Domino. Part 17

I.

XIII.

When I reached the door, Edna was coming out of Persis Morgan's room with a tray and empty milk gla.s.s. I was glad to see that Gail wasn't there.

"She's waiting for you, miss," Edna said, and I went in.

Once more Persis sat propped against her pillows, a crocheted bed jacket about her shoulders and a lively look of antic.i.p.ation in her eyes.

"Good!" she said. "I'm glad that dinner didn't last forever. I've been waiting. Tell me everything. Tell me right away!"

With an effort I thrust back the dark thoughts for which I had no real foundation. Drawing a chair beside the bed, I reached for one cold hand and held it between my warm ones. I had to get the worst over with at once-Ingram's words.

"Mr. Ingram sent you a message, Grandmother."

"All right. Deliver it."

"He said to tell you that he would like to know what became of Noah Armand when he left this house twenty years ago."

Whatever she might have expected, it wasn't this. She stared at me in a mingling of surprise and alarm.

"He wants to know what?"

20O.

I repeated the words, and she turned her head from side to side despairingly. "How can he ask a question like that? What can I possibly know?"

"He seems to think you may know something."

"But I haven't heard from that man since he left this house, and I hope I never hear from him again."

She didn't sound as though she were lying, but I didn't always trust her.

"Mr. Ingram wants to see you," I said.

"No! I've seen him once, and that was enough. I let him come here when he first arrived in Jasper. I know what he intends, and I don't ever want to see him again."

"I've told him you won't see him, but I don't think he takes 'no' very easily."

"Never mind. Let it go for now. I'll have to think. I'll have to think quietly when I'm alone. I'll have to discuss this with Caleb. How did Caleb answer him when Ingram brought this up?"

"I don't think he did. I don't think Caleb said anything."

She seemed to sink a little lower against her pillows, and withered lids came over great dark eyes, where all the life that was in her still lived.

"Grandmother," I said, "is there anything more I should know about Noah Armand? How can I help you when I understand so little?"

"I've told you all I can. Laurie, did that man ever show up again in your mother's life?"

The way she put the question relieved my mind, and I let ugly suspicion go.

"Not that I know of. But then-how could I know if she chose to keep it from me? All I can tell you is that if he did, he didn't stay."

"What else came up tonight at dinner?"

"I talked about the attack on Jon," I told her, "but Ingram 201.

I.

seemed to shrug it off. Just the same, I think more than ever that he was involved."

"Of course he was involved."

"But why- why?"

"I'm so tired. I don't want to talk anymore tonight, Laurie. Is there anything else you have to tell me?"

"Nothing, Grandmother." Questions were of no use now when she was using her familiar method of escaping from them.

When I pulled the comforter up and checked to make sure her bell was within reach on the table, I bent to kiss her lightly on the cheek. It was the first time I had touched her that way, and I was startled by my own emotion.

She opened her eyes. "Thank you for that, Laurie. It's more than I deserve. You've already suffered enough at my hands, but now you'll manage. You have to manage."

I left the lamp burning beside her bed and went downstairs.

Ever since the wreath had been left on the door, I'd found myself approaching my room with a certain uneasiness- as though anything that was meanly vindictive might await me here. But the doork.n.o.b was bare, and when I went in the room stood empty. I wished again for Red's comforting presence and dared not think that anything serious might have happened to him. Tomorrow I would find him, I was sure.

My thoughts were turning unhappily as I undressed and got between cold sheets. Something in this house was terribly wrong, and I could only believe that it stemmed back to the happening I had so long rejected in rny memory. My father and mother had been a part of it, and so had Noah Armand. I had been there too, and tomorrow I must find the answers to all that troubled me. Only when I knew everything could I find the proper means of fighting Mark Ingram. If I were to take a stand against him at Persis Morgan's side, I would need all the strength I could muster.

202.

But I must not think about any of this now or I'd never go to sleep. I let myself drift into thoughts of Jon instead, let him come warmly into my mind. Was I falling in love with him? It was not an altogether happy thought.

What about Hillary if this happened? What about me and my ability to love?

When I finally slept, I dreamed again of riding up a mountain meadow, knowing I must reach the mine. Knowing that if my father was to live I must reach it. Once more the sound of hooves followed behind, only they didn't frighten me because now I knew it was Jon coming after me. I woke up when the pony s.h.i.+ed and I went sailing into the air, never to reach the ground. But this time, awake, I was aware of something new the dream had given me. I had been riding to save my fatherat the mine. And of this I could make nothing at all.

My watch told me it was past two o'clock. I got out of bed and went to the window, where I could see the cone of Old Desolate rising black against a lighter backdrop of sky and stars. Close in, among the ranch buildings, a light burned in a window of Jon's cabin. Did that mean pain and sleeplessness? I was glad that Sam had arranged to stay with him. What had happened still seemed too terrible to be believed. Not in this peaceful setting. Yet it was a setting that had known times of fear and violence in the past, and there might be more to come. More to threaten my grandmother and Jon and me-all stemming from Mark Ingram.

Nevertheless, I must stay. I knew that now without any doubt I must try to see Persis Morgan through whatever was to come. Looking out toward that lighted window, I knew how much I needed to talk with Jon. But I must wait until he felt a good deal better. In the meantime I would face that room downstairs tomorrow morning, without fail.

As I turned back to my bed, I heard light footsteps in the hall and wondered who could be up at this hour. Curious to know, I opened my door a crack and was in time to see Gail slipping into her room down the hall. She was fully clothednot in her s.h.i.+mmery dress, but in jeans and jacket.

I remembered what Belle had said, and guessed that she must be coming home from a rendezvous with Mark Ingram. What had been only a suspicion that he had deliberately planted an enemy within the house grew into conviction. I wondered how much Belle knew, and what she thought about this. In any case something must be done about Gail.

So why not now? I put on my robe and slippers and went down the hall to tap on her door. There was a moment's silence, and then she came to open it a crack.

"We're both awake," I said, "so perhaps this is as good a time as any to talk."

If she could have closed the door in my face, I think she would have, but she didn't quite dare. Instead she opened it and let me into her room. She -had started to undress, unb.u.t.toning her blouse. Her dark hair was loose, falling tousled about her face, and what makeup she had worn was smudged, so that her mouth had a well-kissed look. She stared at me with eyes that were still languorous with love.

"What do you want?" she said.

I glanced about a room that was not much different from my own, except that it had been lived in longer and there were more personal possessions lying about. Gail might be antiseptic enough as a nurse, but she wasn't a particularly tidy person.

"Do you mind if I sit down?" I asked.

"I don't think this is the time-" she began.

"It's the perfect time. You've just come from the hotel, haven't you?"

The languorous look was vanis.h.i.+ng, and she seemed faintly alarmed. "So what if I have?"

"Your personal life is your own affair," I said. "But when it 204.

involves Mark Ingram, then that becomes my affair. And my grandmother's."

She stared at me, admitting nothing.

"How long have you known Mark Ingram," I asked bluntly.

"I don't know him at all . . ." she began, and then shrugged. "Have it your way, if you must. But I'm not going to tell you anything."

"It's pretty clear that you're in his hire," I said. "He planted you in this house, didn't he?"

Coolly, insolently, she finished undoing her blouse and took it off. She wore no bra, and she reached without hurry for a pajama top, slipped into the sleeves, and began to b.u.t.ton up the front. All the while she watched me with that sly, faintly triumphant look that I'd seen her wear before.

"Mr. Hawes employed me," she said. "Through Dr. Burton. You know that."

"Because Mark Ingram wanted you here. Because that is where your loyalties lie. Isn't that right?"

I wasn't alarming her in the least now, and she had begun to smile. "You don't really think I'm going to answer your questions, do you? Why don't you just go back to your own room? You have enough troubles of your own, Laurie Morgan."

"It doesn't matter whether you answer or not," I said. "I just wanted to know what you might have to say in your own defense. My grandmother will be letting you go very soon, and Mr. Hawes won't have anything to say about it."

This time my words stung through her pose of mocking indifference, and again she looked a little uneasy. After all, her real employer might not be pleased to have Persis Morgan let her go.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Let's talk about this again tomorrow, when we're not both tired and apt to say things that don't make much sense."

"I'm making very good sense," I a.s.sured her. "But we will the others were finis.h.i.+ng breakfast. I askea Gail, behaving as though nothing had hapj?efl '(1st last night, said cheerfully that she had been d^ K "He was up and wouldn't stay in bed, thduj breakfast for him and Sarn. He's bruised and a A seems all right." p'licl I would visit him as soon as I could, but ntf^ JA immediate projects ahead. First I would go ir>to rj' and open the mahogany box, come what m$"" A go outside and search seriously for Red. fji^1 Gail was in uniform again, and when she *e ilii'l went upstairs to my grandmother. Caleb sat ior j (,f' his own unhappy thoughts, whatever they w^re' to open the subject of Gail just then, but I "What did you think about Ingram's mother last night?" I asked him.

"I have no idea what to make of it," Caleb "Do you know what became of Noah Arm; "I hope he's dead. I hope very much that h^1S When I finished my coffee and toast and rc?se he nodded to me and went off upstairs, eager, **

any further need to talk to me. There could be no more postponement. No one seemed to be around when I went ,.

ifa ML.

204.

involves Mark Ingram, then that becomes my affair. And my grandmother's."

She stared at me, admitting nothing.

"How long have you known Mark Ingram," I asked bluntly.

"I don't know him at all . . ." she began, and then shrugged. "Have it your way, if you must. But I'm not going to tell you anything."

"It's pretty clear that you're in his hire," I said. "He planted you in this house, didn't he?"

Coolly, insolently, she finished undoing her blouse and took it off. She wore no bra, and she reached without hurry for a pajama top, slipped into the sleeves, and began to b.u.t.ton up the front. All the while she watched me with that sly, faintly triumphant look that I'd seen her wear before.

"Mr. Hawes employed rne," she said. "Through Dr. Burton. You know that."

"Because Mark Ingram wanted you here. Because that is where your loyalties lie. Isn't that right?"

I wasn't alarming her in the least now, and she had begun to smile. "You don't really think I'm going to answer your questions, do you? Why don't you just go back to your own room? You have enough troubles of your own, Laurie Morgan."

"It doesn't matter whether you answer or not," I said. "I just wanted to know what you might have to say in your own defense. My grandmother will be letting you go very soon, and Mr. Hawes won't have anything to say about it."

This time my words stung through her pose of mocking indifference, and again she looked a little uneasy. After all, her real employer might not be pleased to have Persis Morgan let her go.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Let's talk about this again tomorrow, when we're not both tired and apt to say things that don't make much sense."

"I'm making very good sense," I a.s.sured her. "But we will 205.

talk again tomorrow. I think as a nurse that you ought to be on call all night in this house. It's rather serious if you've been running out."

I left her and went back to my room, not at all sorry that I had flung down a glove. Things were coming into the open and that was all to the good. I didn't have to play this game of pretense with Gail Cullen any longer.

My bed was cold, but I had let out a few of my emotions, and I fell asleep more quickly than I might have expected.

The next morning I slept late, and when I went downstairs the others were finis.h.i.+ng breakfast. I asked about Jon, and Gail, behaving as though nothing had happened between us last night, said cheerfully that she had been down to see him.

"He was up and wouldn't stay in bed, though he let me fix breakfast for him and Sam. He's bruised and a bit sore, but he seems all right."

I would visit him as soon as I could, but now there were two immediate projects ahead. First I would go into the back parlor and open the mahogany box, come what might. Then I would go outside and search seriously for Red.

Gail was in uniform again, and when she left the table she went upstairs to my grandmother. Caleb sat for a while, lost in his own unhappy thoughts, whatever they were. I didn't want to open the subject of Gail just then, but I tried one question.

"What did you think about Ingram's message to my grandmother last night?" I asked him.

"I have no idea what to make of it," Caleb said.

"Do you know what became of Noah Armand?"

"I hope he's dead. I hope very much that he is dead."

When I finished my coffee and toast and rose from the table, he nodded to me and went off upstairs, eager, I think, to escape any further need to talk to me.