THE two men stood at the window, contemplating the dreary January afternoon outside, and then by common consent turned to look at the room in which they were.
âOf course,â observed the elder of the two, a short, stout man with a thatch of grey hair and a craggy face, âNorfolkâthis part of rural Norfolkâduring the winter months is hardly welcoming.â Despite his words he sounded hopefully questioning.
âI do not require a welcome.â His companionâs deep voice had the trace of an accent. âI require peace and quiet.â He glanced around him at the pleasant, rather shabby room, apparently impervious to the chill consequence to the houseâs having lain empty for some weeks. âToday is the sixthâI should like to come in four daysâ time. I shall have my housekeeper with me, but perhaps you can advise me as to the best means of getting help for the house.â
âThat should be no difficulty, Mr van der Beek. There are several women in the village only too willing to oblige and should you require someone to keep the garden in order there is old Ned Groom who was the gardener here â¦â
âExcellent.â Mr van der Beek turned to look out of the window again. He was an extremely tall man, heavily built and still in his thirties, with a commanding nose in a handsome face, a firm mouth and light clear blue eyes. His hair was so fair that it was difficult to see where it was already silvered with grey. âI will take the house for six monthsâperhaps you would undertake the paperwork.â
âOf course.â The older man hesitated. âYou mentioned that you required peace and quiet above all else. Might I suggest that you should employ someone: a general factotum, as it were, to relieve you of the tiresome interruptions which are bound to occurâthe telephone, the tradespeople, bills to be paid, the tactful handling of unwelcome visitors, the care of your house should you wish to go away for a few days â¦â
âA paragon, in fact.â Mr van der Beekâs voice was dry.
His companion chose to take him literally. âIndeed, yes. A local person well known in the village and therefore someone who would not be resented and is the soul of discretion. Your housekeeper need have no fear that her authority will be undermined.â
Mr van der Beek took his time to consider that. âIt is probably a good idea, but it must be made clear to this person that sheâit is a she, I presume?âwill come on a monthâs trial. I will leave you to make that clear and also to deal with the wages and so forth.â
âWhat wages had you in mind?â
Mr van der Beek waved a large impatient hand. âMy dear fellow, I leave that to your discretion.â He went to the door. âCan I give you a lift back to Aylsham?â
His companion accepted eagerly and they left together, locking the door carefully behind them before getting into the dark blue Bentley parked in the drive before the house. Aylsham was something under twenty miles away and they had little to say to each other but, as Mr van der Beek drew up before the estate agentâs office in the main street, he asked, âYou have my solicitorâs number? Presumably the owner of the house has a solicitor of her own?â
âOf course. I shall contact them immediately. Rest assured that the house will be ready for you when you return in four daysâ time.â
They bade each other goodbye and Mr van der Beek drove himself on to Norwich and on down the A140 before cutting across country to Sudbury and Saffron Walden, and, still keeping to the smaller roads, to London. It would have been quicker to have taken the A11 but he had time to spare and he wanted to go over his plans. It had taken careful planning to arrange for six months away from his work as a consultant surgeon; his meticulous notes had reached the stage when they could be transformed into a textbook on surgery and he had spent some weeks searching for a suitable place in which to live while he wrote it. He was fairly sure that he had found itâat least, he profoundly hoped so.
The house agent watched him go and then hurried into his office and picked up the phone, dialled a number and waited impatiently for someone to answer. He didnât give the dry-as-dust voice time to say more than his name. âGeorge? Dr van der Beek has taken the Martinsâ house for six months. He wants to move in in four daysâ time. Iâm to engage daily help and when I suggested he might need someone to help the housekeeper heâs bringing with him he agreed. Will you see Patience as soon as possible? I didnât tell him that she was the niece of the owners, but in any case I donât think he will notice her; he wants complete quiet while he writes a book. Provided she can keep out of sight and get along with the housekeeper the jobâs hers â¦â
Mr George Bennett coughed. âIt is very short noticeâthe paperwork â¦â
âYes, yes, I know, but the Martins need the money very badly, and besides, Patience can add something to that miserable pension of theirs. Itâs a godsend.â