The Trouble at Wakeley Court (An Angela Marchmont Mystery Book 8) by Clara Benson Page A

him.
    ‘Who’s that?’ said Melisande.
    ‘I don’t know,’ said Isabel. ‘The new gardener, I suppose. He’s a bit grumpy-looking, don’t you think?’
    ‘He is rather,’ said Violet. ‘I spoke to him the other day and I could hardly get a reply out of him. He’s not as friendly as old Mr. Hill was, at any rate.’
    ‘Perhaps he’s a foreign spy, come to kidnap Irina,’ said Barbara.
    Irina looked up.
    ‘Why do you say that?’ she said quickly.
    ‘I don’t know,’ said Barbara. ‘It just came into my head. He looks the sort.’
    ‘Know many foreign spies, do you?’ said Florrie impatiently.
    ‘Of course not,’ said Barbara.
    ‘Well, then,’ said Florrie. ‘Better keep your mouth shut, don’t you think?’
    ‘There’s no need to jump down my throat,’ said Barbara.
    ‘Yes there is—you’re scaring Irina,’ said Florrie, and Barbara now saw that Irina was indeed wearing a frightened expression. ‘You oughtn’t to joke about that kind of thing.’
    ‘Sorry, Irina,’ said Barbara. ‘I didn’t mean to put the wind up you.’
    The bell rang for lessons and the girls all jumped up. Irina hurried off and Florrie ran to catch up with her.
    ‘What was all that about?’ said Barbara, as she watched them go. ‘Is she really worried about being kidnapped?’
    But nobody seemed inclined to answer, so she shrugged, gathered up her things, and headed off to her lesson.

SIX
    While Barbara and her friends were talking on the grass, Angela was on her way to Wakeley Court to fulfil her engagement with Miss Bell, who had promised to show her around the place, introduce her to the teachers, and point out Violet Smedley, the likely (or certain) beneficiary of Angela’s generosity. Mrs. Marchmont was to be accommodated in one of the well-appointed rooms the school used for guests, and was to be given every attention. Angela had resigned herself to doing whatever Miss Bell wanted, since that seemed the easiest course, and had also accepted the headmistress’s invitation to remain at the school for the weekend, for true to her resolution she had promised to take Barbara out. In fulfilment of her agreement with Henry Jameson, Angela also intended to speak to some of the girls—especially the Princess, whom Barbara had mentioned casually in her latest letter as a new friend—and try to get a sense of what, if anything, was going on at Wakeley Court.
    The journey from London was rapid, but after King’s Lynn the roads became narrower and the countryside more attractive, and so the Bentley slowed down and proceeded at a stately pace, for the day was a pleasant one.
    ‘By the way, William,’ said Angela to her driver. ‘While we are at the school I should like you to keep an eye out for suspicious goings-on among the servants.’
    William was by now well used to unusual requests of this sort from his employer, and showed no surprise other than a brief flicker of his eyebrows.
    ‘Certainly, ma’am,’ he said. ‘What sort of thing am I to look for?’
    ‘I don’t know, exactly,’ said Angela. ‘I can’t give you the whole story—as a matter of fact, strictly speaking I oughtn’t to be telling you this at all, so understand that none of it must go any further. Let us just say, however, that there is an important person at Wakeley Court whose life may be in danger.’
    ‘I see,’ said William. ‘Do you mean one of the pupils?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Angela. ‘She is a princess from one of those excitable countries that like to amuse themselves by assassinating their rulers every so often, and I gather there is a threat to her life at present. Someone is already stationed here to protect her, and I have promised to nose about a bit myself, but of course you are much better placed than I to find things out from the servants. Listen to the gossip and see what you can pick up. Perhaps they have seen somebody suspicious hanging about the place, for example. I leave it to you.’
    ‘I’ll do my best,