“Good evening,” he said.
They looked at him askance.
Everything in this case seemed to be happening as though with deliberate design to shock their professional feelings.
“Good evening,” said the senior detective.
“Nasty, raw evening.”
“Have a drink.”
Since Tony was paying their expenses in any case, the offer seemed superfluous but the junior detective brightened instinctively and said,
“Don't mind if I do.”
“Come and sit down.
I feel rather lonely.”
They took their drinks to a table out of hearing of the bar man.
“Mr. Last, sir, this is all wrong,” said the senior detective.
“You haven't no business to recognize us at all.
I don't know what they'd say at the office.”
“Best respects,” said the junior detective.
“This is Mr. James, my colleague,” said the senior detective.
“My name is Blenkinsop.
James is new to this kind of work.”
“So am I,” said Tony.
“A pity we've such a nasty week-end for the job,” said Blenkinsop, “very damp and blowy.
Gets me in the joints.”
“Tell me,” said Tony. “Is it usual to bring children on an expedition of this kind?”
“It is not.”
“I thought it couldn't be.”
“Since you ask me, Mr. Last, I regard it as most irregular and injudicious.
It looks wrong, and cases of this kind depend very much on making the right impression.
Of course as far as James and I are concerned, the matter is O.K.
There won't be a word about it in our evidence.
But you can't trust the servants.
You might very likely happen to strike one who was new to the courts, who'd blurt it out, and then where would we be?
I don't like it, Mr. Last, and that's the truth.”
“You can't feel more strongly about it than I do.”
“Fond of kids myself,” said James, who was new to this kind of work.
“How about one with us.”
“Tell me,” said Tony, when they had been at their table some little time.
“You must have observed numerous couples in your time, qualifying for a divorce; tell me, how do they get through their day?”
“It's easier in the summer,” said Blenkinsop, “the young ladies usually bathe and the gentlemen read the papers on the esplanade; some goes for motor drives and some just hangs around the bar.
They're mostly glad when Monday comes.”
Milly and her child were in the sitting room when Tony came up.
“I've ordered an ice,” said Milly.
“Quite right.”
“I want late dinner. I want late dinner.”
“No, dear, not late dinner.
You have an ice up here.”
Tony returned to the bar.
“Mr. James,” he said. “Did I understand you to say you were fond of children?”
“Yes, in their right place.”
“You wouldn't I suppose consider dining tonight with the little girl who has accompanied me?
I should take it as a great kindness.”
“Oh no, sir, hardly that.”