More Work for the Undertaker by Margery Allingham Page B

deceased.
Proposed have up pronto. Belvedere Cemetery, Wilswhich N. 4.0 a.m. approx. Cordial invitation extended, no offence taken if you cut it.
    C. L UKE , D . D . I .
    Campion read the document through twice and folded it. He decided once again that he liked Charlie Luke. Proposed to have Edward up pronto, did he? What a dear chap he was. Well, he could have his exhumation, and good digging.
    At this point Miss Roper handed him a glass half full of dancing amber.
    â€˜What’s this for? To steady my nerves?’
    To his dismay her hand wobbled. ‘Oh, dear,’ she said, ‘it’s not bad news, is it? A policeman brought it and I thought it was probably your licence, and you might be lying here worrying about it.’
    â€˜My what?’
    Her kind foolish eyes wavered in embarrassment.
    â€˜Well, I don’t know,’ she said defensively. ‘I thought you might have to have a paper or something, to protect yourself if – if –’
    â€˜If I got poisoned?’ he inquired, smiling at her.
    â€˜Oh, the whisky’s all right,’ she said, mistaking him promptly. ‘Take my dying oath it is. I’ve had it under lock and key. Well, you have to these days anyway, don’t you? But I have and, see, I’m going to have mine.’
    She settled herself daintily on the extreme edge of the end of his bed and took a sizeable swig. Campion sipped his own but with less enthusiasm. He was not a whisky drinker and indeed by custom drank little of anything in bed in the middle of the night.
    â€˜Did the policeman wake you?’ he said. ‘I’m sorry. There was no great urgency.’
    â€˜No, I was about, you know.’ She spoke vaguely. ‘I want to talk to you, Mr Campion. First of all, you’re sure there’s not bad news in that letter?’
    â€˜Nothing that wasn’t expected,’ he said truthfully. ‘I’m afraid we shall find that Miss Ruth was poisoned, that’s all.’
    â€˜Well, of course she was. They didn’t wake us up to tell us that, I hope.’ She spoke comfortably. ‘That’s the one thing we are sure of, unless we’re all going to look bloody fools. Now look here, Mr Campion, I want just to tell you this. I’m absolutely on the level with you. I’m more than grateful to you and you really can trust me. I shan’t keep anything back. I mean that, see?’
    It was a protestation which could have appeared suspicious from anyone else but was here curiously impressive. Her small red bird’s face was serious under her sportive cap.
    â€˜I didn’t think you would,’ he assured her.
    â€˜Oh, I don’t know, there are little things one keeps to one’sself. But I won’t. Now I’ve got you here I’ll play fair with you.’
    He laughed at her gently. ‘What’s on your conscience, Auntie? Your young woman who changes on the roof?’
    â€˜On the roof. So that’s how she does it. Little monkey.’ She was surprised and it would seem relieved. ‘I knew she took them off somewhere because last week Clarrie caught sight of her in the Bayswater Road all dolled up, and I met her coming in the same night in her old clothes. I did so hope she didn’t do it – well, in front of anyone. She’s not that kind of a girl at all, poor kiddie.’
    It was not quite clear if her pity bubbled up at this particular deficiency of Miss White’s, or at some more general weakness.
    â€˜You like her?’ he suggested.
    â€˜She’s a pet.’ The old woman’s smile was tickled as well as kind. ‘She’s had such a dreadful upbringing. These poor old folks don’t understand girls. How can they? Now she’s head over heels in love and she’s like a bud unfolding. I’ve read that somewhere, haven’t I? I was going to say it doesn’t sound like me. But she is. Thorny, you know, but with a little bit of pink