Doctor Who_ The Banquo Legacy - Andy Lane [35]
‘Oh, hello, sir,’ she said, and uncurled a little into a more decorous shape. ‘I was asleep, sir. Mr Simpson said we’d all to wait until Mr Baker had been. But I’m so tired, and it’s cold in here.’
‘Baker won’t keep us long, I’m certain,’ I assured her and handed her a glass of whisky. She eyed it dubiously, then sniffed at it. ‘Go on. It will warm you up.’
She hesitated, then sipped at it, choking slightly as it burned its way down. Her hand went, surprised, to her throat.
‘Oh!’ she exclaimed and I laughed.
‘Finish it up,’ I told her, ‘then we’ll go through to the drawing room. No point in you freezing out here when there’s a good fire in there.’
‘But Mr Simpson said –’
‘Never mind what Mr Simpson said. This is what I say, all right?’
‘All right, sir.’ She smiled and shivered, drinking more of her whisky, beginning to enjoy it.
‘Where is Simpson, by the way?’ I tried to sound uninterested.
‘He went down to the cellar – to see to the generator.’
‘Ah.’
Beryl giggled. ‘He doesn’t like doing that. Says it’s like hell’s pit down there, rats and things.’
That explained one thing, anyway: Simpson had just been attending to the important work without explaining it all. I decided that he was probably not proud of this more menial of his duties.
‘He told me about what happened.’ Beryl’s large eyes caught the light, glistening as she looked up at me. ‘I didn’t really like Professor Harries, but for that to happen…’
She shivered again and tightened her hands around her glass. I refilled it for her, letting my own stand empty on the table nearby.
‘Was it very terrible?’ she asked quietly.
I sat gently on the wooden arm of her chair and patted her shoulder lightly. ‘It wasn’t pleasant. But it’s over now. You’ll soon be home, tucked up warm.’
Beryl glanced towards the outer door. ‘I don’t know, sir,’ she murmured.
‘Why? What is it?’
‘Well, sir – it’s just… well, walking all that way. In the dark. After what happened.’
I took the empty glass from her and placed it on the floor beside me. Then, as she was still shivering, I put my arm around her shoulders. She was quite cold and I could feel her smooth skin trembling beneath the thin fabric of her dress. It seemed odd that she was wearing so little on such a chill evening. Perhaps it had got colder since she had struggled in, drenched, in her long cloak. For a moment Beryl was still, then she drew her feet up on to the seat of the chair, kicking off her shoes and massaging some warmth into her toes with one hand, her knees up under her chin.
‘You’ll be able to sleep here tonight if you want. I’m sure no one will mind. We’ll find you a bed somewhere.’
She relaxed a little at that, pleased to be able to put out of her mind the prospect of a long walk in the dark. I felt her unwind as she nestled her head against my shoulder, her fair hair spilling over the black of my jacket, and smiled, her mouth stretching across her white teeth. I laughed back at her innocent, guileless face, but she didn’t mind, just wriggled closer and warmer, her dress rising up over her legs above her knees as she moved, although she seemed not to notice.
I stayed with Beryl for a while, and when we heard the doorbell and I suggested that we go through to the drawing room to see the sergeant, she assured me that she was much warmer. I escorted her back down the corridor, the lights now brighter, presumably due to the efforts of Simpson and the generator in the cellar. As we emerged into the dining room, I remembered that I had originally left to get a drink, and it occurred to me that probably some of the others could do with one as well. Beryl offered to go back for me, but I was afraid she would catch cold again, and anyway, I was not too sure about the impression it would create after my absence if the maid returned with the refreshment – or for that matter if we returned together after so long.
‘You go on in,’ I told Beryl. ‘I’ll be with you all in a short while.’ And back I