"Gill, B.M. - Death Drop" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gill B M)

"He had just seen David. He was very shaken and upset.' I had nursed David through mumps. I was -- fond -- of him. He sensed that. It helped."

"I see," Brannigan relaxed slightly. Jenny had been a wise choice. He tried to sum it up, "He accepted that you were well disposed to David and he therefore accepted you -- would that be the situation?"

"Yes."

"So he was able to talk to you without rancour?"

"Yes."

"To what extent does he blame the school?"

Jenny said sharply, "I wasn't on reconnaissance in enemy lines, Mr. Brannigan. I'm sorry. I don't know."

Brannigan understood her distress and quenched his own flare of annoyance. She was young. She had been exposed to an emotional barrage. He would find out soon enough from Fleming how much he blamed the school.

Fleming's taxi drew up at the school house a few minutes before six. Brannigan came out to meet him as he paid off the driver.

"Did you get fixed up at The Lantern -- or didn't it come up to your expectations? You're welcome to stay here with us as long as you wish."

"Thank you, but The Lantern is perfectly adequate." He had returned there after leaving Jenny. A reporter had waylaid him in the hall and he had given him short shrift. He might have a story for the paper later, he had told him brusquely, but until he had all the facts he had nothing to say.

The polite preliminaries over, Brannigan asked him if he would like to come into the school house for a drink, or would he prefer to go over to his study in the main building.

"Your study. This is not a social call."

"But I can persuade you to stay for dinner? My wife will be most disappointed if you don't."

"I'm sorry. No."

Brannigan imagined Alison's sigh of relief. So the gloves were still off. At least he would keep his own on as long as possible. There was nothing to be gained by belligerence.

The walk to the main building was past the playing fields and the tennis courts. Four of the senior boys were having a game on the court near the shrubbery and a couple of the younger boys were acting as ball boys.

Brannigan went over to the wire netting enclosure and called one of the older boys to him. "Have Eldridge and Macey permission to be out of prep?"

Lambton rubbed a sweaty hand across his forehead. "Yes, sir. They finished early, sir."

"And they're doing this voluntarily?"

"Oh yes, sir. Of course, sir."

Brannigan snapped, "It seems a singular waste of their time. It would be far more useful if you gave them some coaching in the game. But I suppose you intend to do that anyway." It was a command.

"Yes, sir. As soon as we've finished this set, sir."

"Which will be soon, I hope?"

"After two games, sir."