df.theedge-第32部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ting　with　the　owners　of　Flokati；　the　Redi…Hots　with　a　couple　talking　incessantly　of　the　prowess　of　their　horse；　Wordmaster；　also　on　the　train。
　　Filmer　came　alone　to　sit　at　an　untenanted　table；　ordering　eggs　and　coffee　from　Oliver　without　looking　at　him。　Presently　the　Youngs　appeared　and　with　smiling　acquaintanceship　joined　Filmer。　I　wondered　if　he　thought　immediately　of　Ezra　Gideon；　the　Youngs'　dear　friend；　but　his　face　showed　nothing　but　politeness。
　　Xanthe　ambled　in　in　a　tousled　yawning　state　and　yesterday's　clothes　and　flopped　into　the　empty　chair　beside　Filmer。　Interestingly　he　made　no　attempt　to　save　the　seat　for　Daffodil；　but　seemed　to　echo　Mrs　Young's　enquiries　about　how　Xanthe　had　slept。
　　Like　a　log；　it　appeared；　although　she　seemed　to　regret　not　reporting　constant　nightmares。　Mr　Young　looked　bored；　as　if　he　had　tired　of　the　subject　a　long　time　ago；　but　his　wife　retained　her　sweet　forting　expression　without　any　visible　effort。
　　I　waited　with　hovering　impatience　for　Nell　to　arrive；　which　she　did　at　length　in　a　straight　black　skirt　（worse　and　worse）　with　a　prim　coffee　blouse　and　unobtrusive　gold　earrings。　She　had　drawn　her　fair　hair　high　into　an　elaborate　plait　down　the　back　of　her　head　and　fastened　it　at　the　bottom　with　a　wide　tortoiseshell　clasp：　it　looked　distinguished　and　petent；　but　nowhere　near　cuddly。
　　People　I　hadn't　yet　identified　beckoned　her　eagerly　to　join　them；　which　she　did　with　the　ravishing　smile　she　had　loosed　once　or　twice　in　my　direction。　She　told　Cathy　she　would　pass　on　the　eggs　but　would　like　croissants　and　coffee；　and　presently　I　was　bringing　them　to　her　as　she　sat　with　eyes　demurely　downwards；　studiously　ignoring　my　existence。　I　set　butter；　jam　and　breads　before　her。　I　poured　into　her　cup。　She　told　her　table　panions　it　was　nice　having　hand…picked　attendants　all　the　way　to　Vancouver。
　　I　knew　it　was　a　game　but　I　could　cheerfully　have　strangled　her。　I　didn't　want　them　noticing　me　even　a　little。　I　went　away　and　looked　back；　and　met　her　eyes；　which　were　laughing。　It　was　the　sort　of　look　between　us　which　would　have　started　alert　interest　in　me　if　I'd　spotted　it　between　others；　and　I　thought　I　was　near　to　losing　my　grip　on　what　I　was　supposed　to　be　doing；　and　that　I'd　better　be　more　careful。　I　hadn't　needed　to　serve　her：　I'd　taken　the　tray　from　Cathy。　Temptation　will　be　your　downfall；　Tor；　I　thought。
　　Except　for　Xanthe；　Mercer　was　the　only　Lorrimore　to　surface　for　breakfast；　and　he　came　not　to　eat　but　to　ask　Emil　to　send　trays　through　to　his　own　private　dining　room。　Emil　himself　and　Oliver　delivered　the　necessary；　although　Emil　on　his　return　said　he　hoped　this　wasn't　going　to　happen　at　lunch　and　dinner　also；　because　it　took　too　much　time。　Room　service　was　strictly　not　available；　yet　one　didn't　disoblige　the　Lorrimores　if　one　could　help　it。
　　Daffodil　arrived　after　everyone　else　with　each　bright　curl　in　place　and　pleasantly　sat　across　the　aisle　from　the　Filmer/Young　table；　asking　for　news　of　Xanthe's　night。　The　only　people　not　bothering　to　ask；　it　seemed；　were　the　near…victim's　own　family。　Xanthe　chattered　and　could　be　heard　telling　Daffodil　she　felt　snug　and　safe　behind　her　curtain。　The　next　time　I　went　slowly　past　their　table；　refill　coffee　pot　at　the　ready；　the　conversation　was　back　to　the　journey；　with　Xanthe　this　time　saying　she　basically　thought　horseracing　boring　and　she　wouldn't　have　e　on　this　trip　if　her　father　hadn't　made　her。
　　'How　did　he　make　you？'　Filmer　said　interestedly。
　　'Oh！'　She　sounded　suddenly　flustered　and　evaded　an　answer。　'He　made　Sheridan　e；　too。'
　　'But　why；　if　you　both　didn't　want　to？'　That　was　Daffodil's　voice；　behind　my　back。
　　'He　likes　us　where　he　can　see　us；　he　says。'　There　was　a　note　of　grudge　and　bitterness　but　also；　it　seemed　to　me；　a　realistic　acknowledgement　that　father　knew　best：　and　judging　from　Sheridan's　behaviour　to　date；　under　his　father's　long…suffering　eye　was　certainly　the　son's　safest　place。
　　The　conversation　faded　into　the　distance　and　I　paused　to　refill　the　Unwins'　cups；　where　the　talk　was　about　Upper　Gumtree　having　the　edge　over　Mercer's　Premiere　that　was　ing　to　Winnipeg　by　road。
　　George　Burley　presently　came　into　the　dining　car　and　spoke　for　a　while　to　Nell；　who　subsequently　went　from　table　to　table；　clipboard　in　place；　repeating　what　he'd　said。
　　'We're　stopping　at　Thunder　Bay　for　longer　than　scheduled；　as　there'll　be　an　investigation　there　about　the　Lorrimores'　car　being　uncoupled。　We'll　be　there　about　an　hour　and　a　half；　as　we're　not　going　on　until　after　the　regular　Canadian　has　gone　through。　The　Canadian　will　be　ahead　of　us　then　all　the　way　to　Winnipeg。'
　　'What　about　lunch？'　Mr　Young　asked。　Mr　Young；　though　thinnish；　had　a　habit　of　eating　half　his　wife's　food　as　well　as　his　own。
　　'We'll　leave　Thunder　Bay　at　about　a　quarter　to　one；'　Nell　said；　'so　we'll　have　lunch　soon　after。　And　a　more　leisurely　dinner　before　we　get　to　Winnipeg；　instead　of　having　to　crowd　it　in　early。　It　will　all　fit　in　quite　well。'　She　was　smiling；　reassuring；　keeping　the　party　from　unravelling。　'You'll　be　glad　to　stretch　your　legs　for　a　bit　longer　in　Thunder　Bay；　and　some　of　you　might　visit　your　horses。'
　　The　owner　of　Redi…Hot；　who　seemed　to　spend　most　of　his　time　reading　a　guide　book；　told　Mr　and　Mrs　Wordmaster；　who　looked　suitably　impressed；　that　Thunder　Bay；　one　of　Canada's　largest　ports；　was　at　the　far　west　end　of　the　St　Lawrence…Great　Lakes　seaway　and　should　really　be　called　what　the　locals　called　it；　The　Lakehead。　Grain　from　the　prairies　was　shipped　from　there　to　throughout　the　world；　he　said。
　　'Fancy　that；'　said　Mrs　Wordmaster；　who　was　English。
　　I　retreated　from　this　scintillating　conversation　and　helped　Oliver　and　Cathy　clear　up　in　the　kitchen；　and　shortly　before　eleven　we　slid　to　a　halt　in　the　port　that　was　halfway　across　Canada　on　some　rails　parallel　with　but　a　little　removed　from　the　station　buildings。
　　Immediately　a　waiting　double　posse　of　determined…looking　men　advanced　from　the　station　across　two　intervening　tracks；　one　lot　sprouting　press　cameras；　the　other　notebooks。　George　stepped　down　from　the　train　to　meet　the　notebook　people；　and　the　others　fanned　out　and　began　clicking。　One　of　the　notebook　crowd　climbed　aboard　and　came　into　the　dining　car；　inviting　anyone　who　had　seen　anyone　or　anything　suspicious　the　previous　evening　to　please　unbutton；　but　of　course　no　one　had；　or　no　one　was　saying；　because　otherwise　the　whole　train　would　have　known　about　it　by　now。
　　The　investigator　said　he　would　try　his　luck　with　the　scenery…watchers　in　the　dome…car；　with　apparently　the　same　result；　and　from　there　he　presumably　went　in　to　see　the　Lorrimores；　who　apart　from　Xanthe　were　still　in　seclusion。　He　then　reappeared　in　the　dining　car　with　an　interested　crowd　of　people　following　him　and　asked　to　speak　to　Xanthe；　who　up　until　then　had　kept　palely　quiet。
　　He　identified　her　easily　because　everyone　looked　her　way。　Filmer　was　still　beside　her：　the　passengers　tended　all　the　time　to　linger　at　the　tables；　talking；　after　the　meals　had　been　cleared；　rather　than　return　to　the　solitude　of　their　bedrooms。　Nearly　everyone；　I　would　have　guessed；　had　been　either　in　the　dining　room　or　the　dome　car　all　morning。
　　Mrs　Young　squeezed　Xanthe's　hand　encouragingly　from　across　the　table　while　the　half…child　half…young…woman　shivered　her　way　through　the　dangerous　memory。
　　'No；'　she　said；　with　everyone　quiet　and　attentively　listening；　'no　one　suggested　I　went　to　our　car。。。　I　just　wanted　to　go　to　the　bathroom。　And　I　could。。。　I。。。　could　have　been　killed。'
　　'Yes。。。　'The　investigator；　middle…aged　and　sharp…eyed；　was　sympathetic　but　calming；　speaking　in　a　distinct　voice　that　carried　easily　through　the　dining　car；　now　that　we　weren't　moving。　'Was　there　anyone　in　the　dome　car　lounge　when　you　went　through？'
　　'Lots　of　people。'　Xanthe's　voice　was　much　quieter　than　his。
　　'Did　you　know　them？'
　　'No。　I　mean；　they　were　on　this　trip。　Everyone　there　was。'　She　was　beginning　to　speak　more　loudly；　so　that　all　could　hear。
　　A　few　heads　nodded。
　　'No　one　you　now　know　was　a　stranger？'
　　'No。'
　　Mrs　Young；　intelligent　besides　forting；　asked；　'Do　you　mean　it's　possible　to　uncouple　a　car　while　you're　actually　on　the　train？　Yo