The Secret of Chimneys (1925)

21 Mr. Isaacstein's Suit-case

At ten o'clock that morning, Lord Caterham and his daughter were breakfasting. Bundle was looking very thoughtful.

"Father," she said at last.

Lord Caterham, absorbed in The Times, did not reply.

"Father," said Bundle again, more sharply.

Lord Caterham, torn from his interested perusal of forthcoming sales of rare books, looked up absent-mindedly.

"Eh?" he said. "Did you speak?"

"Yes. Who is it who's had breakfast?"

She nodded towards a place that had evidently been occupied. The rest were all expectant.

"Oh, what's-his-name."

"Fat Iky?"

Bundle and her father had enough sympathy between them to comprehend each other's somewhat misleading observations.

"That's it."

"Did I see you talking to the detective this morning before breakfast?"

Lord Caterham sighed.

"Yes, he buttonholed me in the hall. I do think the hours before breakfast should be sacred. I shall have to go abroad. The strain on my nerves——"

Bundle interrupted unceremoniously.

"What did he say?"

"Said every one who wanted to could clear out."

"Well," said Bundle, "that's all right. That's what you've been wanting."

"I know. But he didn't leave it at that. He went on to say that nevertheless he wanted me to ask every one to stay on."

"I don't understand," said Bundle, wrinkling her nose.

"So confusing and contradictory," complained Lord Caterham. "And before breakfast too."

"What did you say?"

"Oh, I agreed, of course. It's never any good arguing with these people. Especially before breakfast," continued Lord Caterham, reverting to his principal grievance.

"Who have you asked so far?"

"Cade. He was up very early this morning. He's going to stop on. I don't mind that. I can't quite make the fellow out; but I like him—I like him very much."

"So does Virginia," said Bundle, drawing a pattern on the table with her fork.

"Eh?"

"And so do I. But that doesn't seem to matter."

"And I asked Isaacstein," continued Lord Caterham.

"Well?"

"But fortunately he's got to go back to town. Don't forget to order the car for the 10.40, by the way."

"All right."

"Now if I can only get rid of Fish too," continued Lord Caterham, his spirits rising.

"I thought you liked talking to him about your mouldy old books."

"So I do, so I do. So I did, rather. But it gets monotonous when one finds that one is always doing all the talking. Fish is very interested, but he never volunteers any statements of his own."

"It's better than doing all the listening," said Bundle. "Like one does with George Lomax."

Lord Caterham shuddered at the remembrance.

"George is all very well on platforms," said Bundle. "I've clapped him myself, though of course I know all the time that he's talking balderdash. And anyway I'm a Socialist——"