尼罗河的惨案07

VII

Joanna Southwood said: “And suppose he’s a terrible tough?”

Linnet shook her head. “Oh, he won’t be. I can trust Jacqueline’s taste.”

Joanna murmured: “Ah, but people don’t run true to form in love affairs.”

Linnet shook her head impatiently. Then she changed the subject. “I must go and see Mr. Pierceabout those plans.”

“Plans?”

“Yes, some dreadful insanitary old cottages. I’m having them pulled down and the peoplemoved.”

“How sanitary¹ and public-spirited of you, darling!”

“They’d have had to go anyway. Those cottages would have overlooked my new swimmingpool.”

“Do the people who live in them like going?”

“Most of them are delighted. One or two are being rather stupid about it—really tiresome² infact. They don’t seem to realize how vastly improved their living conditions will be!”

“But you’re being quite high-handed about it, I presume.”

“My dear Joanna, it’s to their advantage really.”

“Yes, dear. I’m sure it is. Compulsory³ benefit.”

Linnet frowned. Joanna laughed.

“Come now, you are a tyrant⁴, admit it. A beneficent tyrant if you like!”

“I’m not the least bit of a tyrant.”

“But you like your own way!”

“Not especially.”

“Linnet Ridgeway, can you look me in the face and tell me of any one occasion on whichyou’ve failed to do exactly as you wanted?”

“Heaps of times.”

“Oh, yes, ‘heaps of times’—just like that—but no concrete example. And you simply can’tthink up one, darling, however hard you try! The triumphal progress of Linnet Ridgeway in hergolden car.”

Linnet said sharply: “You think I’m selfish?”

“No—just irresistible⁵. The combined effect of money and charm. Everything goes down beforeyou. What you can’t buy with cash you buy with a smile. Result: Linnet Ridgeway, the Girl WhoHas Everything.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Joanna!”

“Well, haven’t you got everything?”

“I suppose I have…It sounds rather disgusting, somehow!”

“Of course it’s disgusting, darling! You’ll probably get terribly bored and blasé by and by. Inthe meantime, enjoy the triumphal progress in the golden car. Only I wonder, I really do wonder,what will happen when you want to go down a street which has a board saying ‘NoThoroughfare.’”

“Don’t be idiotic⁶, Joanna.” As Lord Windlesham joined them, Linnet said, turning to him:

“Joanna is saying the nastiest things to me.”

“All spite, darling, all spite,” said Joanna vaguely⁷ as she got up from her seat.

She made no apology for leaving them. She had caught the glint in Windlesham’s eye.

He was silent for a minute or two. Then he went straight to the point.

“Have you come to a decision, Linnet?”

Linnet said slowly: “Am I being a brute⁸? I suppose, if I’m not sure, I ought to say ‘No’—”

He interrupted her:

“Don’t say it. You shall have time—as much time as you want. But I think, you know, weshould be happy together.”

“You see,” Linnet’s tone was apologetic, almost childish, “I’m enjoying myself so much—especially with all this.” She waved a hand. “I wanted to make Wode Hall into my real ideal of acountry house, and I do think I’ve got it nice, don’t you?”

“It’s beautiful. Beautifully planned. Everything perfect. You’re very clever, Linnet.”

He paused a minute and went on: “And you like Charltonbury, don’t you? Of course it wantsmodernizing and all that—but you’re so clever at that sort of thing. You enjoy it.”

“Why, of course, Charltonbury’s divine.”

She spoke⁹ with ready enthusiasm, but inwardly she was conscious of a sudden chill. An aliennote had sounded, disturbing her complete satisfaction with life. She did not analyse the feeling atthe moment, but later, when Windlesham had left her, she tried to probe the recesses¹⁰ of her mind.

Charltonbury—yes, that was it—she had resented the mention of Charltonbury. But why?

Charltonbury was modestly famous. Windlesham’s ancestors had held it since the time ofElizabeth. To be mistress of Charltonbury was a position unsurpassed in society. Windlesham wasone of the most desirable peers in England.

Naturally he couldn’t take Wode seriously… It was not in any way to be compared withCharltonbury.

Ah, but Wode was hers! She had seen it, acquired it, rebuilt and redressed¹¹ it, lavished¹² money onit. It was her own possession—her kingdom.

But in a sense it wouldn’t count if she married Windlesham. What would they want with twocountry places? And of the two, naturally Wode Hall would be the one to be given up.

She, Linnet Ridgeway, wouldn’t exist any longer. She would be Countess of Windlesham,bringing a fine dowry to Charltonbury and its master. She would be queen consort¹³, not queen anylonger.

“I’m being ridiculous,” said Linnet to herself.

But it was curious how she did hate the idea of abandoning Wode….

And wasn’t there something else nagging¹⁴ at her?

Jackie’s voice with that queer blurred¹⁵ note in it saying: “I shall die if I can’t marry him! I shalldie. I shall die….”

So positive, so earnest. Did she, Linnet, feel like that about Windlesham? Assuredly she didn’t.

Perhaps she could never feel like that about anyone. It must be—rather wonderful—to feel likethat….

The sound of a car came through the open window.

Linnet shook herself impatiently. That must be Jackie and her young man. She’d go out andmeet them.

She was standing¹⁶ in the open doorway¹⁷ as Jacqueline and Simon Doyle got out of the car.

“Linnet!” Jackie ran to her. “This is Simon. Simon, here’s Linnet. She’s just the most wonderfulperson in the world.”

Linnet saw a tall, broad-shouldered young man, with very dark blue eyes, crisply curling brownhair, a square chin, and a boyish, appealing, simple smile….

She stretched out a hand. The hand that clasped hers was firm and warm…She liked the way helooked at her, the na?ve genuine admiration¹⁸.

Jackie had told him she was wonderful, and he clearly thought that she was wonderful….

A warm sweet feeling of intoxication¹⁹ ran through her veins²⁰.

“Isn’t this all lovely?” she said. “Come in, Simon, and let me welcome my new land agentproperly.”

And as she turned to lead the way she thought: “I’m frightfully—frightfully happy. I likeJackie’s young man…I like him enormously….”

And then a sudden pang²¹: “Lucky Jackie….”

 

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