress in which we buried her. I saw her lips moving, but the words came from the mouth of Madam Sylvestris. It’s all true, Mr Box. I’ve been promised that at the next seance Baby will speak in her own little voice!’
Arnold Box put away PC Lane’s hastily scribbled note in the desk drawer. It was after nine, and the usual evening calm had settled over 4 King James’s Rents. Box sat in thought, watching the flames leaping in the fireplace. Could it be true? No … These people had all kinds of subtle and not so subtle ways of parading their deceit. Lane was an
Similar Books
