Read Online Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie - Free Book Online

time to appreciate the true position. She appreciates it now, but it is too late.’
    â€˜Do you think she has given up hope?’
    Dr Gerard shook his head doubtfully.
    â€˜If she has plans no one would know about them. There are, you know, certain possibilities where Cope is concerned. Man is a naturally jealous animal—andjealousy is a strong force. Lennox Boynton might still be roused from the inertia in which he is sinking.’
    â€˜And you think’—Sarah purposely made her tone very business-like and professional—‘that there’s a chance I might be able to do something about Raymond?’
    â€˜I do.’
    Sarah sighed.
    â€˜I suppose I might have tried. Oh, well, it’s too late now, anyway. And—and I don’t like the idea.’
    Gerard looked amused.
    â€˜That is because you are English! The English have a complex about sex. They think it is “not quite nice”.’
    Sarah’s indignant response failed to move him.
    â€˜Yes, yes; I know you are very modern—that you use freely in public the most unpleasant words you can find in the dictionary—that you are professional and entirely uninhibited! Tout de même , I repeat, you have the same facial characteristics as your mother and your grandmother. You are still the blushing English Miss although you do not blush!’
    â€˜I never heard such rubbish!’
    Dr Gerard, a twinkle in his eye, and quite unperturbed, added: ‘And it makes you very charming.’
    This time Sarah was speechless.
    Dr Gerard hastily raised his hat. ‘I take my leave,’ he said, ‘before you have time to begin to say all that you think.’ He escaped into the hotel.
    Sarah followed him more slowly.
    There was a good deal of activity going on. Several cars loaded with luggage were in the process of departing. Lennox and Nadine Boynton and Mr Cope were standing by a big saloon car superintending arrangements. A fat dragoman was standing talking to Carol with quite unintelligible fluency.
    Sarah passed them and went into the hotel.
    Mrs Boynton, wrapped in a thick coat, was sitting in a chair, waiting to depart. Looking at her, a queer revulsion of feeling swept over Sarah. She had felt that Mrs Boynton was a sinister figure, an incarnation of evil malignancy.
    Now, suddenly, she saw the old woman as a pathetic ineffectual figure. To be born with such a lust for power, such a desire for dominion—and to achieve only a petty domestic tyranny! If only her children could see her as Sarah saw her that minute—an object of pity—a stupid, malignant, pathetic, posturing old woman. On an impulse Sarah went up to her.
    â€˜Goodbye, Mrs Boynton,’ she said. ‘I hope you’ll have a nice trip.’
    The old lady looked at her. Malignancy struggled with outrage in those eyes.
    â€˜You’ve wanted to be very rude to me,’ said Sarah.
    (Was she crazy, she wondered, what on earth was urging her on to talk like this?)
    â€˜You’ve tried to prevent your son and daughter making friends with me. Don’t you think, really, that that is all very silly and childish? You like to make yourself out a kind of ogre, but really, you know, you’re just pathetic and rather ludicrous. If I were you I’d give up all this silly play-acting. I expect you’ll hate me for saying this, but I mean it—and some of it may stick. You know you could have a lot of fun still. It’s really much better to be—friendly—and kind. You could be if you tried.’
    There was a pause.
    Mrs Boynton had frozen into a deadly immobility. At last she passed her tongue over her dry lips, her mouth opened…Still for a moment, no words came.
    â€˜Go on,’ said Sarah encouragingly. ‘Say it! It doesn’t matter what you say to me. But think over what I’ve said to you.’
    The words came at last—in a soft, husky, but penetrating voice. Mrs Boynton’s