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up for the night.' Again he glanced towards the line of traffic, a frown
appearing on his handsome face.
'But we've tried everywhere.'
Richard hesitated a moment. Then, cautiously,
'You could stay at my flat I could go to a friend - but perhaps you wouldn't
care ... ?'
'You'd give up your bed for me!' How kind of him And it wasn't as if he
knew her very well. Before tonight they had spent no more than half an hour
in each other's company.
'I'll give it up willingly,' he told her with a smile.
'There isn't anywhere else we could try?' she asked after a pause, and
Richard shook his head.
It was late; Janis felt miserable and exhausted, yet she remembered her
promise to John; remembered also that Perry disliked his cousin
excessively. But what did her husband's approval or disapproval matter
now?
Two mornings later she was trying to eat the toast she had made when
Richard looked in on his way to work.
'Sleep any better last night?' He sounded anxious and his tone was gentle.
'Not much.' Janis gave him a wan little smile, though he had the impression
that she seemed more cheerful than on the previous morning. 'The bed is
very comfortable, though,' she added hastily, and then, 'Would you like
some coffee ?'
'Haven't time, dear.' He glanced at the clock. 'I've decided to take the
afternoon off - just dropped in quickly to let you know. Can't have you
trudging round by yourself again today. We'll go flat-hunting together. All
right?'
There was a moment's hesitation.
'The thing is, Richard, I'm beginning to wonder ' She broke off as he
glanced again at the clock, this time with faint impatience, and before she
could continue he had said a hasty 'Good morning,' told her he was already
late, and left her. She stared at the closed door for a moment, then rose and
went into the kitchen, taking the tray with her.
Yesterday's flat-hunting had been a very half-hearted affair, for gradually a
strange conviction was being borne upon her. And all last night she had lain
awake thinking, not of Perry's heartless revenge, or of the quarrel which led
up to it, but of those wonderful weeks preceding it. Surely Perry could not
act that way towards her and yet not love her! Had she been too hasty? After
all, her husband's violent outburst over her deception was only what she had
expected whenever the thought of his discovering it assailed her. His
revenge, too, she could understand, for he genuinely believed his wife didn't
want him, and that must have been a most severe blow to his pride. Janis
thought, too, as she lay there, of the car she had seen. She felt absolutely
certain it was Perry's, and that must mean he had relented soon after she had
left his room and he had then come in to her. He would find her note to
Bebby....
But even as she made up her mind to telephone him Janis realized the
terrible position in which she had put herself by staying two nights at the flat
of the man whom Perry disliked so much. True, Richard had not been a party
to that wicked plot to rob his cousin, but Perry believed he had;
consequently he hated Richard and he would never be able to forgive Janis
for staying at the flat.
She must find accommodation at an hotel, Janis decided, and then she would
ring Bebby and give her the address. If Perry wanted her he would come and
fetch her. It would be unlikely that he would ask how long she had been
staying at the hotel.
Having resolved upon this action, she washed the dishes, put them away,
and then sat down with the telephone directory. There would be no difficulty
in obtaining a room now; the travellers usually went off early each morning.
The first hotel she rang was one which Richard had tried. There was plenty
of accommodation, she was told, for this happened to be a slack period. She
could have a choice of rooms - even one overlooking the river if required.
Janis held the receiver away for a moment, her brow furrowed in perplexity.
Then some instinct made her ask if the hotel had been full to capacity on the
evening before last. Again she was told this was a slack period. The hotel
never filled up at this time of the year.
After booking a room she rang another hotel which Richard had tried, and
made the same inquiry. She received a similar reply.
Slowly she replaced the receiver, her eyes dark and puzzled. Why should
Richard have done this? His professed desire to help her hadn't been
genuine. In fact she knew without doubt that he wasn't a genuine person at
all. Bebby's story had rung true, and Janis was appalled at her own stupidity
in even listening to Richard's version of the story. Also, Perry would never
be the one to make a mistake, to condemn his own cousin without absolute
proof.
With a little gasp she put a trembling hand to her mouth. No doubt in her
mind now that Richard had meant her to stay in his flat. And in some
terrifying yet indefinable way she knew that he was seizing what he thought
to be a heaven-sent opportunity to be revenged on Perry ... and that he meant
to use her as the instrument of revenge.
Within half an hour she was entering the hotel. Giving her name at the
reception desk, she stared in some surprise as the clerk immediately hurried
away, returning a moment later with the manager.
'You are Mrs. Caton?' he inquired politely, eyeing her up and down with a
rather odd expression.
'Y-yes.'
'Your husband has been here inquiring about you -- both last night and the
night before,' he informed her in toneless accents. 'He said if you did appear
I was to ask you to telephone him.' He cleared his throat, but instantly a
smile appeared as he caught the glowing look that entered Janis's eyes.
'There's a telephone in your room, madam.' A wave of his hand brought a
porter to take her suitcase.
'This way, please.'
She turned to follow the porter. It was sheer torture to have to walk sedately
when her feet had wings! In an hour - no, three-quarters of an hour - her
husband would be here to take her home! He wanted her ... but she had really
known it all the time....
The moment the door closed behind the porter she began to dial the
number
And then the terrible truth flooded over her. Perry must have been to all the
hotels, looking for her. He knew she hadn't stayed here or at any other hotel
in Chester. The very first thing he would ask would be where she had spent
the last two nights.
And she hadn't even the excuse that all the hotels were full, because Perry
knew otherwise.
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