Death with Blue Ribbon by Leo Bruce Page B

animal fats, all farinaceous food and all sugar. Give her a dose of castor oil immediately. And never call me down on what I can only describe as a wild GOOSE chase!’
    He nodded briskly and went out. His car was chauffeur-driven and carried him away smoothly. Miss Trudge was in tears.
    â€˜I was told he was the
best
specialist for this trouble,’ she appealed to Carolus. ‘You heard him? How could he speak like that?’
    â€˜I don’t imagine Miss Marvell will be very pleased with his advice.’
    â€˜I should not dream of telling her,’ said Miss Trudge, with an anxious glance upward towards the room in which The Invalid lay.
    But she must have given Imogen some indication of the specialist’s advice for as Carolus passed her door later he heard a scream of fury.
    He paused there for a moment—it could scarcely be called eavesdropping because Imogen’s voice rang through the house.
    â€˜I shall expose him!’ she cried. ‘Exercise! No sugar! Castor oil! The man must be a charlatan. Trudge! Do you hear? I shall expose him. Is there no one I can depend on? Where’s my sister? Gone in to
lunch?
How dare she when I can eat nothing. Fetch her at once. At once, do you hear? And Rolland! And get another doctor! Phone immediately. Say that Imogen Marvell needs attention. Move, woman! The man’s a scoundrel. Five miles a day! No animal fats! He must be mad. It’s a conspiracy! I’m surrounded with jealousy. If you don’t move, Trudge, I shall get out of bed and shake you!’
    Miss Trudge came out, a strange pallor taking the place of her usual crimson. She bolted downstairs. It was in fact pleasant for Carolus to observe at lunch-time the tranquil calm with which Imogen’s self-effacing husband, Dudley Smithers, ate his way through several courses. Perhaps he knew Imogen better than any of them.
    Then at something past four in the afternoon, Carolus did that thing dear to the heart of English hotel residents, he ‘had tea in the lounge’.
    Miss Trudge was there swallowing a hasty cuppa because she had not been able to come down to lunch. Carolus asked earnestly after Imogen Marvell.
    â€˜She is very brave,’ said Miss Trudge somewhatambiguously. ‘But unfortunately she insists on looking at the daily newspapers. I have kept them from her till now but as soon as she finishes her nap she is determined to see them. I’m afraid it will cause a relapse.’
    â€˜What form is that likely to take?’
    â€˜She is so sensitive. She will be deeply hurt by the way the story has been interpreted. It will send her temperature up, I’m afraid. It’s so bad for her to become excited. I think I’ll run and see if she has woken up.’
    She meant it literally. Her exit was at the double.
    Half an hour later Grace Marvell walked in chuckling.
    â€˜She’s screaming blue murder,’ she said. ‘She’s been looking at her press.’
    â€˜Not very comforting, I’m afraid,’ said Carolus.
    Grace smiled.
    â€˜She’s in hysterics. What’s more she can keep this up till tomorrow morning. I’ve known her scream her head off for hours at a stretch if things go against her. It’s frustrating, of course. She’ll have to be given an injection presently to make her sleep, otherwise the whole hotel will be disturbed.’
    â€˜You seem to know her very well.’
    â€˜I ought to. I was brought up with her. She was the only girl at school who could get her way with the headmistress—one of those granite women—by simply screaming till she did.’
    Miss Trudge dashed in.
    â€˜She wants Mr Smithers!’ she cried. ‘We shall have to get another doctor for her!’
    She hurried off.
    â€˜She means Imogen’s husband,’ explained Grace.
    â€˜Surely he has a calming effect?’
    â€˜Oh, no. His coolness drives her insane. He doesn’t blink aneyelid while