Nancy was forced to wait until the butler returned with permission for her to enter. As she was finally ushered into the living room, she could not help but smile at the elaborate formality, for in spite of Mrs. Topham’s lofty ambitions, the woman had never achieved the commanding position in society that she strove for.
The room in which Nancy found herself was even more bizarre than she had anticipated. Expensive oriental rugs clashed with window draperies of a different hue. The walls were heavy with paintings which were entirely out of place in such a small room, and period furniture had been added indiscriminately.
But Nancy Drew was not interested in Mrs. Topham’s lack of taste. As soon as the butler had left her alone she hastily glanced about. Almost at once her eye fastened upon a mantel clock which rested above the fireplace.
“I wonder if that can be the Crowley clock?” Nancy thought.
She rather doubted it, for the clock was too modern in appearance. She would have crossed the room to examine it, but a sound in the hall caused her to hesitate. As she heard someone coming she sank down on an uncomfortable ladder-back chair and assumed an expression of composure.
Mrs. Topham sailed grandly into the room and after surveying her for a minute, took a seat opposite Nancy.
“Well?” she demanded coldly. “What is it?”
“I am selling tickets for the—”
“I don’t want them!” Mrs. Topham broke in rudely. “I can’t be handing out my money to every peddler that comes along.”