Read Online Absent in the Spring by Agatha writing as Mary Westmacott Christie - Free Book Online Page B
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Leslie Sherston wasnât really a very friendly person â not, that is, a demonstrative one. And she certainly could not be regarded as a siren â the mere idea would have been ludicrous. No, she had been out on one of her tramps and Rodney had overtaken her and with his usual friendly courtesy, had accompanied her.
Now, having climbed up Asheldown Ridge, they were resting for a while and enjoying the view before going back again.
Astonishing, really, the way that neither of them moved nor spoke. Not, she thought, very companionable. Oh well, presumably they both had their own thoughts. They felt, perhaps, that they knew each other well enough not to have to bother to talk or to make conversation.
For by that time, the Scudamores had got to know Leslie Sherston very much better. The bombshell of Sherstonâs defalcations had burst upon a dismayed Crayminster and Sherston himself was by now serving his prison sentence. Rodney was the solicitor who had acted for him at the trial and who also acted for Leslie. He had been very sorry for Leslie, left with two small children and no money. Everybody had been prepared to be sorry for poor Mrs Sherston and if they had not gone on being quite so sorry that was entirely Leslie Sherstonâs own fault. Her resolute cheerfulness had rather shocked some people.
âShe must, I think,â Joan had said to Rodney, âbe rather insensitive.â
He had replied brusquely that Leslie Sherston had more courage than anyone he had ever come across.
Joan had said, âOh, yes, courage . But courage isnât everything!â
âIsnât it?â Rodney had said. Heâd said it rather queerly. Then heâd gone off to the office.
Courage was a virtue one would certainly not deny to Leslie Sherston. Faced with the problem of supporting herself and two children, and with no particular qualifications for the task she had managed it.
Sheâd gone to work at a market gardenerâs until she was thoroughly conversant with the trade, accepting in the meantime a small allowance from an aunt, and living with the children in rooms. Thus, when Sherston had come out of prison, heâd found her established in a different part of the world altogether, growing fruit and vegetables for the market. Heâd driven the truck in and out from the nearby town, and the children had helped and theyâd managed somehow to make not too bad a thing of it. There was no doubt that Mrs Sherston had worked like a Trojan and it was particularly meritorious because she must, at that time, have begun to suffer a good deal of pain from the illness that eventually killed her.
Oh well, thought Joan, presumably she loved the man. Sherston had certainly been considered a good-looking man and a favourite with women. He looked rather different when he came out of prison. She, Joan, had only seen him once, but she was shocked by the change in him. Shifty-eyed, deflated, still boastful, still attempting to bluff and bluster. A wreck of a man. Still, his wife had loved him and stuck by him and for that Joan respected Leslie Sherston.
She had, on the other hand, considered that Leslie had been absolutely wrong about the children.
That same aunt who had come to the rescue financially when Sherston was convicted had made a further offer when he was due to come out of prison.
She would, she said, adopt the younger boy, and an uncle, persuaded by her, would pay the school fees of the elder boy and she herself would take them both for the holidays. They could take the uncleâs name by deed poll and she and the unclewould make themselves financially responsible for their future.
Leslie Sherston had turned this offer down unconditionally and in that Joan thought she had been selfish. She was refusing for her children a much better life than she could give them and one free from any taint of disgrace.
However much she loved her boys, she ought, Joan thought, and Rodney agreed with
Now, having climbed up Asheldown Ridge, they were resting for a while and enjoying the view before going back again.
Astonishing, really, the way that neither of them moved nor spoke. Not, she thought, very companionable. Oh well, presumably they both had their own thoughts. They felt, perhaps, that they knew each other well enough not to have to bother to talk or to make conversation.
For by that time, the Scudamores had got to know Leslie Sherston very much better. The bombshell of Sherstonâs defalcations had burst upon a dismayed Crayminster and Sherston himself was by now serving his prison sentence. Rodney was the solicitor who had acted for him at the trial and who also acted for Leslie. He had been very sorry for Leslie, left with two small children and no money. Everybody had been prepared to be sorry for poor Mrs Sherston and if they had not gone on being quite so sorry that was entirely Leslie Sherstonâs own fault. Her resolute cheerfulness had rather shocked some people.
âShe must, I think,â Joan had said to Rodney, âbe rather insensitive.â
He had replied brusquely that Leslie Sherston had more courage than anyone he had ever come across.
Joan had said, âOh, yes, courage . But courage isnât everything!â
âIsnât it?â Rodney had said. Heâd said it rather queerly. Then heâd gone off to the office.
Courage was a virtue one would certainly not deny to Leslie Sherston. Faced with the problem of supporting herself and two children, and with no particular qualifications for the task she had managed it.
Sheâd gone to work at a market gardenerâs until she was thoroughly conversant with the trade, accepting in the meantime a small allowance from an aunt, and living with the children in rooms. Thus, when Sherston had come out of prison, heâd found her established in a different part of the world altogether, growing fruit and vegetables for the market. Heâd driven the truck in and out from the nearby town, and the children had helped and theyâd managed somehow to make not too bad a thing of it. There was no doubt that Mrs Sherston had worked like a Trojan and it was particularly meritorious because she must, at that time, have begun to suffer a good deal of pain from the illness that eventually killed her.
Oh well, thought Joan, presumably she loved the man. Sherston had certainly been considered a good-looking man and a favourite with women. He looked rather different when he came out of prison. She, Joan, had only seen him once, but she was shocked by the change in him. Shifty-eyed, deflated, still boastful, still attempting to bluff and bluster. A wreck of a man. Still, his wife had loved him and stuck by him and for that Joan respected Leslie Sherston.
She had, on the other hand, considered that Leslie had been absolutely wrong about the children.
That same aunt who had come to the rescue financially when Sherston was convicted had made a further offer when he was due to come out of prison.
She would, she said, adopt the younger boy, and an uncle, persuaded by her, would pay the school fees of the elder boy and she herself would take them both for the holidays. They could take the uncleâs name by deed poll and she and the unclewould make themselves financially responsible for their future.
Leslie Sherston had turned this offer down unconditionally and in that Joan thought she had been selfish. She was refusing for her children a much better life than she could give them and one free from any taint of disgrace.
However much she loved her boys, she ought, Joan thought, and Rodney agreed with
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