Look to the Lady by Margery Allingham Page B

the same very blue eyes. Her hair, which was even more yellow than Val’s, was bound round her ears in long thick braids. She was hatless, and her white frock was sprinkled with a scarlet pattern. She grinned at her brother, revealing suddenly how extremely young she was.
    â€˜Hallo, old dear,’ she said, and crossing the room slipped her arm through his.
    A more unemotional greeting it would have been difficult to imagine, but her delight was obvious. It radiated from her eyes and from her smile.
    Val kissed her, and then looked inquiringly at her companion. Penny explained.
    â€˜This is Beth,’ she said. ‘We were coming down to the post office when young George met us with your note, so I brought her along. Beth, this is my brother, and Val, this is Beth Cairey. Oh, of course, you haven’t heard about the Caireys, have you?’
    The girl who now came forward was very different from her companion. She was
petite
and vivacious, with jet-black hair sleeked down from a centre parting to a knot at the nape of her neck. Her brown eyes were round and full of laughter, and there was about her an air of suppressed delight that was well-nigh irresistible. She was a few years older than the youthful Penny, who looked scarcely out of her teens.
    Mr Campion was introduced, and there was a momentary awkward pause. A quick comprehending glance passed between him and the elder girl, a silent flicker of recognition, but neither spoke. Penny sensed the general embarrassment and came to the rescue, chattering on breathlessly with youthful exuberance.
    â€˜I forgot you didn’t know Beth,’ she said. ‘She came just after you left. She and her people have taken Tye Hall. They’re American, you know. It’s glorious having neighbours again – or it would be if Aunt Di hadn’t behaved so disgustingly. My dear, if Beth and I hadn’t conducted ourselves like respectable human beings there’d be a feud.’
    Beth laughed. ‘Lady Pethwick doesn’t like strangers,’ she said, revealing a soft unexpectedly deep voice with just a trace of a wholly delightful New England accent.
    Penny was plainly ill at ease. It was evident that she was trying to behave as she fancied her brother would prefer, deliberately forcing herself to take his unexpected return as a matter of course.
    Campion watched her curiously, his pale eyes alight with interest behind his huge spectacles. In spite of her gaiety and the brilliance of her complexion there were distinct traces of strain in the faint lines about her eyes and in the nervous twisting of her hands.
    Val understood his sister’s restraint and was grateful for it. He turned to Beth and stood smiling down at her.
    â€˜Aunt Di has always been rather difficult,’ he said. ‘I hope Father has made up for any stupidity on her part.’
    The two girls exchanged glances.
    â€˜Father,’ said Penny, ‘is sulky about something. You know what a narrow-minded old darling he is. I believe he’s grousing about the Professor – that’s Beth’s father – letting the Gypsies camp in Fox Hollow. It’s rather near the wood, you know. It would be just like him to get broody about it in secret and feel injured without attempting to explain.’
    Beth chuckled. ‘The Gypsies are Mother’s fault,’ she said. ‘She thinks they’re so picturesque. But four of her leghorns vanished this morning, so I shouldn’t wonder if your Dad’s grievance would be sent about its business fairly soon.’
    Val glanced from one to the other of the two girls.
    â€˜Look here,’ he said after a pause, ‘is everything all right?’
    His sister blushed scarlet, the colour mounting up her throat and disappearing into the roots of her hair. Beth looked uncomfortable. Penny hesitated.
    â€˜Val, you’re extraordinary,’ she said. ‘You seem to smell things out like an old pointer. It