Read Online 4.50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie - Free Book Online
Authors: Agatha Christie
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discovered a dead body in a sarcophagus in the Long Barn at Rutherford Hall.”
“What's that?”
Lucy repeated her statement and anticipating the next question gave her name.
She drove back, put the car away and entered the house.
She paused in the hall for a moment, thinking.
Then she gave a brief sharp nod of her head and went to the library where Miss Crackenthorpe was sitting helping her father to do The Times crossword.
“Can I speak to you a moment, Miss Crackenthorpe?”
Emma looked up, a shade of apprehension on her face. The apprehension was, Lucy thought, purely domestic. In such words do useful household staff announce their imminent departure.
“Well, speak up, girl, speak up,” said old Mr. Crackenthorpe irritably.
Lucy said to Emma:
“I'd like to speak to you alone, please.”
“Nonsense,” said Mr. Crackenthorpe. “You say straight out here what you've got to say.”
“Just a moment. Father.” Emma rose and went towards the door.
“All nonsense. It can wait,” said the old man angrily.
“I'm afraid it can't wait,” said Lucy.
Mr. Crackenthorpe said, “What impertinence!”
Emma came out into the hall, Lucy followed her and shut the door behind them.
“Yes?” said Emma. “What is it? If you think there's too much to do with the boys here, I can help you and -”
“It's not that at all,” said Lucy. “I didn't want to speak before your father because I understand he is an invalid and it might give him a shock. You see, I've just discovered the body of a murdered woman in that big sarcophagus in the Long Barn.”
Emma Crackenthorpe stared at her.
“In the sarcophagus? A murdered woman? It's impossible!”
“I'm afraid it's quite true. I've rung up the police. They will be here at any minute.”
A slight flush came into Emma's cheek.
“You should have told me first - before notifying the police.”
“I'm sorry,” said Lucy.
“I didn't hear you ring up -” Emma's glance went to the telephone on the hall table.
“I rang up from the post office just down the road.”
“But how extraordinary. Why not from here?”
Lucy thought quickly.
“I was afraid the boys might be about - might hear - if I rang up from the hall here.”
“I see... Yes... I see... They are coming - the police, I mean?”
“They're here now,” said Lucy, as with a squeal of brakes a car drew up at the front door and the front-door bell pealed through the house.
4.50 From Paddington
II
“I'm sorry, very sorry - to have asked this of you,” said Inspector Bacon.
His hand under her arm, he led Emma Crackenthorpe out of the barn. Emma's face was very pale, she looked sick, but she walked firmly erect.
“I'm quite sure that I've never seen the woman before in my life.”
“We're very grateful to you, Miss Crackenthorpe. That's all I wanted to know. Perhaps you'd like to lie down?”
“I must go to my father. I telephoned to Dr. Quimper as soon as I heard about this and the doctor is with him now.”
Dr. Quimper came out of the library as they crossed the hall. He was a tall genial man, with a casual off-hand, cynical manner that his patients found very stimulating.
He and the inspector nodded to each other.
“Miss Crackenthorpe has performed an unpleasant task very bravely,” said Bacon.
“Well done, Emma,” said the doctor, patting her on the shoulder. “You can take things. I've always known that. Your father's all right. Just go in and have a word with him, and then go into the dining-room and get yourself a glass of brandy. That's a prescription.”
Emma smiled at him gratefully and went into the library.
“That woman's the salt of the earth,” said the doctor, looking after her. “A thousand pities she's never married. The penalty of being the only female in a family of men. The other sister got clear, married at seventeen, I believe. This one's quite a handsome woman really. She'd have been a success as a wife and mother.”
“Too devoted to her father, I
“What's that?”
Lucy repeated her statement and anticipating the next question gave her name.
She drove back, put the car away and entered the house.
She paused in the hall for a moment, thinking.
Then she gave a brief sharp nod of her head and went to the library where Miss Crackenthorpe was sitting helping her father to do The Times crossword.
“Can I speak to you a moment, Miss Crackenthorpe?”
Emma looked up, a shade of apprehension on her face. The apprehension was, Lucy thought, purely domestic. In such words do useful household staff announce their imminent departure.
“Well, speak up, girl, speak up,” said old Mr. Crackenthorpe irritably.
Lucy said to Emma:
“I'd like to speak to you alone, please.”
“Nonsense,” said Mr. Crackenthorpe. “You say straight out here what you've got to say.”
“Just a moment. Father.” Emma rose and went towards the door.
“All nonsense. It can wait,” said the old man angrily.
“I'm afraid it can't wait,” said Lucy.
Mr. Crackenthorpe said, “What impertinence!”
Emma came out into the hall, Lucy followed her and shut the door behind them.
“Yes?” said Emma. “What is it? If you think there's too much to do with the boys here, I can help you and -”
“It's not that at all,” said Lucy. “I didn't want to speak before your father because I understand he is an invalid and it might give him a shock. You see, I've just discovered the body of a murdered woman in that big sarcophagus in the Long Barn.”
Emma Crackenthorpe stared at her.
“In the sarcophagus? A murdered woman? It's impossible!”
“I'm afraid it's quite true. I've rung up the police. They will be here at any minute.”
A slight flush came into Emma's cheek.
“You should have told me first - before notifying the police.”
“I'm sorry,” said Lucy.
“I didn't hear you ring up -” Emma's glance went to the telephone on the hall table.
“I rang up from the post office just down the road.”
“But how extraordinary. Why not from here?”
Lucy thought quickly.
“I was afraid the boys might be about - might hear - if I rang up from the hall here.”
“I see... Yes... I see... They are coming - the police, I mean?”
“They're here now,” said Lucy, as with a squeal of brakes a car drew up at the front door and the front-door bell pealed through the house.
4.50 From Paddington
II
“I'm sorry, very sorry - to have asked this of you,” said Inspector Bacon.
His hand under her arm, he led Emma Crackenthorpe out of the barn. Emma's face was very pale, she looked sick, but she walked firmly erect.
“I'm quite sure that I've never seen the woman before in my life.”
“We're very grateful to you, Miss Crackenthorpe. That's all I wanted to know. Perhaps you'd like to lie down?”
“I must go to my father. I telephoned to Dr. Quimper as soon as I heard about this and the doctor is with him now.”
Dr. Quimper came out of the library as they crossed the hall. He was a tall genial man, with a casual off-hand, cynical manner that his patients found very stimulating.
He and the inspector nodded to each other.
“Miss Crackenthorpe has performed an unpleasant task very bravely,” said Bacon.
“Well done, Emma,” said the doctor, patting her on the shoulder. “You can take things. I've always known that. Your father's all right. Just go in and have a word with him, and then go into the dining-room and get yourself a glass of brandy. That's a prescription.”
Emma smiled at him gratefully and went into the library.
“That woman's the salt of the earth,” said the doctor, looking after her. “A thousand pities she's never married. The penalty of being the only female in a family of men. The other sister got clear, married at seventeen, I believe. This one's quite a handsome woman really. She'd have been a success as a wife and mother.”
“Too devoted to her father, I
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