'You did?' But he wasn't much interested. 'Then you see …'
'Not altogether, Arthur. I can't see it's a mess, exactly. A shock, of course …'
He looked at me for a moment, as if he were adjusting his point of view to mine.
'Well, no. You wouldn't see it, of course. But there's more to this than you know—much more. Anyhow, please take my word for it that it is a mess. A ghastly mess.'
I took his word for it. As there didn't seem to be any comment to make, I made none, but waited for him to go on. He went on.
'And what I wanted to ask you, Katherine, was, can you look after Jane a little? She'll need it; she needs it. She's got to get through it somehow…. And that family of hers always buzzing round…. If we could keep Lady Pinkerton off her …'
'You want me to mix a poison for Lady P?' I suggested.
Arthur must have been very far through, for he actually started.
'Oh, Heaven forbid…. One sudden death in the family is enough at a time,' he added feebly, trying to smile.
'Well,' I said, 'I'll do my best to see after Jane and to counteract the family…. I've not gone there or written, or anything yet, because I didn't want to butt in. But I will.'