The World According to Bertie - Alexander Hanchett Smith [62]
‘Well, be that as it may,’ said Angus. ‘I had a conversation with young Bertie, and he came up with an extraordinary story about some game of doctors and nurses that he had been involved in. But then . . .’ He paused for effect; Domenica was watching him closely. ‘But then he revealed that he knew the dog who had done the biting with which Cyril is charged. And he says that he can show me where he lives!’
Domenica clapped her hands together. ‘What a relief ! You’ve been like a bear with a sore head since Cyril was arrested, Angus. It will be a great relief to have you back with us again.’
‘And what about Cyril’s feelings?’ asked Angus peevishly. ‘Aren’t you pleased for his sake?’
‘Of course I am,’ said Domenica soothingly. ‘Nobody wants the innocent to suffer.’
‘So all we have to do is to explain to the police that it was this other dog – whoever he is – who did it, and they’ll release Cyril.’
Domenica frowned. It would not necessarily be so simple, she thought. One could hardly get the fiscal to drop proceedings just because somebody – and an interested party at that – explains that he thinks that another dog is to blame. No, they would have to be more convincing than that.
‘We’ll need to think about this,’ she said to Angus. ‘We can’t just barge in and expect to get Cyril out. We must marshal our facts. We must prepare our case, and then, at the right moment, we produce the real culprit from a hat – metaphorically speaking, of course.’
Angus nodded his agreement to this. He was convinced now that Cyril would be exculpated, and he did not mind if the process required some planning and thought. In fact, he was quite willing to leave all this to Domenica; she was so forceful, he thought; she would be a very powerful ally for Cyril in the campaign to establish his innocence.
‘Whatever you say, Domenica,’ Angus said. ‘Cyril and I are quite content to leave our fate in your hands.’
They moved through to the kitchen, where Domenica prepared a cup of coffee for them both. Then she turned and addressed Angus with the air of one about to make an important statement. ‘Angus,’ she began, ‘don’t you find that there are times when everything seems to be happening at once? When, for some reason, life seems speeded up?’
‘Most certainly,’ said Angus. ‘And do you think we are in such a time right now?’
‘It seems a little bit like that to me,’ said Domenica. ‘Here I am, back from the Malacca Straits. No sooner have I returned than Antonia announces her intention of becoming my neighbour on a permanent basis. Not that she asked me, mind you. I’ve always thought that one should ask one’s neighbours before one gets too firmly settled in.’
‘Impossible,’ said Angus. ‘Neighbours are given to us on the same basis as we are given our families. There is no element of choice involved – none at all.’
‘Is there not?’ asked Domenica. ‘Well what about Ann Street? I was under the impression that the people who live in Ann Street will buy up any house that comes on the market in order to make sure that it doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.’
‘Nonsense,’ said Angus. ‘That really is an ancient canard, Domenica. People have been saying that about Ann Street for years. But it’s complete nonsense. It’s a very inclusive street. Anybody who’s got a million pounds to spend on a house is in. They’re terrifically accepting.’
‘Then all these stories about Edinburgh being full of icy types are false?’
‘Absolutely,’ said Angus, frostily.
Domenica was not convinced, but she did not want to get involved at that moment in a discussion about the mores of Edinburgh; she had other news to impart to Angus.
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Developments seem to be occurring at a frightening rate. And here am I with somebody else coming to live with me. No sooner have I dispatched Antonia, than I hear from my aunt that she would like to come and spend a few months in Edinburgh with me.’
‘How nice for you,’ said Angus. ‘Company, and so on.’
‘Yes,’ said Domenica. ‘I don’t begrudge her the visit. It’s just that she belongs to a generation that