The Classic Mystery Collection - Arthur Conan Doyle [4643]
"What's ten miles to the Bat?" the obdurate Lizzie sighed. "And what of the letter ye had when ye first moved in here? 'The Fleming house is unhealthy for strangers,' it said. Leave it while ye can."
"Some silly boy or some crank." Miss Cornelia's voice was firm. "I never pay any attention to anonymous letters."
"And there's a funny-lookin' letter this mornin', down at the bottom of the pile--" persisted Lizzie. "It looked like the other one. I'd half a mind to throw it away before you saw it!"
"Now, Lizzie, that's quite enough!" Miss Cornelia had the Van Gorder manner on now. "I don't care to discuss your ridiculous fears any further. Where is Miss Dale?"
Lizzie assumed an attitude of prim rebuff, "Miss Dale's gone into the city, ma'am."
"Gone into the city?"
"Yes, ma'am. She got a telephone call this morning, early--long distance it was. I don't know who it was called her."
"Lizzie! You didn't listen?"
"Of course not, Miss Neily." Lizzie's face was a study in injured virtue. "Miss Dale took the call in her own room and shut the door."
"And you were outside the door?"
"Where else would I be dustin' that time in the mornin'?" said Lizzie fiercely. "But it's yourself knows well enough the doors in this house is thick and not a sound goes past them."
"I should hope not," said Miss Cornelia rebukingly. "But--tell me, Lizzie, did Miss Dale seem--well--this morning?"
"That she did not," said Lizzie promptly. "When she came down to breakfast, after the call, she looked like a ghost. I made her the eggs she likes, too--but she wouldn't eat 'em."
"H'm," Miss Cornelia pondered. "I'm sorry if--well, Lizzie, we mustn't meddle in Miss Dale's affairs."
"No, ma'am."
"But--did she say when she would be back?"
"Yes, Miss Neily. On the two o'clock train. Oh, and I was almost forgettin'--she told me to tell you, particular--she said while he was in the city she'd be after engagin' the gardener you spoke of."
"The gardener? Oh, yes--I spoke to her about that the other night. The place is beginning to look run down--so many flowers to attend to. Well--that's very kind of Miss Dale."
"Yes, Miss Neily." Lizzie hesitated, obviously with some weighty news on her mind which she wished to impart. Finally she took the plunge. "I might have told Miss Dale she could have been lookin' for a cook as well--and a housemaid--" she muttered at last, "but they hadn't spoken to me then."
Miss Cornelia sat bolt upright in bed. "A cook--and a housemaid? But we have a cook and a housemaid, Lizzie! You don't mean to tell me--"
Lizzie nodded her head. "Yes'm. They're leaving. Both of 'em. Today."
"But good heav-- Lizzie, why on earth didn't you tell me before?"
Lizzie spoke soothingly, all the blarney of Kerry in her voice. "Now, Miss Neily, as if I'd wake you first thing in the morning with bad news like that! And thinks I, well, maybe 'tis all for the best after all--for when Miss Neily hears they're leavin'-- and her so particular--maybe she'll go back to the city for just a little and leave this house to its haunts and its bats and--"
"Go back to the city? I shall do nothing of the sort. I rented this house to live in and live in it I will, with servants or without them. You should have told me at once, Lizzie. I'm really very much annoyed with you because you didn't. I shall get up immediately--I want to give those two a piece of my mind. Is Billy leaving too?"
"Not that I know of--the heathern Japanese!" said Lizzie sorrowfully. "And yet he'd be better riddance than cook or housemaid."
"Now, Lizzie, how many times have I told you that you must conquer your prejudices? Billy is an excellent butler--he'd been with Mr. Fleming ten years and has the very highest recommendations. I am very glad that he is staying, if he is. With you to help him, we shall do very well until