I don't really like this.”
I preceded him to open the office door.
He moved across to his desk more deliberately even than usual, circled around Miss Frost in her chair, and, before he lowered himself, inclined his head toward her without saying anything.
She leveled her brown eyes at him, and I could see that by gum she was holding the fort and she was going to go on holding it.
I got at ease in my chair with my notebook, not trying to camouflage it.
Wolfe asked her politely,
“You wished to see me, Miss Frost?”
Her eyes bulged a little. She said indignantly,
“I?
You sent that man to bring me here.”
“Ah, so I did.” Wolfe sighed. “Now that you are here, have you anything in particular to say to me?”
She opened her mouth and shut it again, and then said simply,
“No.”
Wolfe heaved another sigh.
He leaned back in his chair and made a movement to clasp his hands on his front middle, then remembered that it was too soon after lunch and let them drop on the arms of his chair. With half-shut eyes he sat comfortable, motionless.
At length he murmured at her,
“How old are you?”
“I'll be twenty-one in May.”
“Indeed. What day in May?”
“The seventh.”
“I understand that you call Mr. McNair ‘Uncle Boyd.’
Your cousin told me that.
Is he your uncle?”
“Why, no. Of course not.
I just call him that.”
“Have you known him a long while?”
“All my life.
He is an old friend of my mother's.”
“You would know his preferences then.
In candy, for instance. What kind does he prefer?”
She lost color, but she was pretty good with her eyes and voice.
She didn't bat a lash.
“I…I don't know.
Really. I couldn't say…”
“Come, Miss Frost.” Wolfe kept his tone easy. “I am not asking you to divulge some esoteric secret guarded by you alone.
On this sort of detail many people may be consulted-any of Mr. McNair's intimates, many of his acquaintances, the servants at his home, the shops where he buys candy if he does buy it.
If, for example, he happens to prefer Jordan almonds, those persons could tell me.
I happen at the moment to be consulting you.
Is there any reason why you should try to conceal this point?”
“Of course not.” She hadn't got her color back.
“I don't need to conceal anything.” She swallowed. “Mr. McNair does like Jordan almonds, that's perfectly true.”
Suddenly the color did appear, a spot on her cheek that showed how quick her blood was.
“But I didn't come here to talk about the kinds of candy that people like.
I came here to tell you that you were entirely wrong about what I said yesterday.”
“Then you do have something in particular to say to me.”
“Certainly I have.” She was wanning up. “That was just a trick and you know it.
I didn't want my mother and my uncle to come down here, but my cousin Lew lost his head as usual, he's always getting scared about me anyhow, as if I didn't have brains enough to take care of myself.
You merely tricked me into saying something-I don't know what-that gave you a chance to pretend-”
“But, Miss Frost.” Wolfe had a palm up at her. “Your cousin Lew is perfectly correct.
I mean, about your brains. – No, permit me! Let me save time. I won't repeat verbatim what was said yesterday; you know as well as I do.