Free Deadly Nightshade by Elizabeth Daly

girl isn’t much of a treasure. I haven’t been able to do any marketing. I’d take Irma with me, only both the cars are out.” Her haunted eyes turned towards the world that glimmered with light and shade outside the windows.
    â€œI’d be glad to run you down to the village, Miss Ridgeman, and tote the parcels back in the car,” said Mitchell.
    â€œYou would? Oh, thank you—but I can’t leave Irma. Annie isn’t able to keep after her.”
    â€œLeave her to me,” said Gamadge.
    â€œYou really wouldn’t mind?”
    â€œCertainly not.”
    â€œI’d telephone for the things, but the deliveries are so late, and there isn’t much in the house for lunch.”
    â€œGo ahead; it will be a pleasure for me,” Gamadge assured her.
    â€œThe nurses in Holland must be quite strict, I think; she’s very good; really no trouble at all.”
    â€œYou relieve my mind tremendously.”
    Miss Ridgeman went out into the hall, Mitchell following her. She seized a cape from the rack under the stairs, and they hurried off. Gamadge heard the car drive away, and then, after lighting a cigarette, joined Irma at her chess table.

CHAPTER SIX
    Old Iron

    â€œA LONE AT LAST with the witness in chief. I’ve been looking forward to this,” said Gamadge. He sat down and contemplated Irma thoughtfully. “We must have a talk; the subject will be cats.”
    Irma looked up.
    â€œWhat a subject!” Gamadge spoke with feeling. “We must give it our undivided attention. May I help you put the chessmen away?”
    They accomplished the job in silence; Irma placing each piece carefully on the wrong peg, and Gamadge removing it and shifting it to the right one. This took some time; but at last the rosewood box was closed, and he assisted her into a large chair opposite his own. He then said briskly:
    â€œCats. Everybody ought to have a cat. I have a very large yellow one, whose name is Martin. Have you a cat, Irma?”
    Irma’s mouth drew down at the corners. She stretched her right arm as far outwards and backwards as it would go, and made a circle in the air with her forefinger.
    â€œI never in my life saw anything so graphic,” said Gamadge. “The map of Europe unrolls before me, and I know the very spot in the Netherlands where that animal now lives as best it can. You had to leave it behind.”
    Irma nodded, her face the picture of gloom.
    â€œBut luckily there are many other cats in the world. For instance, I know a place not far from here where there are six kittens, one of them white. It just occurred to me that I might be able to get hold of it and bring it back here this afternoon. Mind you, they may not let you keep it.”
    Irma’s face had become radiant. She paid no attention to Gamadge’s warning, but placed her hands on the arms of her chair and bounced up and down.
    â€œIf I do that, will you do something for me?”
    Irma, who seemed to be only too well acquainted with this ominous gambit, became very grave, and looked at him doubtfully.
    â€œI just want to know how you came to dive under that pine tree,” he went on. “The other day, you know; when you found your little cousin. Your parents are used to your flighty ways, and they seem to have thought nothing of it; but I wondered whether you hadn’t some reason for crawling under that big branch. Had you a reason?”
    Irma, gazing at him fixedly, seemed to ponder the question. At last, and very slowly, she reached down into the breast pocket of her woollen jumper, fumbled there, and withdrew her hand, clenched into a fist. She extended it, opened it, and disclosed to Gamadge’s incredulous stare a little red bell, attached to a wad of very dirty red ribbon.
    Gamadge eyed it for some moments in silent fascination. He then advanced his own hand, but Irma withdrew hers in alarm. She replaced the bell in her pocket, fumbled there again,