'You're not actually scared, are you?' Paul interjected, feeling brave for the moment.
'Paul,' Heather rejoined, 'we're talking about the man who beat off six officers, two of whom were pensioned off afterwards because of the extremity of the injuries they suffered. One of the officers present was Chief Inspector Matthews. Now, in light of that, show me someone who's not afraid of Albert Askrigg and I'll show you a complete fool.'
Paul paled as her words sank in. Robert Matthews was legendary for his sheer size and strength alone. It was evident in the extremity of his frown that Paul was trying to imagine what sort of a man could actually beat up Robert Matthews, and five others in the bargain-
'But . . . that's bloody inhuman!'
'Well, well,' Heather said to Pamela as she handed Jennie to her, 'I think he's finally got the picture.'
'Why isn't Theo intimidated by Albert?' Pamela wondered rhetorically, not expecting an answer.
Heather huffed. 'Shows how much you know about the man! I'd pay good money to see the two of them duke it out- the untamable force vs. the immovable object. Mr. Dewhurst once caught a burglar who had broken into Dewhurst Mansion. Theo threw the fellow out. Only thing was, the front door was closed at the time. The man needed reconstructive surgery to rebuild his face.'
Pamela swallowed, not able to believe the woman's words. 'Theo's not that kind of man!' she said defensively.
'He is if someone pulls a gun on his mother,' Heather said.
'What?'
'The robber told Mrs. Dewhurst to open the safe. She refused. He pulled a gun. Theo took it off him, snapped in two as though it were a toy, and gave the fellow the bum's rush.'
'Nobody ever told me about that,' Pamela said, feeling left out.
'Theo was a wild one before his father died,' Heather said. 'He and my oldest brother went to school together, so I've heard all the stories. According to my brother, when Theo's father died and he had to come home and look after the family's estates and businesses, all the wildness, all the life, seemed to go out of him. Apparently it was partly on account of this girl he was seeing. She was a hoity-toity type who never lifted a finger to earn her keep and was only good at spending her daddy's money. Well, she and Theo were like two peas in a pod until Theo's father snuffed it. Then, Theo had no choice but to get serious, but the girl had no intention of changing her ways. He ended up dumping her, and that, as they say, was the end of that. Except that he did the right thing: she's nothing but a drunk and a tramp who's been married four or five times, with no children, no real life and no stability.'