E-Book, Englisch, Band 2, 280 Seiten
Reihe: Collected Short Stories
White / Allam Collected Short Stories - Book2
1. Auflage 2024
ISBN: 978-9984-67-633-3
Verlag: Al-Mashreq eBookstore
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)
E-Book, Englisch, Band 2, 280 Seiten
Reihe: Collected Short Stories
ISBN: 978-9984-67-633-3
Verlag: Al-Mashreq eBookstore
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)
Fred M. White (1859-1935) was a British author known for his prolific output of mystery, adventure, and speculative fiction. He is most famous for his early science fiction disaster novels, particularly 'The Doom of London' series, which depicted catastrophic events befalling the city. White wrote hundreds of short stories and serialized works, which were popular in magazines during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His works contributed significantly to the development of early science fiction and thriller genres.
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A SATISFACTORY REFERENCE
Published in The Queenslander, Brisbane, Australia, 21 Apr 1900
I
PARKER paused in her walk, fearful lest the slightest noise should betray her. It was not dark yet, and Parker had no difficulty in recognising the features of the speakers. One of them, indeed, she knew perfectly well; for William, the second footman, was by way of being an admirer of hers, a state of things forced upon him against his better judgment.
"A very pretty gal is Parker," he had declared. "Parker's got style; and there's times when she might pass for quite the toff. But she's uppish, and nobody in the servants' 'all's good enough for her. A nice gal, but not the sort to make a man 'appy and comfortable."
So it came about that Parker, the Honourable Nora Vandeleur's maid, spent very little of her spare time with the rest of the servants. There was a legend extant that her father had once been a colonel in the army. Before the end of her first month she had found herself left severely alone.
Usually Parker spent an hour or so after the family had gone in to dinner rambling about the grounds. At that time the law was somewhat relaxed, and the housekeeper forgot to frown. Parker found this by far the pleasantest hour of the day. This evening she felt specially free from trouble, it was a balmy August evening, the hour close upon 9, and the light was just beginning to fade. Those two male voices in the shrubbery seemed to boom against the still air.
Parker had almost blundered upon the speakers before she saw them. That a listener was near neither of them dreamt for a moment. Peeping through the acacias Parker could see the others quite plainly.
One was William. Of that fact there could be no doubt. His companion was no stranger either, Parker had met him before under circumstances which did not redound to the credit of the stranger.
"William," said the latter earnestly, "is it good enough?"
"Joseph," William replied as solemnly, "it is. It's gold plate, my lad; a presentation service from some hemperor or another to the late Earl. Ambassador or some such tricks, he was, and it's all in a safe as you could rip open easy as I could crack a walnut."
Parker stood perfectly still. It seemed to her that on the present occasion eavesdropping was quite compatible with good breeding. Besides, had she not seen the gold plate on the dining-room table a dozen times?
"Of course I shall want a pal, Bill," Joseph remarked.
"Why?" William asked uneasily. "Haven't I explained to you the very place where the safe is? Haven't I promised to dose the butler? I'm not going to take any risks beyond leaving a door open for you."
"You always were a coward, William."
"You're right there," the second footman agreed with perfect candour; "I never had the pluck of a mouse. Ain't got the nerve for it somehow. But you can't deny that I've put a deal of business in your way, Joseph. No, you must collar the swag. You must get rid of it and send me my share. Then I can chuck this crib and move off, on the hunt for another plant of the same kind."
"All right," Baxter growled. "What night is it to be?"
"Wednesday. Nobody dining here 'cept the house party, and as they're all off early the next day on the razzle-dazzle, they're sure to be in bed by 11. I heard the captain say so to-night."
"The captain! Do you mean to say as he's here?"
"Certainly I do, Joseph. Do you know him?"
Joseph Baxter ground out something lurid between his teeth. It seemed to the watcher that his face was diabolical in the failing light.
"Don't I?" he hissed. "I shouldn't have been nearly killed all over an innocent lot of welshing at Sandown three years ago but for Captain Vandeleur. And about twelve months ago there was a pretty girl I met at Esher. She took out her purse to give me a bob, and it was full of quids. 'Tisn't my fault. Why did she go tempting a poor chap down on his luck in that way? And if there was a bit of a struggle, they'd no call to go and put it in the 'ditement as 'ighway robbery with vi'lence. And who should come up agen and give me a cowardly blow when I wasn't expecting it but the captain. And they gave me nine months' hard for that!"
William noted the beauty of his friend's law with a glance of sympathy.
"I'd pay him out," he said.
"I'm going to; I'm going to have my revenge if I swing for it. I'll put a knife into him first chance, sure as my name's Joe Baxter."
Parker crept quietly away. She had learnt all she required and more. For the rest of the evening she remained unseen by the other servants. It was past 11 before she found her way to Nora Vandeleur's room.
"Well, my dear," Nora said cheerfully.
"Well, Nora," Parker replied. "I have had an adventure to-night."
Miss Vandeleur's aristocratic features relaxed in a smile. The Earl of Malcombe's handsome daughter appeared to be remarkably free with her servants.
"You saw Rupert Gaunt with Mary Cresswell in the conservatory, then? You have noticed how shamefully they are flirting together?"
"I saw him kiss her last night," Parker said, calmly.
"And you are not furious about it. Your features are placid. I am certain that your pulse is beating normally. How glad I am, Dorothy."
"Well, I'm rather glad myself now. I admit that my life the last month has not been all a bed of roses, but at any rate my eyes have been opened. Rupert Gaunt is not likely to pay off his mortgages with my money."
"And Mary hasn't got a single penny!"
"Mary is a very pretty girl. She is quite innocent in this matter, and I am very sorry for her," Parker said judicially. "I was foolish enough to think that Rupert loved me, and you always protested he did nothing of the kind. I'm very glad now that I sank Dorothy Dean, the heiress, in the role of Parker, the Hon. Nora Vandeleur's new maid."
Nora's eyes sparkled. She had certainly cured her dearest friend of her passion for the handsome yet faithless Rupert Gaunt, but a good deal still remained to be done. The restoration of Dorothy Dean's faith in (male) human nature, for instance. At any rate Nora's brother, Captain Charles Vandeleur, could not be accused of fortune-hunting—a rich old aunt had saved him that stigma—and he was genuinely in love with Dorothy.
Dorothy was quite aware of the fact. And the Honourable Nora had not planned the present little ruse entirely to save Dorothy from a loveless marriage. There was an arriere pensee, and Captain Vandeleur was the inspiration.
In her present capacity Dorothy could watch without being seen. It was very easy for her to keep out of the way of the house-party, even had not her cap and apron and severely banded hair formed an efficient disguise. Even Vandeleur was perfectly unconscious of the little comedy.
"No use defying Fate," Nora remarked, sententiously. "It is quite evident to me that you and Charles are made for one another."
"I shall never marry," Dorothy interposed.
"Oh, nonsense! Do you suppose that Charles was at hand to save you when you had that adventure with the tramp at Esher for nothing?"
This remark of Nora's brought Dorothy down to mundane matters again.
"It is very strange you should mention that affair," she said. "Do you know I have seen my modern Duval this very evening?"
"You mean that horrid tramp?"
"The same. He did not see or hear me, which on the whole is a good thing for all parties concerned. This Joseph Baxter was in the shrubbery engaged in earnest conversation with William, the second footman."
"A burglary? What fun! We'll put the matter in Charlie's hands, eh?"
"Be serious, Nora. I assure you this is no laughing matter. Let me tell you there is a plot on foot to rob the house. Baxter is coming here on Wednesday night to take away the presentation plate; a door is to be left open for him, the butler is to be drugged, and all things made very comfortable for Baxter."
Nora's eyes gleamed.
"What fun!" she exclaimed. "We never had a burglary here."
"But it is not fun," Dorothy replied. "That awful Baxter went on fearfully about Charlie—I mean Captain Vandeleur. He has sworn to be avenged. If they meet I know some fearful mischief will be done."
But Nora laughed at Dorothy's fears.
"Those people always talk like that," she said, evidently with a lofty knowledge of burglars and their tortuous ways, "whereas they are the most cowardly of men. Dorothy, I won't say anything about this to anybody but Charlie, and he shall arrange to catch the thief. If other people get to hear of it, it may reach William's ears, and the mischief will be done."
Dorothy was precisely of the same opinion. Only Charles was so very headstrong.
"And do urge him to be careful," concluded Dorothy, "he is so rash. If anything were to happen to him I should never forgive myself."
Again the Hon. Nora's eyes sparkled.
"You would remain single for his sake," she whispered. "My dear, I would much rather you married to please him. Goodnight!"
II
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