'What's all this?' asked Nicolson, bewildered.
'Who's been talking about her infernal soul?'
'I name no names,' said Mr. Williamson solemnly, 'but it'll be your turn next.'
'But what's it all about, man? Here, Ronald, ask these two what the deuce they're talking about, will you?'
Ronald Stratton was coming towards them, his face decorated with a large grin. 'Here, Sheringham,' he said happily. 'What have you been doing to my poor sister - in - law?'
Really, I'm surprised at you.'
'What do you mean?'
'She's just told me that you lured her up on the roof and tried to flirt with her there, quite drastically. I gather it was all she could do to hold you off. She confided to me that you're the most disgusting man she's ever met.'
'The devil she did!' said Roger, really annoyed.
'RONALD, dance an Apache dance with me. Oh, Ronald, do dance an Apache dance with me. David, Ronald won't dance an Apache dance with me.'
'Won't he, dear? Well, never mind.'
'But I do mind. I want to dance an Apache dance. Ronald, you are a pig.'
Everybody pretended not to notice Ena Stratton in the middle of the ballroom floor.
It was close on one o'clock. The local contingent, with the exception of the two doctors and their wives, had left nearly an hour ago. The party was warming up.
'Well, if you won't dance an Apache dance with me, Ronald, I'm going to climb up on the beam. David, give me a start.'
Across the ballroom ran a big oak beam, about seven feet from the floor, part of the structure of the heavily timbered roof. It was Ronald's custom, when he felt so disposed, to take a flying leap at it, swing himself up, and then taunt his male guests into trying to join him there. This time his sister - in - law was bent on forestalling him.
'Aren't you going to applaud the athletic introvert?' Roger drily asked Margot Stratton.
'No, I'm not. Ena's only making an exhibition of herself, as usual. Don't take any notice of her, Mr. Sheringham.'
Mike Armstrong said nothing.
'There seems a conspiracy not to take any notice of her.'
'I can't think why Ronald asked her. I never would. She's made an exhibition of herself at every single party here that I remember. I suppose he wanted David and couldn't get him without her. Poor David!'
'He's very patient with her.'
'Too patient. That's the trouble. Philip Chalmers says that what Ena needs is to be married to a great big he - man who'd give her a sound thrashing every now and then. That's the only way to keep her in order. David's far too civilized for her.'
Mike Armstrong said nothing.
'I hardly need to ask whether you like her,' said Roger with a smile. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the lady in question struggling ungracefully to get abreast of the beam. Everywhere in the room people were talking in little knots, carefully not watching. Only her long - suffering husband stood by, to catch her if she fell.
Margot Stratton laughed. 'I can't stand the sight of her. Luckily we're not on speaking terms, which saves a lot of trouble.'
Mike Armstrong said nothing.
'It must have been very awkward for you to refuse to have your own sister - in - law in the house?'
'She wasn't my sister - in - law; she was Ronald's. No, I don't think it was awkward. And in any case, she brought it on herself. She did her best once to do me a very bad turn, when I was perfectly friendly with her, and it was the sort of thing one just couldn't forgive.'
Mike Armstrong broke his silence. 'What was it?' he asked gruffly.
'Oh, far too bad to tell you, Mike,' Margot said. She spoke lightly, but Roger had an idea that she was telling the truth.
Mike Armstrong bent a frowning glance on the clambering creature who had dared to do his ladylove a bad turn.
With a final spasm the creature succeeded in getting right way up on the beam. 'Hullo, everyone!' she called.
From the other end of the room Ronald alone looked round. 'Very clever, Ena,' he said, perfunctorily. 'Now see if you can get down again.'
Somebody put a record on the gramophone, and people began to dance again. As Margot Stratton and Mike Armstrong moved off, Roger strolled across the room to join Colin Nicolson who, like himself, did not find much pleasure in dancing.
'Well, Colin, going to accept the lady's challenge and have a try at the beam?'
Nicolson made a Scotch noise of disgust. 'It's a sad thing to see a woman making such a fool of herself. Well, Sheringham, how's the criminology?'
'Ah!' said Roger, and they plunged happily into a discussion of the murder case of the moment. Among his other accomplishments Nicolson numbered a deep interest in criminology, with a minute knowledge of every murder of importance during the last hundred years. Roger had often been able to obtain from him details of almost forgotten crimes, which had been of considerable help to him in his work.
It was not long, however, before their attention was distracted by a repetition of Mrs. Stratton's importunities. 'Ronald, I insist on your dancing an Apache dance with me. I've an urge for it. Do dance an Apache dance with me, Ronald.'
'I'm not your husband, Ena. Ask David.'
'Oh, David couldn't do an Apache dance to save his life. Come on, Ronald. I shall probably run amok if you won't, and you wouldn't like that.'
Roger and Nicolson exchanged looks.
'That's a very irritating woman,' said Nicolson mildly. 'What's the matter with her?'
'Exhibitionism,' Roger explained. 'The ordinary dancing doesn't give her a chance to show herself off. She must be the centre of the picture all the time. You notice she won't perform with her husband.'
'Why not?'
'Too mild for her. She knows he wouldn't throw her about enough. And Ronald might. Besides Ronald doesn't want to, and that in itself is enough for her.'
'I've no patience with that sort. Hullo, Ronald's going to take her on.'
Roger's prophecy was fulfilled. It appeared that Ronald knew quite well what was wanted of him, and he proceeded to give it in full measure.
'All right, Ena. I'll dance an Apache dance with you.'
He caught his sister - in - law's hand, swung her round with all his strength, and let go. She shot across the wide floor, ended up on her hands and knees, and darted back for more. For a full three minutes Ronald threw her about, in and out of the other dancers, who refused to clear the floor for the pair. To Roger and Nicolson, looking on, it seemed that Ena Stratton must have suffered considerably in the process; but from the wailing outcry she raised when Ronald refused to maltreat her any more, it was clear that she had prodigiously enjoyed this singular amusement.
'And she the mother of a fine wee son,' said Nicolson disgustedly.
Roger, the only person in the room who had watched the performance with any real interest, nodded gently. 'It's typical, of course, and significant too.'
'Significant of what?'
'Of everything that has happened to that young woman so far - and of anything that might happen to her in the future.'
'Well, well,' said Dr. Chalmers. 'Time we were going home, I suppose.'
'You always want to go home as soon as I'm beginning to enjoy myself,' said his wife bitterly.
'I've got to do a day's work tomorrow, my dear. It's nearly half - past one.'
