Free Sweet Danger by Margery Allingham Page B

expression.
    The boy resembled his sisters as far as the hair was concerned, but already he had developed a certain pugnacity of expression.
    Both strangers were tremendously excited, and Guffy, looking pale and slightly flustered, strode between them. He was in his shirtsleeves, and his right hand was closed tightly over his left forearm, which was covered with blood.
    â€˜Come on, put it under the pump,’ said Mary.
    She spoke as though she had known her companion a long time, and it occurred to Campion that she, too, must have the family gift for making friends.
    They all crowded round Guffy as he stood by the sink, while young Hal pumped streams of water over the injured arm.
    â€˜Well, for crying out loud!’ said Miss Huntingforest. ‘That’s a nasty scrape. Where did this happen?’
    While introductions were hastily effected, Guffy explained.
    â€˜I – er – I was prowling round the mill,’ he said, ‘when Miss Fitton here took pity on me and introduced herself. I was investigating a loom there is up there – most interesting – when I lost my footing and crashed through one of the floorboards.’
    â€˜Dry-rot,’ said Miss Huntingforest. ‘I’ve said it over and over again. You might have killed yourself.’
    â€˜I was all right,’ said Guffy hastily. ‘Only struggling back, like a fool, I caught my arm on a six-inch nail. I’d taken off my coat to give a hand with the loom and, of course, this is what happened. It pierced the skin.’
    â€˜Pierced the skin!’ said Aunt Hatt. ‘You’ll have to have stitches in that. Wait a minute: I’ll make a tourniquet and then you can wash it as much as you like.’
    Mary glanced at her aunt. ‘I think he’d better go up to Doctor Galley,’ she said. ‘You be quiet,’ she added, as Guffy opened his mouth to speak. ‘You can’t wander about with atear like that. It’ll get awfully sore if you don’t have it sewn immediately.’
    Hal smiled at Guffy, as from one superior being to another.
    â€˜She’s a bit bossy,’ he said. ‘But I think she’s right, you know. Look here, we’ll walk up with you. Galley’s a very good man; he hardly hurts at all. He takes out teeth as well – if you need it.’
    Eventually, after a certain amount of protestation, Hal and Mary set out with their captive for the doctor’s, and prevailed upon Eager-Wright to accompany them.
    Mr Campion appeared to have been forgotten, and he sat in a little recess in a corner of the hall and looked through the open doorway at the quivering leaves and dancing water without. The old house seemed very quiet after the hullabaloo. It was really amazingly attractive. Like all very old houses it had a certain drowsy elegance that was very soothing and comforting in a madly gyrating world.
    He allowed his thoughts to wander idly. He noticed the delicate Gothic carving of the stone fireplace, sniffed appreciatively at the mingled odours of wallflower and baking cookie, and wondered how the rabid busybodies who leap upon ancient monuments and tear them stone from stone that they may grace the dank loneliness of museums could have overlooked such a perfect unspoiled gem.
    He was disturbed in his reflections by the reappearance of Amanda dancing down the staircase in her ‘working clothes’. At first sight she appeared to have put back her age ten years or so. Her slender figure was covered by an old brown jersey and skirt which had shrunk with much washing until they clung to her like a skin. The only concession to vanity was a yellow-and-red bandanna handkerchief knotted loosely round her neck.
    â€˜Hullo,’ she said. ‘Where are the others?’
    Mr Campion explained. Amanda looked crestfallen.
    â€˜Has that floor gone at last? Scatty and I wondered if wecouldn’t re-board it with faggot poles. They wouldn’t be comfortable