The Green Mummy [38]
help him to solve this mystery."
"There is no chance, so far as I can see, of it ever being solved," said Lucy. "It's very sweet of you, of course, but were I you I should not talk about it to my father."
"Why?" asked Mrs. Jasher quickly.
"Because he thinks of nothing else, and both Archie and I are trying to get him off the subject. The mummy is lost and poor Sidney is buried. There is no more to be said."
"Still, if a reward was offered "
"My father is too poor to offer a reward, and the Government will not do so. And as people will not work without money, why - " Lucy completed her sentence with a shrug.
"I might offer a reward if the dear Professor will let me," said the widow unexpectedly.
"You! But I thought that you were poor, as we are."
"I was, and I am not very rich now. All the same, I have come in for some thousands of pounds."
"I congratulate you. A legacy?"
"Yes. You remember how I told you about my brother who was a Pekin merchant. He is dead."
"Oh, I am so sorry."
"My dear, what is the use of being sorry. I never cry over spilt milk, or assume a virtue which I have not. My brother and I were almost strangers, as we lived apart for so many years. However, he came home to die at Brighton, and a few weeks ago - just after this murder took place, in fact - I was summoned to his death-bed. He lingered on until last week and died in my arms. He left me nearly all his money, so I will be able to help the Professor."
"I don't see why you should," said Lucy, wondering why Mrs. Jasher did not wear mourning for the dead.
"Oh yes, you do see," remarked the widow, raising her eyes and rubbing her plump hands together. "I want to marry your father."
Lucy did not express astonishment, as she had understood this for a long time.
"I guessed as much."
"And what do you say?"
Miss Kendal shrugged her shoulders.
"If my step-father," she emphasized the word - "if my stepfather consents, why should I mind? I am going to marry Archie, and no doubt the Professor will be lonely."
"Then you do not disapprove of me as a mother."
"My, dear Mrs. Jasher," said Lucy, coldly, "there is no relationship between me and my step-father beyond the fact that he married my mother. Therefore you can never be my mother. Were I stopping on at the Pyramids, that question might arise, but as I become Mrs. Hope in six months, we can be friends - nothing more."
"I am quite content with that," said Mrs. Jasher in a businesslike way. "After all, I am no sentimentalist. But I am glad that you do not mind my marrying the Professor, as I don't want you to prevent the match my dear."
Lucy laughed.
"I assure you that I have no influence with my father, Mrs. Jasher. He will marry you if he thinks fit and without consulting me. But," added the girl with emphasis, "I do not see what you gain in becoming Mrs. Braddock."
"I may become Lady Braddock," said the widow, dryly. Then, in answer to the open astonishment on Lucy's face, she hastened to remark: "Do you mean to say that you don't know your father is heir to a baronetcy?"
"Oh, I know that," rejoined Miss Kendal. "The Professor's brother, Sir Donald Braddock, is an old man and unmarried. If he dies without heirs, as it seems likely, the Professor will certainly take the title."
"Well, then, there you are!" cried Mrs. Jasher, in her liveliest tone. "I want to give my legacy for the title and preside over a scientific salon in London."
"I understand. But you will never get my father to live in London."
"Wait until I marry him," said the little woman shrewdly. "I'll make a man of him. I know, of course, that mummies and sepulchral ornaments and those sort of horrid things are dull, but the Professor will become Sir Julian Braddock, and that is enough for me. I don't love him, of course, as love between two elderly people is absurd, but I shall make him a good wife, and with my money he can take his proper position in the scientific world, which he doesn't occupy at present. I would rather he had been
"There is no chance, so far as I can see, of it ever being solved," said Lucy. "It's very sweet of you, of course, but were I you I should not talk about it to my father."
"Why?" asked Mrs. Jasher quickly.
"Because he thinks of nothing else, and both Archie and I are trying to get him off the subject. The mummy is lost and poor Sidney is buried. There is no more to be said."
"Still, if a reward was offered "
"My father is too poor to offer a reward, and the Government will not do so. And as people will not work without money, why - " Lucy completed her sentence with a shrug.
"I might offer a reward if the dear Professor will let me," said the widow unexpectedly.
"You! But I thought that you were poor, as we are."
"I was, and I am not very rich now. All the same, I have come in for some thousands of pounds."
"I congratulate you. A legacy?"
"Yes. You remember how I told you about my brother who was a Pekin merchant. He is dead."
"Oh, I am so sorry."
"My dear, what is the use of being sorry. I never cry over spilt milk, or assume a virtue which I have not. My brother and I were almost strangers, as we lived apart for so many years. However, he came home to die at Brighton, and a few weeks ago - just after this murder took place, in fact - I was summoned to his death-bed. He lingered on until last week and died in my arms. He left me nearly all his money, so I will be able to help the Professor."
"I don't see why you should," said Lucy, wondering why Mrs. Jasher did not wear mourning for the dead.
"Oh yes, you do see," remarked the widow, raising her eyes and rubbing her plump hands together. "I want to marry your father."
Lucy did not express astonishment, as she had understood this for a long time.
"I guessed as much."
"And what do you say?"
Miss Kendal shrugged her shoulders.
"If my step-father," she emphasized the word - "if my stepfather consents, why should I mind? I am going to marry Archie, and no doubt the Professor will be lonely."
"Then you do not disapprove of me as a mother."
"My, dear Mrs. Jasher," said Lucy, coldly, "there is no relationship between me and my step-father beyond the fact that he married my mother. Therefore you can never be my mother. Were I stopping on at the Pyramids, that question might arise, but as I become Mrs. Hope in six months, we can be friends - nothing more."
"I am quite content with that," said Mrs. Jasher in a businesslike way. "After all, I am no sentimentalist. But I am glad that you do not mind my marrying the Professor, as I don't want you to prevent the match my dear."
Lucy laughed.
"I assure you that I have no influence with my father, Mrs. Jasher. He will marry you if he thinks fit and without consulting me. But," added the girl with emphasis, "I do not see what you gain in becoming Mrs. Braddock."
"I may become Lady Braddock," said the widow, dryly. Then, in answer to the open astonishment on Lucy's face, she hastened to remark: "Do you mean to say that you don't know your father is heir to a baronetcy?"
"Oh, I know that," rejoined Miss Kendal. "The Professor's brother, Sir Donald Braddock, is an old man and unmarried. If he dies without heirs, as it seems likely, the Professor will certainly take the title."
"Well, then, there you are!" cried Mrs. Jasher, in her liveliest tone. "I want to give my legacy for the title and preside over a scientific salon in London."
"I understand. But you will never get my father to live in London."
"Wait until I marry him," said the little woman shrewdly. "I'll make a man of him. I know, of course, that mummies and sepulchral ornaments and those sort of horrid things are dull, but the Professor will become Sir Julian Braddock, and that is enough for me. I don't love him, of course, as love between two elderly people is absurd, but I shall make him a good wife, and with my money he can take his proper position in the scientific world, which he doesn't occupy at present. I would rather he had been