The Great ImpersonationOppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips)
General
The Great Impersonation
Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips)
Spy stories
“There's no place in this house for you, Everard Dominey,” she said,
standing in front of him as though to bar his progress. “I wrote last
night to stop you, but you've shown indecent haste in coming. There's
no place here for a murderer. Get back where you came from, back to your
hiding.”
“My good woman!” Mangan gasped. “This is really too much!”
“I've not come to bandy words with lawyers,” the woman retorted. “I've
come to speak to him. Can you face me, Everard Dominey, you who murdered
my son and made a madwoman of your wife?”
The lawyer would have answered her, but Dominey waved him aside.
“Mrs. Unthank,” he said sternly, “return to your duties at once, and
understand that this house is mine, to enter or leave when I choose.”
She was speechless for a moment, amazed at the firmness of his words.
“The house may be yours, Sir Everard Dominey,” she said threateningly,
“but there's one part of it at least in which you won't dare to show
yourself.”
“You forget yourself, woman,” he replied coldly. “Be so good as to
return to your mistress at once, announce my coming, and say that I wait
only for her permission before presenting myself in her apartments.”
The woman laughed, unpleasantly, horribly. Her eyes were fixed upon
Dominey curiously.
“Those are brave words,” she said. “You've come back a harder man. Let
me look at you.”
She moved a foot or two to where the light was better. Very slowly
a frown developed upon her forehead. The longer she looked, the less
assured she became.
“There are things in your face I miss,” she muttered.
Mr. Mangan was glad of an opportunity of asserting himself.
“The fact is scarcely important, Mrs. Unthank,” he said angrily. “If you
will allow me to give you a word of advice, you will treat your master
with the respect to which his position here entitles him.”
Once more the woman blazed up.
“Respect! What respect have I for the murderer of my son? Respect! Well,
if he stays here against my bidding, perhaps her ladyship will show him
what respect means.”
She turned around and disappeared. Every one began bustling about the
luggage and talking at once. Mr. Mangan took his patron's arm and led
him across the hall.
“My dear Sir Everard,” he said anxiously, “I am most distressed that
this should have occurred. I thought that the woman would probably
be sullen, but I had no idea that she would dare to attempt such an
outrageous proceeding.”
“She is still, I presume, the only companion whom Lady Dominey will
tolerate?” Dominey enquired with a sigh.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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