Read Online Closed Casket: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot Mystery 2) by Sophie Hannah - Free Book Online
Authors: Sophie Hannah
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are surplus to requirements.’
‘You are disgusting, Randall,’ said Dorro. ‘Whatever will our guests think?’
‘Is it “shrivelled” and “brown” that you object to?’ Kimpton asked her. ‘Would you mind explaining why those words are more offensive than “rotting in the earth”?’
‘Shut up!’ cried Sophie Bourlet. ‘If you could only hear yourselves! You are
monsters
, the lot of you!’
‘It is human nature that is the monster, not anybody at this table,’ said Lady Playford. ‘Tomorrow you will come with me to
my
doctor, Joseph. There’s none finer. He can cure you if anyone can. Don’t protest! It’s all arranged.’
‘But there can be no cure for me. You know this, dear Athie. I have explained.’
‘I shall not believe it until I hear it from my own doctor. Not all medical men are equally intelligent and capable, Joseph. It is a profession that risks attracting those who find sickness and weakness attractive.’
‘I know what must be done.’ Dorro clapped her hands together. ‘Joseph must make a will naming Harry and Claudia as the beneficiaries. Mr Gathercole, Mr Rolfe, you will assist with this, won’t you? Can it be done, quickly? I don’t see why it should not be done! You evidently do not wish to steal from this family, Joseph—and I believe it
would
be theft if you were to allow what is rightfully ours to be left to you without putting in place—’
‘That is enough, Dorro,’ Lady Playford said firmly. ‘Joseph, please take no notice. Theft! The very idea! It is no such thing.’
‘And what of Harry and me? We will starve! We will have nowhere to live! Where will we go? Have you made no provision for us
at all
? Oh, do not bother to answer! It gives you pleasure, does it not, to see me squirm and beg!’
‘What an extraordinary thing to say,’ Lady Playford observed mildly.
‘This is about Nicholas!’ Dorro babbled on, wild-eyed. ‘In your mind, you have turned Joseph into Nicholas—your dead little boy, come back to life! The resemblance is quite apparent: both fair-haired and blue-eyed, both weak and sickly. But Nicholas cannot be brought back from the grave by this new will of yours! Nicholas, I am afraid, is
stone-cold dead
and will remain so!’
All movement at the table ceased. A few seconds later, without a word, Lady Playford left the dining room, closing the door quietly behind her.
‘All those children you never had, Dorro?’ said Kimpton. ‘Lucky blighters, I should say.’
‘Indeed,’ said Claudia. ‘Imagine.’
‘Mr Gathercole, Mr Rolfe—go after her, please.’ Dorro gestured frantically towards the door. ‘Make her see sense!’
‘I’m afraid I cannot do as you ask,’ said Gathercole tonelessly. Whatever inner crisis had gripped him before seemed to have passed; he looked composed once again. He averted his eyes as he addressed Dorro, as if she were a gruesome spectacle that, once seen, might haunt a fellow for ever. ‘Lady Playford is certain of her wishes in this matter, and I am satisfied that she is of sound mind.’
‘Mr Rolfe, you must tackle her, then, if Mr Gathercole is too lily-livered to try.’
‘Do not disturb Lady Playford, please,’ said Poirot. ‘She will wish to be alone for a while.’
Claudia laughed. ‘Listen to him! He only arrived this afternoon, yet he talks with such authority about my mother.’
Harry Playford leaned forward and addressed Scotcher, ‘How do you feel about all this, old boy? Bit rum, what?’
‘Harry, you must believe me. I neither asked for this, nor hoped for it—ever. I do not want it! Though I am, of course, deeply moved to learn that dear Athie cares for me to this extent, I never imagined …’ He grimaced and changed course. ‘I should very much like to understand what is behind it, that is all. I cannot truly believe that she envisages a cure for me.’
‘You say you do not want it—then write down your wishes on a piece of paper!’ said Dorro. ‘That is all
‘You are disgusting, Randall,’ said Dorro. ‘Whatever will our guests think?’
‘Is it “shrivelled” and “brown” that you object to?’ Kimpton asked her. ‘Would you mind explaining why those words are more offensive than “rotting in the earth”?’
‘Shut up!’ cried Sophie Bourlet. ‘If you could only hear yourselves! You are
monsters
, the lot of you!’
‘It is human nature that is the monster, not anybody at this table,’ said Lady Playford. ‘Tomorrow you will come with me to
my
doctor, Joseph. There’s none finer. He can cure you if anyone can. Don’t protest! It’s all arranged.’
‘But there can be no cure for me. You know this, dear Athie. I have explained.’
‘I shall not believe it until I hear it from my own doctor. Not all medical men are equally intelligent and capable, Joseph. It is a profession that risks attracting those who find sickness and weakness attractive.’
‘I know what must be done.’ Dorro clapped her hands together. ‘Joseph must make a will naming Harry and Claudia as the beneficiaries. Mr Gathercole, Mr Rolfe, you will assist with this, won’t you? Can it be done, quickly? I don’t see why it should not be done! You evidently do not wish to steal from this family, Joseph—and I believe it
would
be theft if you were to allow what is rightfully ours to be left to you without putting in place—’
‘That is enough, Dorro,’ Lady Playford said firmly. ‘Joseph, please take no notice. Theft! The very idea! It is no such thing.’
‘And what of Harry and me? We will starve! We will have nowhere to live! Where will we go? Have you made no provision for us
at all
? Oh, do not bother to answer! It gives you pleasure, does it not, to see me squirm and beg!’
‘What an extraordinary thing to say,’ Lady Playford observed mildly.
‘This is about Nicholas!’ Dorro babbled on, wild-eyed. ‘In your mind, you have turned Joseph into Nicholas—your dead little boy, come back to life! The resemblance is quite apparent: both fair-haired and blue-eyed, both weak and sickly. But Nicholas cannot be brought back from the grave by this new will of yours! Nicholas, I am afraid, is
stone-cold dead
and will remain so!’
All movement at the table ceased. A few seconds later, without a word, Lady Playford left the dining room, closing the door quietly behind her.
‘All those children you never had, Dorro?’ said Kimpton. ‘Lucky blighters, I should say.’
‘Indeed,’ said Claudia. ‘Imagine.’
‘Mr Gathercole, Mr Rolfe—go after her, please.’ Dorro gestured frantically towards the door. ‘Make her see sense!’
‘I’m afraid I cannot do as you ask,’ said Gathercole tonelessly. Whatever inner crisis had gripped him before seemed to have passed; he looked composed once again. He averted his eyes as he addressed Dorro, as if she were a gruesome spectacle that, once seen, might haunt a fellow for ever. ‘Lady Playford is certain of her wishes in this matter, and I am satisfied that she is of sound mind.’
‘Mr Rolfe, you must tackle her, then, if Mr Gathercole is too lily-livered to try.’
‘Do not disturb Lady Playford, please,’ said Poirot. ‘She will wish to be alone for a while.’
Claudia laughed. ‘Listen to him! He only arrived this afternoon, yet he talks with such authority about my mother.’
Harry Playford leaned forward and addressed Scotcher, ‘How do you feel about all this, old boy? Bit rum, what?’
‘Harry, you must believe me. I neither asked for this, nor hoped for it—ever. I do not want it! Though I am, of course, deeply moved to learn that dear Athie cares for me to this extent, I never imagined …’ He grimaced and changed course. ‘I should very much like to understand what is behind it, that is all. I cannot truly believe that she envisages a cure for me.’
‘You say you do not want it—then write down your wishes on a piece of paper!’ said Dorro. ‘That is all
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