(no subject)
Chapter Eleven
George is Suspicious
It was a few minutes to four when the seven children and Timmy reached Kirrin Cottage. Aunt Fanny greeted them at the back door.
"I can see you've had a lovely time," she said.
"Oh, we did!" exclaimed Anne. "Even when Lawrie - "
From behind George gave Anne a hard shove with the basket she was holding.
"Ow!" said Anne reproachfully rubbing the top of her thigh.
"Sorry," said George glaring at her. "My hand slipped."
"Even when Lawrie what?" inquired Aunt Fanny with an anxious glance at Lawrie. "Are you all right, dear?"
Lawrie nodded mournfully and Julian said smoothly:
"Anne meant when Lawrie ate too much cake and felt a bit sick but she's all right, now, aren't you Lawrie?"
Again Lawrie nodded, not quite so enthusiastically. She never ate too much cake. She didn't even like cake that much. Aunt Fanny laughed.
"I expect the fresh air gave you an appetite," she said. "And talking of appetites we've set your tea in the kitchen so that you're right away from Uncle Quentin. Rodney Stone's here and they're closeted together in the study. But you can make as much noise as you like tucked away in the kitchen and you won't disturb them."
"Are they actually doing the interview now?" asked Lawrie enviously.
"I don't know what they're doing," Aunt Fanny said. "But I'm just about to take some tea and biscuits in for them. Do you want to come, Lawrie, dear and say hello? Mr Stone mentioned you most particularly when he arrived. I must say he does seem very nice."
"Ooh, yes, please!" said Lawrie.
"Typical," Peter commented as Lawrie whisked out of the door behind Aunt Fanny. "Some people will do anything to get themselves noticed."
"Let's hope she has a good look when she's in there," George said with a frown. "I don't like any of this at all. I'm sure Rodney Stone is up to something."
"Well, let's start tea anyway," said Dick eying the loaded table appreciatively. "I'm starving."
"Oh, Dick, you can't be!" exclaimed Anne. "It's not that long since we had lunch."
"We must have worked most of that off rescuing Lawrie," Dick said. "And, Anne, do watch what you're saying. You nearly let the cat out of the bag with Aunt Fanny."
"Yes, Anne, you were an idiot," agreed George aiming a scowl in her direction.
Anne went red.
"I know. I'm sorry. I forgot we said we wouldn't say anything to the grown ups."
"Well, you know what they're like," Julian said as they all sat down at the kitchen table.
"Seeing danger everywhere. Even when there isn't any."
"Yes, and when we do get ourselves out of a sticky situation instead of telling us how clever we are and getting a pat on the back we just get horrified looks and get told never ever do that again," said Dick. "Even though we've just shown how well we can cope."
"I think grownups just like stopping you doing things for the sake of it," Peter said. "And when they've stopped you then you get accused of hanging round the house getting in the way and asked why you can't find something constructive to do."
"Far better not to tell them anything," Nicola agreed. "And it's not as if Lawrie was in any actual danger, was it?"
Their cousins exchanged a look between themselves.
"Well," said Julian heavily. "Don't tell Lawrie because she doesn't need to know but those rocks do get covered at high tide. Not high enough for her to drown or anything - or probably not, anyway - but she'd have got soaked through and that's no fun in this weather."
"Hyperthermia," Anne said solemnly and in case Nicola and Peter hadn't got the message she went on, "That means getting really cold - "
"Yes, we know, thanks," said Nicola who had paled at what Julian had said. "Just as well we - you got her out in time."
"Oh, we're used to coping in a crisis," Julian said his slight emphasis on the 'we're' annoying Peter very much with its implication that the Marlow children probably weren't much good at rising to challenges.
"Actually," he began but was interrupted by the door opening and Aunt Fanny and Lawrie reappearing
"Have one of these sandwiches, Nick - they're a special recipe of Joanna's," said Dick loudly. "And talking of Joanna, where is she Aunt Fanny? She's usually in the kitchen at this time."
"Her mother's not very well," Aunt Fanny said. "And it's her day off tomorrow anyway so I said she might as well go home early. But she should be back the day after tomorrow - that reminds me, I must phone the butcher with the order before they close. And then I've got some mending to sort through. Can you all manage without me? I'm sure you can."
She flashed them all a twinkle and hurried out of the room again. Immediately George turned to Lawrie.
"Well, did you see anything?"
"Nothing to see," replied Lawrie gloomily. "They were looking at some papers on Uncle Quentin's desk and all Rodney Stone did was look at me vaguely and say hello and Uncle Quentin looked at me as if he'd never seen me before."
"Oh, Father looks at me like that all the time," said George. "What sort of papers?"
"I don't know. Just papers."
"I do hope Father isn't showing him his latest invention," George said worriedly.
"He wouldn't do that, old thing," said Julian comfortingly. "Uncle Quentin always keeps things Top Secret until everything's signed, sealed and delivered, doesn't he?"
"Yes, but I don't trust Rodney Stone," said George. "I don't like his face."
"Woof!" said Timmy.
"Timmy said he doesn't trust him either," said Anne with a laugh. "You are a funny pair both of you. I'm sure Mr Stone is very nice. Aunt Fanny said he was, anyway."
"He wasn't so nice this afternoon," said Lawrie.
"Oh, come on, Lal! He hasn't come to see you. You can't expect the red carpet treatment all the time, you know," said Nicola.
"Yes, shut up, Lawrie and try one of this little fishy pie things," said Peter whose indignation at Julian's remark had subsided a little in the face of yet another wonderful meal. "They're quite scrumptious. I wish we could take Aunt Fanny and Joanna home with us!"
The children had just finished the washing up after their tea when they heard two deep voices in the hall.
"Mr Stone must be going," said Julian. "That's good - we don't have to stay in the kitchen much longer."
George marched across the floor to the door.
"Where are you going?" asked Dick.
"Don't you remember?" George said firmly. "He told Nick he was looking forward to seeing us again. So I think we ought to go and say goodbye."
"Gosh, you have got a bee in your bonnet, old thing," said Julian. "I think we ought to stay here. They won't want a crowd of children getting in the way if they're still talking."
George took no notice. They heard her cross the hall and say in her most polite voice:
"Good evening, Mr Stone."
"Ah, hello. Er - George, isn't it? How are you?"
"Run along, George and find your mother," said Uncle Quentin in his gruff way. "Mr Stone is just leaving and he wants to say goodbye to her."
"Yes, I'm off for a tramp along the beach," said Rodney Stone. He indicated the canvas rucksack he had slung over his shoulder. "With all my provisions in case I get lost in the dark."
He laughed and turned back to Uncle Quentin.
"You should be hearing from the BBC very shortly," he said. "Possibly this evening if I can contact them - I'll be putting a call through before I set off for my walk - ah now - what have I done with - "
He patted his pockets and opened his rucksack which to George's eyes looked empty of any kind of provisions for the shortest of walks.
"I think I must have left my notebook in your study," he said. "Do you mind if I just pop back for it? I must have dropped it on the floor."
"By all means," said Uncle Quentin. "Go on, George. Find your mother while I get Mr Stone's coat"
"Yes, Father. She's in the kitchen I think," said George obediently.
The kitchen door was opposite Uncle Quentin's study. George hovered for a moment, waited until Rodney Stone had gone into the study and then slipped behind the door to watch him. She could see the notebook on her father's desk but to her surprise, Rodney Stone walked by it and approached the safe on the other side of the room. With a cautious glance behind him he knelt down in front of it. George could not see what he was doing but she was sure she heard clicks as if he were trying the combination lock.
Aunt Fanny came down the stairs. George heard her ask her father if their visitor had gone. Obviously Rodney Stone heard her too. In a swift movement he got to his feet, turned and swept up the notebook from where it lay.
"So you did know where it was," George said to herself, darting away from the door. "I knew I was right. You are up to something, Mr Stone!"
The others were divided in their responses when George called them into the girls' bedroom and reported what she had seen.
"He probably thought he'd dropped the notebook on the floor," said Julian. "After all you said you couldn't see him and the chap had to look for it, didn't he?"
"You couldn't miss it," George argued. "I saw it straightaway. No, I think he was trying the lock on the safe."
"But why would he do that?" asked Peter. "What was he after, do you think? Money?"
"No," said George. "Not money. Father's plans. Mother makes him put all his work into a pink folder at the end of the day and lock it up. She gets worried about people breaking in to steal his plans."
"That's not very likely, is it?" asked Lawrie. She was the only one, apart from Timmy, who was comfortably settled. Because of 'my ankle' she was lying full length on her air bed, chin in hands exercising her left foot in small ostentatious circles. Timmy was stretched out on George's bed on his back in a state of sublime and sleepy contentedness. Everyone else was perched where they could find a space.
"Yes, it is," George said instantly. "It's happened before. Father's inventions are worth thousands if they get into the wrong hands."
"What about if they don't?" asked Peter idly.
"Don't what?"
"Don't get into the wrong hands. Are they still worth thousands?"
"That's an idiotic thing to say," said Julian loftily. "You can't blame George, here, for taking it seriously. She's right. We've had awful trouble with Uncle Quentin's inventions in the past, haven't we, everyone?"
"Terrible," agreed Dick. "And I think George could be right. This chap needs watching."
"I think so, too," Nicola said.
George jumped up and Timmy, startled out of his sleep, leapt up too.
"Well, who's coming with me to see where he goes next?" she said energetically. "He said he was going for a long walk along the beach - that was why he had his rucksack he said. But I think he's up to something. That rucksack looked empty to me and I think he was hoping to use it to put Father's plans in, not to use on a walk at all. Who goes for a long walk after dark? There's nothing to see."
"Well, we do," said Anne. "When we take Timmy out."
"Yes - when we take Timmy out," repeated George impatiently, looking at her with barely concealed irritation. "We have a reason. But I tell you, Rodney Stone is up to something and I want to find out what it is. Who's coming with me to see what he's up to?"
"I'll come," said Nicola at once. "And you will too, won't you, Lawrie?"
"Well. My ankle aches a bit," murmured Lawrie and added virtuously, "I wouldn't want to hold you up."
"I shan't come," said Anne, a domestic light in her eyes. "If Joanna's away Aunt Fanny will need some help with the supper. It's only fair some of us girls help her. Lawrie can rest her ankle and peel vegetables."
"Well … " began Lawrie and gave up. Given a free choice of late afternoon activities she would not have opted for either activity but what she wasn't going to get, she thought gloomly, was any choice. Or any peace either.
As soon as Julian decided he was duty bound to go with George and Nicola, Peter decided he would stay behind and wouldn't give in to Nicola's attempts to persuade him otherwise.
"Well, I'm coming" Dick said. "Nothing I like better than a bit of sleuthing. Are you sure you won't come, Peter? I think I smell adventure in the air! "
George is Suspicious
It was a few minutes to four when the seven children and Timmy reached Kirrin Cottage. Aunt Fanny greeted them at the back door.
"I can see you've had a lovely time," she said.
"Oh, we did!" exclaimed Anne. "Even when Lawrie - "
From behind George gave Anne a hard shove with the basket she was holding.
"Ow!" said Anne reproachfully rubbing the top of her thigh.
"Sorry," said George glaring at her. "My hand slipped."
"Even when Lawrie what?" inquired Aunt Fanny with an anxious glance at Lawrie. "Are you all right, dear?"
Lawrie nodded mournfully and Julian said smoothly:
"Anne meant when Lawrie ate too much cake and felt a bit sick but she's all right, now, aren't you Lawrie?"
Again Lawrie nodded, not quite so enthusiastically. She never ate too much cake. She didn't even like cake that much. Aunt Fanny laughed.
"I expect the fresh air gave you an appetite," she said. "And talking of appetites we've set your tea in the kitchen so that you're right away from Uncle Quentin. Rodney Stone's here and they're closeted together in the study. But you can make as much noise as you like tucked away in the kitchen and you won't disturb them."
"Are they actually doing the interview now?" asked Lawrie enviously.
"I don't know what they're doing," Aunt Fanny said. "But I'm just about to take some tea and biscuits in for them. Do you want to come, Lawrie, dear and say hello? Mr Stone mentioned you most particularly when he arrived. I must say he does seem very nice."
"Ooh, yes, please!" said Lawrie.
"Typical," Peter commented as Lawrie whisked out of the door behind Aunt Fanny. "Some people will do anything to get themselves noticed."
"Let's hope she has a good look when she's in there," George said with a frown. "I don't like any of this at all. I'm sure Rodney Stone is up to something."
"Well, let's start tea anyway," said Dick eying the loaded table appreciatively. "I'm starving."
"Oh, Dick, you can't be!" exclaimed Anne. "It's not that long since we had lunch."
"We must have worked most of that off rescuing Lawrie," Dick said. "And, Anne, do watch what you're saying. You nearly let the cat out of the bag with Aunt Fanny."
"Yes, Anne, you were an idiot," agreed George aiming a scowl in her direction.
Anne went red.
"I know. I'm sorry. I forgot we said we wouldn't say anything to the grown ups."
"Well, you know what they're like," Julian said as they all sat down at the kitchen table.
"Seeing danger everywhere. Even when there isn't any."
"Yes, and when we do get ourselves out of a sticky situation instead of telling us how clever we are and getting a pat on the back we just get horrified looks and get told never ever do that again," said Dick. "Even though we've just shown how well we can cope."
"I think grownups just like stopping you doing things for the sake of it," Peter said. "And when they've stopped you then you get accused of hanging round the house getting in the way and asked why you can't find something constructive to do."
"Far better not to tell them anything," Nicola agreed. "And it's not as if Lawrie was in any actual danger, was it?"
Their cousins exchanged a look between themselves.
"Well," said Julian heavily. "Don't tell Lawrie because she doesn't need to know but those rocks do get covered at high tide. Not high enough for her to drown or anything - or probably not, anyway - but she'd have got soaked through and that's no fun in this weather."
"Hyperthermia," Anne said solemnly and in case Nicola and Peter hadn't got the message she went on, "That means getting really cold - "
"Yes, we know, thanks," said Nicola who had paled at what Julian had said. "Just as well we - you got her out in time."
"Oh, we're used to coping in a crisis," Julian said his slight emphasis on the 'we're' annoying Peter very much with its implication that the Marlow children probably weren't much good at rising to challenges.
"Actually," he began but was interrupted by the door opening and Aunt Fanny and Lawrie reappearing
"Have one of these sandwiches, Nick - they're a special recipe of Joanna's," said Dick loudly. "And talking of Joanna, where is she Aunt Fanny? She's usually in the kitchen at this time."
"Her mother's not very well," Aunt Fanny said. "And it's her day off tomorrow anyway so I said she might as well go home early. But she should be back the day after tomorrow - that reminds me, I must phone the butcher with the order before they close. And then I've got some mending to sort through. Can you all manage without me? I'm sure you can."
She flashed them all a twinkle and hurried out of the room again. Immediately George turned to Lawrie.
"Well, did you see anything?"
"Nothing to see," replied Lawrie gloomily. "They were looking at some papers on Uncle Quentin's desk and all Rodney Stone did was look at me vaguely and say hello and Uncle Quentin looked at me as if he'd never seen me before."
"Oh, Father looks at me like that all the time," said George. "What sort of papers?"
"I don't know. Just papers."
"I do hope Father isn't showing him his latest invention," George said worriedly.
"He wouldn't do that, old thing," said Julian comfortingly. "Uncle Quentin always keeps things Top Secret until everything's signed, sealed and delivered, doesn't he?"
"Yes, but I don't trust Rodney Stone," said George. "I don't like his face."
"Woof!" said Timmy.
"Timmy said he doesn't trust him either," said Anne with a laugh. "You are a funny pair both of you. I'm sure Mr Stone is very nice. Aunt Fanny said he was, anyway."
"He wasn't so nice this afternoon," said Lawrie.
"Oh, come on, Lal! He hasn't come to see you. You can't expect the red carpet treatment all the time, you know," said Nicola.
"Yes, shut up, Lawrie and try one of this little fishy pie things," said Peter whose indignation at Julian's remark had subsided a little in the face of yet another wonderful meal. "They're quite scrumptious. I wish we could take Aunt Fanny and Joanna home with us!"
The children had just finished the washing up after their tea when they heard two deep voices in the hall.
"Mr Stone must be going," said Julian. "That's good - we don't have to stay in the kitchen much longer."
George marched across the floor to the door.
"Where are you going?" asked Dick.
"Don't you remember?" George said firmly. "He told Nick he was looking forward to seeing us again. So I think we ought to go and say goodbye."
"Gosh, you have got a bee in your bonnet, old thing," said Julian. "I think we ought to stay here. They won't want a crowd of children getting in the way if they're still talking."
George took no notice. They heard her cross the hall and say in her most polite voice:
"Good evening, Mr Stone."
"Ah, hello. Er - George, isn't it? How are you?"
"Run along, George and find your mother," said Uncle Quentin in his gruff way. "Mr Stone is just leaving and he wants to say goodbye to her."
"Yes, I'm off for a tramp along the beach," said Rodney Stone. He indicated the canvas rucksack he had slung over his shoulder. "With all my provisions in case I get lost in the dark."
He laughed and turned back to Uncle Quentin.
"You should be hearing from the BBC very shortly," he said. "Possibly this evening if I can contact them - I'll be putting a call through before I set off for my walk - ah now - what have I done with - "
He patted his pockets and opened his rucksack which to George's eyes looked empty of any kind of provisions for the shortest of walks.
"I think I must have left my notebook in your study," he said. "Do you mind if I just pop back for it? I must have dropped it on the floor."
"By all means," said Uncle Quentin. "Go on, George. Find your mother while I get Mr Stone's coat"
"Yes, Father. She's in the kitchen I think," said George obediently.
The kitchen door was opposite Uncle Quentin's study. George hovered for a moment, waited until Rodney Stone had gone into the study and then slipped behind the door to watch him. She could see the notebook on her father's desk but to her surprise, Rodney Stone walked by it and approached the safe on the other side of the room. With a cautious glance behind him he knelt down in front of it. George could not see what he was doing but she was sure she heard clicks as if he were trying the combination lock.
Aunt Fanny came down the stairs. George heard her ask her father if their visitor had gone. Obviously Rodney Stone heard her too. In a swift movement he got to his feet, turned and swept up the notebook from where it lay.
"So you did know where it was," George said to herself, darting away from the door. "I knew I was right. You are up to something, Mr Stone!"
The others were divided in their responses when George called them into the girls' bedroom and reported what she had seen.
"He probably thought he'd dropped the notebook on the floor," said Julian. "After all you said you couldn't see him and the chap had to look for it, didn't he?"
"You couldn't miss it," George argued. "I saw it straightaway. No, I think he was trying the lock on the safe."
"But why would he do that?" asked Peter. "What was he after, do you think? Money?"
"No," said George. "Not money. Father's plans. Mother makes him put all his work into a pink folder at the end of the day and lock it up. She gets worried about people breaking in to steal his plans."
"That's not very likely, is it?" asked Lawrie. She was the only one, apart from Timmy, who was comfortably settled. Because of 'my ankle' she was lying full length on her air bed, chin in hands exercising her left foot in small ostentatious circles. Timmy was stretched out on George's bed on his back in a state of sublime and sleepy contentedness. Everyone else was perched where they could find a space.
"Yes, it is," George said instantly. "It's happened before. Father's inventions are worth thousands if they get into the wrong hands."
"What about if they don't?" asked Peter idly.
"Don't what?"
"Don't get into the wrong hands. Are they still worth thousands?"
"That's an idiotic thing to say," said Julian loftily. "You can't blame George, here, for taking it seriously. She's right. We've had awful trouble with Uncle Quentin's inventions in the past, haven't we, everyone?"
"Terrible," agreed Dick. "And I think George could be right. This chap needs watching."
"I think so, too," Nicola said.
George jumped up and Timmy, startled out of his sleep, leapt up too.
"Well, who's coming with me to see where he goes next?" she said energetically. "He said he was going for a long walk along the beach - that was why he had his rucksack he said. But I think he's up to something. That rucksack looked empty to me and I think he was hoping to use it to put Father's plans in, not to use on a walk at all. Who goes for a long walk after dark? There's nothing to see."
"Well, we do," said Anne. "When we take Timmy out."
"Yes - when we take Timmy out," repeated George impatiently, looking at her with barely concealed irritation. "We have a reason. But I tell you, Rodney Stone is up to something and I want to find out what it is. Who's coming with me to see what he's up to?"
"I'll come," said Nicola at once. "And you will too, won't you, Lawrie?"
"Well. My ankle aches a bit," murmured Lawrie and added virtuously, "I wouldn't want to hold you up."
"I shan't come," said Anne, a domestic light in her eyes. "If Joanna's away Aunt Fanny will need some help with the supper. It's only fair some of us girls help her. Lawrie can rest her ankle and peel vegetables."
"Well … " began Lawrie and gave up. Given a free choice of late afternoon activities she would not have opted for either activity but what she wasn't going to get, she thought gloomly, was any choice. Or any peace either.
As soon as Julian decided he was duty bound to go with George and Nicola, Peter decided he would stay behind and wouldn't give in to Nicola's attempts to persuade him otherwise.
"Well, I'm coming" Dick said. "Nothing I like better than a bit of sleuthing. Are you sure you won't come, Peter? I think I smell adventure in the air! "