“The Anderley Affair”

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1930, Page 14

“The Anderley Affair”

By

JOHN LAURENCE

CHAPTER XXXI.

OSTER MAKES A MOVE. Floyd felt tired after her night’s sleep, for it had been too fitful, too uneasy, to rest her. But the sun streaming in through her window, the pleasant out-’ look' on the countryside, the old-world' comfort of her bedroom, all combined to revive her, and when she left her room to have breakfast with Mrs. Sanders she felt thoroughly fit. ■ “Where did you get to last night, asked the housekeeper pleasantly.. “I went up to your room about eight o’clock, and again at ten, but you were, not there. Didn’t you have any supper?” ... “I was with Mr. Arnheim at six, replied Floyd, evading the direct answer. I hadn’t much freedom after that till, quite late. You must have. gone to bed long before I did, Mrs. Sanders. .. “You°look tired,” said the housekeep-

er. "I feel more hungry. than tired,” answered Floyd. “Fin going to eat-a huge breakfast.” '

She had a very healthy appetite normally, but this morning she felt she could eat enough to satisfy two people, for she had had nothing since five o’clock the previous day. She gathered from the way Mrs. Sanders spoke that the latter had no inkling of what had happened the night before. The housekeeper was not in the confidence of Arnheim any more than the. other Servants were, with the exception of the two chauffeurs, and what they knew was strictly limited. Floyd rather liked Mrs. Sanders. She was very pleasant for one thing and very'capable for another, But the-trait in her character which appealed particularly to Floyd was her serenity. She had.'not been flustered by all the. excitement of the past two days. When Entlemian, in the house on Putney Hill, had roared out the order for the servants to keep downstairs, it was Mrs Sanders who had seen that order carried out, who had quietened the terrified people under her charge. On the night of the hurried departure from Putney Mrs. Sanders had acted calmly and methodically, had taken the whole thing so philosophically that Floyd had unconsciously leant on her for moral support. Not that Floyd was weak, but she admitted .to herself that it was a help to have someone near at hand who did not become hysterical or flustered in a crisis.

“Would it bo rude to ask what you did before you came to Mr. Arnheim, Mrs. Sanders?” she asked, • helping herself liberally to marmalade. “My husband was a country doctor,” replied the other. “With only a small practice.' He was not -able to save much:”

Floyd knew now why the housekeeper had not been upset by the recent events. She had been accustomed to sudden calls in the night, to unheralded excitements on the part of other people. But was Mrs Sanders really genuine? Floyd asked herself. “[ think a good many wives of poor country doctors become housekeepers or go back to nursing—if they were once nurses,” continued Mrs. Sanders with a quiet smile. “Wives are not trained for much else except housekeepers, are they?” “I suppose you learnt a lot of secrets as the wife of a doctor?” asked Floyd. Mrs. Sanders nodded. .

“I believe most doctors don’t talk about their patients to their wives,” she answered. “But David always liked to tell me everything. He knew I wouldn’t tailed But I think some of the people I met would have blushed a little if they had known all I knew about them.

Floyd studied her companion more carefully than 'she had previously taken the trouble to do. She saw before her a pleasant-featured woman of between forty and forty-five whose hair was beginning to turn grey, .whose, face was beginning to show- lines. But there was a twinkle in her brown eyes, an upward curve to the corners of her mouth which showed that she'had not allowed herself to become disappointed by her change of fortunes. “You didn’t expect to find I was a doctor’s widow? she asked with a little laugh as she saw Floyd’s serious eyes fixed on her face. “Appearances, my dear, are sometimes deceptive.” • “Would you think my appearance deceptive, Mrs. Sanders?” asked Floyd smiling. '• ■ " ' * “I won’t gb.. as far as that,” .replied the housekeeper. “But you are very different from your cousini If—if you don’t mind me saying so, I think you have , been better, educated.” . /'• / “You ’ found Mabel a little—a little gauche?” .. ‘'Well, my dear, she'd nothing to’ talk about, .and she was top fond of mixing with the servants. You are more of a lady.”

Floyd hesitated before she said anything further. She did not want to leave this house, but now Oster and his companions knew she was Floyd Anderley there was. no alternative. In a very short while she would have to pack, up and go, and with her departure would vanish'any chance of helping her father. She wondered if she could tell Mrs. Sanders everything, could leave her, *s it were, to take her place. If the housekeeper were her ally it might make all the difference. It might mean that Chalmers would, .learn, of anything .happening in time to take advantage of it. And it was most unlikely that he could get to know of anything happening in the house if there was no one behind the scenes who could tell him. At any rate, decided Floyd, as she was leaving in an hour or so, there could be no' possible harm in telling Mrs. Sanders as much as Oster knew' and trying to enlist her aid.

“I am afraid appearances with me are deceptive as well, Mrs. Sanders,” she said quickly, as she lighted her afterbreakfast cigarette.

“You are not really Miss Trenchard’s cousin?” said the housekeeper quietly. “No relation at all,” answered Floyd. “And I can seo just as well without these glasses as with them. They are perfectly plain ones.” “She took them off as she spoke and laid them on the table.

“In fact, I am not going to wear them any more/' 'she declared. “And I. shall have my hair seen to again, and get this stain off my face.”

“There was no doubt that the housekeeper’s astonishment was genuine, reflected Floyd. “You are disguised,” cried Mrs. Sanders. “Tell me. all about it. It sounds like some thriling mystery story.” “It is a thrilling mystery story,” answered Floyd cheerfully. “And up to to-day I was rather enjoying myself as one of the chief characters. But here’s where I go off the stage for a little while and you make your entrance, if you will, Mrs. Sanders. Have you heard of Sir Henry Anderley?”

“Ttye man who lived next door to us at Putney and murdered a man in his garden?’.’ cried the housekeeper. “I could not very well help hearing about him.” “The . man . did not murder Mr. Oakes,” said Floyd finally. “I —I am hisdaughter, Mrs. Sanders.” The housekeeper did an unexpected thing. She immediately camo over to where Floyd was sitting, and patting her hand on her shoulder bent over and kissed her. . -

“Oh, you poor dear,” . she whispered sympathetically. “How you must have, suffered. Come, tell me all about it and why you are'here. I am sorry I said that about your father.” y The tears came to Floyd’s eyes as she put her own hand on the one on her shoulder, Mrs. Sanders had expressed no horror, no 'apparent surprise, but instead had at once shown her sympathy, and that revealed her. real character to Floyd more than anything else. Her life as the wife of a doctor had taught" Mrs. Sanders an infinite tolerance, had given her an experience' of life few women not in a similar position ever got. “Of course, what could you think?” said Floyd quietly. “I dread to see the morning papers lest I should read that, father has been arrested. And ho would never commit a murder. Mrs. Sanders,”.

“There is. nothing in the papers except a. railway accident this morning, my dear,” said the housekeeper, patting Floyd’s hair. “The Anderley affair, as they call it, seems to have gone out of the news for the moment. I only judged from what was in the newspapers.”

Floyd poured out the whole story,, from the time her father was recalled so unexpectedly from Africa, .to the mo-, ment she locked herself in her bedroom tho previous night, after her release by Oster. Mrs. Sanders made no comment at all, but the gentle pressure of her hands on Floyd’s from time to time told the latter that the housekeeper was listening to every word, ' that she was sympathising, too. ‘“Of course your father is not guilty of doing such a thing,” she said gently, when Floyd had finished. “You deserve to find him and the man who killed Mr. Oakes.” “I shall never find him now,” cried Floyd a little tearfully. “Oh, I wish they had never, suspected me, Mrs. Sanders. I could have gone on helping, and now I cannot.” “I shall be here,” pointed out the housekeeper. “I can write to you and tell you what they are doing. Oh ” She stopped with the exclamation. “What’s the matter?” asked Floyd, looking up. “The railway accident,” said Mrs. Sanders. “Didn’t you say something about a Mr. Hunter at the beginning of your story, who was in the Foreign—” “He’s—he’s —”

Floyd clutched at her companion's arm and tried to read the answer in her face to tho question which hfer lips refused to form. ' A great .fear came over her. . ■

He’s not very much hurt,” the housekeeper reassured, her. “There’s nothing to worry about. . It says’ slight concussion. Look, read for yourself, my dear.” Floyd took the newspaper with hands that trembled, and her eyes flew to the list Of killed and injured set out in black type. There Alan’s: name appeared to stand out a thousand times blacker than anyone ; else’s. ~“I must go. to him at once,” she cried. .“Oh, dear, what was he doing on’that train, I wonder?" '

“I’ll help you to pack. And please don’t Worry. Slight concussion is really not dangerous. He’ll probably be allowed to leave the hospital in a few days and go home.” : “Thank God he wasn’t-killed,” breathed Floyd. “It must have been a dreadful accident.” In less than ten minutes, she had finished her packing and resolutely went downstairs to find Oster. Ho was alone in tho room where he had threatened her the previous evening. “I am ready to go —now, Mr. Oster,” she said coldly. “I should like to go to' Redhill in the car, please.” “I’ll get Jackson, to drive you to the .hospital direct,” answered Oster a little maliciously. “You have seen the papers, of course. I expect you’ll find some of your friends there and you can relieve their minds about yourself. They , will probably tell you that Marley is. there, seriously injured, though tho newspapers have not yet published his name.”. With an effort .Floyd controlled herself Marley seriously injured! . Alan must have been following Marley, and that was why the latter had not communicated with Oster, had not been able to tell Oster that Lena Oakes and Arm heim’s. secretary were one and the same would never have the chance, until toe late, to tell Oster what he knew. Oster’s references to her friends told her that Marley’s identity was known to Chalmers, that the latter would take good care to see Marley, was guarded and not allowed to bo seen alone by Oster or anyone else to whom his information might prove useful. “What have you told Mrs. Sanders?” asked Oster suddenly, ringing the bell.

“That Mr. • Arnheim wants mo to go up to London and I shall be away some days,” answered Floyd promptly. She had foreseen this very question, and had agreed with' the housekeeper what to say.

(To bo Continued).