Death in a White Tie

‘Who? Me?’ asked Lord Robert. ‘Of course not.’

‘Eight-thirty sharp.’

‘I know. Though how you could think I was in Australia—’

‘I didn’t see it was you,’ screamed Lucy Lorrimer. ‘Don’t forget now.’ The band stopped as abruptly as it had begun and her voice rang out piercingly. ‘It wouldn’t be the first night you had disappointed me.’

She leant back chuckling and fanning herself. Lord Robert took the rest of the party in with a comical glance.

‘Honestly, Lucy!’ said Lady Alleyn.

‘He’s the most absent-minded creature in the world,’ added Lucy Lorrimer.

‘Now to that,’ said Lord Robert, ‘I do take exception. I am above all things a creature of habit, upon my honour. I could tell you, if it wasn’t a very boring sort of story, exactly to the minute what I shall do with myself tomorrow evening and how I shall ensure my punctual arrival at Lucy Lorrimer’s party.’

‘Suddenly remember it at a quarter to nine and take a cab,’ said Lucy Lorrimer.

‘Not a bit of it.’

Mrs Halcut-Hackett suddenly joined in the conversation.

‘I can vouch for Lord Robert’s punctuality,’ she said loudly. ‘He always keeps his appointments.’ She laughed a little too shrilly and for some unaccountable reason created an uncomfortable atmosphere. Lady Alleyn glanced sharply at her. Lucy Lorrimer stopped short in the middle of a hopelessly involved sentence; Davidson put up his glass and stared. General Halcut-Hackett said, ‘What!’ loudly and uneasily. Lord Robert examined his fat little hands with an air of complacent astonishment. The inexplicable tension was relieved by the arrival of Sir Herbert Carrados with the plain protégée of the Halcut-Hacketts. She held her long chiffon handkerchief to her face and she looked a little desperately at her chaperone. Carrados who had her by the elbow was the very picture of British chivalry.

‘A casualty!’ he said archly. ‘Mrs Halcut-Hackett, I’m afraid you are going to be very angry with me!’

‘Why, Sir Herbert!’ said Mrs Halcut-Hackett; ‘that’s surely an impossibility.’

The General said ‘What!’

‘This young lady,’ continued Carrados, squeezing her elbow, ‘no sooner began to dance with me than she developed toothache. Frightfully bad luck—for both of us.’

Mrs Halcut-Hackett eyed her charge with something very like angry despair.

What’s the matter,’ she said, ‘darling?’

‘I’m afraid I’d better go home.’

Lady Carrados took her hand.

‘That is bad luck,’ she said. ‘Shall we see if we can find something to—’

‘No, no, please,’ said the child. ‘I think really, I’d better go home. I—I’m sure I’d better. Really.’

The General suddenly became human. He stood up, took the girl by the shoulders, and addressed Lady Carrados.

‘Better at home,’ he said. ‘What? Brandy and oil of cloves. Damn bad show. Will you excuse us?’ He addressed his wife. ‘I’ll take her home. You stay on. Come back for you.’ He addressed his charge: ‘Come on, child. Get your wrap.’

‘You need not come back for me, dear,’ said Mrs Halcut-Hackett. ‘I shall be quite all right. Stay with Rose.’

‘If I may,’ squeaked Lord Robert, ‘I’ll give myself the pleasure of driving your wife home, Halcut-Hackett.’

‘No, no,’ began Mrs Halcut-Hackett, ‘I—please—’

‘Well,’ said the General. ‘Suit splendidly. What? Say good night. What?’ They bowed and shook hands. Sir Herbert walked away with both of them. Mrs Halcut-Hackett embarked on a long polite explanation and apology to Lady Carrados.

‘Poor child!’ whispered Lady Alleyn.

‘Poor child, indeed,’ murmured Troy.

Mrs Halcut-Hackett had made no further reply to Lord Robert’s offer. Now, as he turned to her, she hurriedly addressed herself to Davidson.

‘I must take the poor lamb to a dentist,’ she said. ‘Too awful if her face should swell half-way through the season. Her mother is my dearest friend but she’d never forgive me. A major tragedy.’

‘Quite,’ said Sir Daniel rather dryly.

‘Well,’ said Lucy Lorrimer beginning to collect her scarves, ‘I shall expect you at eight twenty-seven. It’s only me and my brother, you know. The one that got into difficulties. I want some supper. Where is Mrs Halcut-Hackett? I suppose I must congratulate her on her ball, though I must say I always think it’s the greatest mistake—’

Sir Daniel Davidson hurriedly shouted her down.

‘Let me take you down and give you some supper,’ he suggested loudly with an agonized glance at Mrs Halcut-Hackett and Lady Carrados. He carried Lucy Lorrimer away.

‘Poor Lucy!’ said Lady Alleyn. ‘She never has the remotest idea where she is. I wish, Evelyn, that he hadn’t stopped her. What fault do you suppose she was about to find in your hospitality?’

‘Let’s follow them, Evelyn,’ said Lord Robert, ‘and no doubt we shall find out. Troy, m’dear, there’s a young man making for you. May we dance again?’

‘Yes, of course, Bunchy dear,’ said Troy, and went off with her partner.

Lady Carrados said she would meet Lord Robert in the supper-room in ten minutes. She left them, threading her way down the ballroom, her fingers clutching her bag. At the far end she overtook Sir Daniel and Lucy Lorrimer.

Lady Alleyn, looking anxiously after her, saw her sway a little. Davidson stepped up to her quickly and took her arm, steadying her. Lady Alleyn saw him speak to her with a quick look of concern. She saw Evelyn Carrados shake her head, smiling at him. He spoke again with emphasis and then Lucy Lorrimer shouted at him and he shrugged his shoulders and moved away. After a moment Lady Carrados, too, left the ballroom.

Lord Robert asked Mrs Halcut-Hackett if she would ‘take a turn’ with him once round the room. She excused herself, making rather an awkward business of it:

‘I fancy I said that I would keep this one for—I’m so sorry—Oh, yes—here he comes right now.’

Captain Withers had come from the farther side of the ballroom. Mrs Halcut-Hackett hurriedly got up and went to meet him. Without a word he placed his arm round her and they moved off together, Withers looking straight in front of him.

‘Where’s Rory?’ Lord Robert asked Lady Alleyn. ‘I expected to find him here tonight. He refused to dine with us.’

‘Working at the Yard. He’s going north early tomorrow. Bunchy, that was your Captain Withers, wasn’t it? The man we saw at the Halcut-Hacketts’ cocktail-party?’

‘Yes.’

‘Is she having an affair with him, do you suppose? They’ve got that sort of look.’

Lord Robert pursed his lips and contemplated his hands.

‘It’s not malicious curiosity,’ said Lady Alleyn. ‘I’m worried about those women. Especially Evelyn.’