CHAPTER VII
BUNDLE PAYS A CALL
Getting hold of Bill presented few difficulties. Bundle motored up
to town on the following morning--this time without adventures by
the way--and rang him up. Bill responded with alacrity, and made
various suggestions as to lunch, tea, dinner and dancing. All of which
suggestions Bundle turned down as made.
"In a day or two, I'll come and frivol with you, Bill. But for the
moment I'm up on business."
"Oh," said Bill. "What a beastly bore."
"It's not that kind," said Bundle. "It's anything but boring. Bill, do
you know anyone called Jimmy Thesiger."
"Of course. So do you."
"No, I don't," said Bundle.
"Yes, you do. You must. Everyone knows old Jimmy."
"Sorry," said Bundle. "Just for once I don't seem to be everyone."
"Oh! but you must know Jimmy--pink-faced chap. Looks a bit of an ass.
But really he's got as many brains as I have."
"You don't say so," said Bundle. "He must feel a bit top heavy when he
walks about."
"Was that meant for sarcasm?"
"It was a feeble effort at it. What does Jimmy Thesiger do?"
"How do you mean, what does he do?"
"Does being at the Foreign Office prevent you from understanding your
native language?"
"Oh! I see, you mean, has he got a job? No, he just tools around. Why
should he do anything?"
"In fact, more money than brains?"
"Oh! I wouldn't say that. I told you just now that he had more brains
than you'd think."
Bundle was silent. She was feeling more and more doubtful. This gilded
youth did not sound a very promising ally. And yet it was his name that
had come first to the dying man's lips. Bill's voice chimed in suddenly
with singular appropriateness.
"Ronny always thought a lot of his brains. You know, Ronny Devereux.
Thesiger was his greatest pal."
"Ronny--"
Bundle stopped, undecided. Clearly Bill knew nothing of the other's
death. It occurred to Bundle for the first time that it was odd the
morning papers had contained nothing of the tragedy. Surely it was the
kind of spicy item of news that would never be passed over. There could
be one explanation, and one explanation only. The police, for reasons
of their own, were keeping the matter quiet.
Bill's voice was continuing.
"I haven't seen Ronny for an age--not since that week-end down at your
place. You know, when poor old Gerry Wade passed out."
He paused and then went on.
"Rather a foul business that altogether. I expect you've heard about
it. I say, Bundle--are you there still?"
"Of course I'm here."
"Well, you haven't said anything for an age. I began to think that you
had gone away."
"No, I was just thinking over something."
Should she tell Bill of Ronny's death? She decided against it--it was
not the sort of thing to be said over the telephone. But soon, very
soon, she must have a meeting with Bill. In the meantime--
"Bill?"
"Hullo."
"I might dine with you to-morrow night."
"Good, and we'll dance afterwards. I've got a lot to talk to you
about. As a matter of fact I've been rather hard hit--the foulest
luck--"
"Well, tell me about it to-morrow," said Bundle, cutting him short
rather unkindly. "In the meantime, what is Jimmy Thesiger's address?"
"Jimmy Thesiger?"
"That's what I said."
"He's got rooms in Jermyn Street--do I mean Jermyn Street or the other
one?"
"Bring that class A brain to bear upon it."
"Yes, Jermyn Street. Wait a bit and I'll give you the number."
There was a pause.
"Are you there still?"
"I'm always there."
"Well, one never knows with these dashed telephones. The number is 103.
Got it?"
"103. Thank you, Bill."
"Yes, but I say--what do you want it for? You said you didn't know him."
"I don't, but I shall in half an hour."
"You're going round to his rooms?"
"Quite right, Sherlock."
"Yes, but I say--well, for one thing he won't be up."
"Won't be up?"
"I shouldn't think so. I mean, who would if they hadn't got to? Look at
it that way. You've no idea what an effort it is for me to get here at
eleven every morning, and the fuss Codders makes if I'm behind time is
simply appalling. You haven't the least idea, Bundle, what a dog's life
this is--"
"You shall tell me all about it to-morrow night," said Bundle hastily.
She slammed down the receiver and took stock of the situation. First
she glanced at the clock. It was five and twenty minutes to twelve.
Despite Bill's knowledge of his friend's habits, she inclined to the
belief that Mr. Thesiger would by now be in a fit state to receive
visitors. She took a taxi to 103 Jermyn Street.
The door was opened by a perfect example of the retired gentleman's
gentleman. His face, expressionless and polite, was such a face as may
be found by the score in that particular district of London.
"Will you come this way, madam?"
He ushered her upstairs into an extremely comfortable sitting-room
containing leather covered arm-chairs of immense dimensions. Sunk
in one of those monstrosities was another girl, rather younger than
Bundle. A small, fair girl, dressed in black.
"What name shall I say, madam?"
"I won't give any name," said Bundle. "I just want to see Mr. Thesiger
on important business."
The grave gentleman bowed and withdrew, shutting the door noiselessly
behind him.
There was a pause.
"It's a nice morning," said the fair girl timidly.
"It's an awfully nice morning," agreed Bundle.
There was another pause.
"I motored up from the country this morning," said Bundle, plunging
once more into speech. "And I thought it was going to be one of those
foul fogs. But it wasn't."
"No," said the other girl. "It wasn't." And she added: "I've come up
from the country too."
Bundle eyed her more attentively. She had been slightly annoyed at
finding the other there. Bundle belonged to the energetic order of
people who like "to get on with it," and she foresaw that the second
visitor would have to be disposed of and got rid of before she could
broach her own business. It was not a topic she could introduce before
a stranger.
Now, as she looked more closely, an extraordinary idea rose in her
brain. Could it be? Yes, the girl was in deep mourning; her black,
silk-clad ankles showed that. It was a long shot, but Bundle was
convinced that her idea was right. She drew a long breath.
"Look here," she said. "Are you by any chance Loraine Wade?"
Loraine's eyes opened wide.
"Yes, I am. How clever of you to know. We've never met, have we?"
Bundle shook her head.
"I wrote to you yesterday, though. I'm Bundle Brent."
"It was so very kind of you to send me Gerry's letter," said Loraine.
"I've written to thank you. I never expected to see you here."
"I'll tell you why I'm here," said Bundle. "Did you know Ronny
Devereux?"
Loraine nodded.
"He came over the day that Gerry--you know. And he's been to see me two
or three times since. He was one of Gerry's greatest friends."
"I know. Well--he's dead."
Loraine's lips parted in surprise.
"_Dead!_ But he always seemed so fit."
Bundle narrated the events of the preceding day as briefly as possible.
A look of fear and horror came into Loraine's face.
"Then it _is_ true. It _is_ true."
"What's true?"
"What I've thought--what I've been thinking all these weeks. Gerald
didn't die a natural death. He was killed."
"You've thought that, have you?"
"Yes. Gerry would never have taken things to make him sleep." She gave
the little ghost of a laugh. "He slept much too well to need them. I
always thought it queer. And _he_ thought so too--I know he did."
"Who?"
"Ronny. And now this happens. Now he's killed too." She paused and then
went on: "That's what I came for to-day. That letter of Gerry's you
sent me--as soon as I read it, I tried to get hold of Ronny, but they
said he was away. So I thought I'd come and see Jimmy--he was Ronny's
other great friend. I thought perhaps he'd tell me what I ought to do."
"You mean--" Bundle paused. "About--Seven Dials."
Loraine nodded.
"You see--" she began.
But at that moment Jimmy Thesiger entered the room.