The Greatest Works of E. F. Benson (Illustrated Edition). E. F. Benson

      "And, as Robert says, it's so hard to know what to offer her," he concluded.

      Lucia gave the gayest of laughs.

      "Georgie, what would poor Riseholme do without me?" she said. "I seem to be made to pull you all out of difficulties. That mismanaged golf club, Pug, and now there's this. Well, shall I be kind and help you once more?"

      She turned over the leaves of her paper.

      "Ah, that's it," she said. "Listen, Georgie. Sale at Pemberton's auction-rooms in Knightsbridge yesterday. Various items. Autograph of Crippen the murderer. Dear me, what horrid minds people have! Mother-of-pearl brooch belonging to the wife of the poet Mr Robert Montgomery; a pair of razors belonging to Carlyle, all odds and ends of trumpery, you see . . . Ah yes, here it is. Pair of riding gaiters, in good condition, belonging to His Majesty King George IV. That seems a sort of guide, doesn't it, to the value of Queen Charlotte's mittens. And what do you think they fetched? A terrific sum, Georgie; fifty pounds is nowhere near it. They fetched ten shillings and sixpence."

      "No!" said Georgie. "And Lady Ambermere asked fifty pounds!"

      Lucia laughed again.

      "Well, Georgie, I suppose I must be good-natured," she said. "I'll draft a little letter for your committee to Lady Ambermere. How you all bully me and work me to death! Why, only yesterday I said to Peppino that those months we spent in London seemed a holiday compared to what I have to do here. Dear old Riseholme! I'm sure I'm very glad to help it out of its little holes."

      Georgie gave a gasp of admiration. It was but a month or two ago that all Riseholme rejoiced when Abfou called her a snob, and now here they all were again (with the exception of Daisy) going to her for help and guidance in all those employments and excitements in which Riseholme revelled. Golf competitions and bridge tournament, and duets, and real séances, and deliverance from Lady Ambermere, and above all, the excitement supplied by her personality.

      "You're too wonderful," he said, "indeed, I don't know what we should do without you."

      Lucia got up.

      "Well, I'll scribble a little letter for you," she said, "bringing in the price of George IV's gaiters in good condition. What shall we — I mean what shall you offer? I think you must be generous, Georgie, and not calculate the exact difference between the value of a pair of gaiters in good condition belonging to a king, and that of a pair of moth-eaten mittens belonging to a queen consort. Offer her the same; in fact, I think I should enclose a treasury note for ten shillings and six stamps. That will be more than generous, it will be munificent."

      Lucia sat down at her writing table, and after a few minutes' thought, scribbled a couple of sides of notepaper in that neat handwriting that bore no resemblance to Vittoria's. She read them through, and approved.

      "I think that will settle it," she said. "If there is any further bother with the Vecchia, let me know. There's one more thing, Georgie, and then let us have a little music. How do you think the fire broke out?"

      Georgie felt her penetrating eye was on him. She had not asked that question quite idly. He tried to answer it quite idly.

      "It's most mysterious," he said. "The oil-stoves are always put out quite early in the evening, and lit again next morning. The boy says he put them out as usual."

      Lucia's eye was still on him.

      "Georgie, how do you think the fire broke out?" she repeated.

      This time Georgie felt thoroughly uncomfortable. Had Lucia the power of divination? . . .

      "I don't know," he said. "Have you any idea about it?"

      "Yes," said Lucia. "And so have you. I'll tell you my idea if you like. I saw our poor misguided Daisy coming out of the Museum close on seven o'clock last night."

      "So did I," said Georgie in a whisper.

      "Well, the oil-stoves must have been put out long before that," said Lucia. "Mustn't they?"

      "Yes," said Georgie.

      "Then how was it that there was a light coming out of the Museum windows? Not much of a light, but a little light, I saw it. What do you make of that?"

      "I don't know," said Georgie.

      Lucia held up a censuring finger.

      "Georgie, you must be very dull this morning," she said. "What I make of it is that our poor Daisy lit the oil-stoves again. And then probably in her fumbling way, she spilt some oil. Something of the sort, anyhow. In fact, I'm afraid Daisy burned down the Museum."

      There was a terrible pause.

      "What are we to do?" said Georgie.

      Lucia laughed.

      "Do?" she said. "Nothing, except never know anything about it. We know quite well that poor Daisy didn't do it on purpose. She hasn't got the pluck or the invention to be an incendiary. It was only her muddling, meddling ways."

      "But the insurance money?" said Georgie.

      "What about it? The fire was an accident, whether Daisy confessed what she had done or not. Poor Daisy! We must be nice to Daisy, Georgie. Her golf, her Abfou! Such disappointments. I think I will ask her to be my partner in the foursome for the Lucas Cup. And perhaps if there was another place on the golf-committee, we might propose her for it."

      Lucia sighed, smiling wistfully.

      "A pity she is not a little wiser," she said.

      Lucia sat looking wistful for a moment. Then to Georgie's immense surprise she burst out into peals of laughter.

      "My dear, what is the matter?" said Georgie.

      Lucia was helpless for a little, but she gasped and recovered and wiped her eyes.

      "Georgie, you are dull this morning!" she said. "Don't you see? Poor Daisy's meddling has made the reputation of Vittoria and crumpled up Abfou. Fire, water, moonlight: Vittoria's prophecy. Vittoria owes it all to poor dear Daisy!"

      Georgie's laughter set Lucia off again, and Peppino coming in found both at it.

      "Good-morning, Georgie," he said. "Terrible about the Museum. A sad loss. What are you laughing at?"

      "Nothing, caro," said Lucia. "Just a little joke of Daisy's. Not worth repeating, but it amused Georgie and me. Come, Georgie, half an hour's good practice of celestial Mozartino. We have been lazy lately."

      Mapp and Lucia

       Table of Contents

Table of Contents

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine