Read Online Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie - Free Book Online Page B

on guard there, who saluted respectfully, knowing me by sight, and raised no questions as to my companion. Presumably he regarded her as vouched for by me. I explained to Cinderella just how the discovery had been made, and she listened attentively, sometimes putting an intelligent question. Then we turned our steps in the direction of the Villa. I proceeded rather cautiously, for, truth to tell, I was not at all anxious to meet anyone. I took the girl through the shrubbery round to the back of the house where the small shed was. I recollected that yesterday evening, after relocking the door, M. Bex had left the key with the sergent de ville, Marchaud, 'In case Monsieur Giraud should require it while we are upstairs.' I thought it quite likely that the Sûreté detective, after using it, had returned it to Marchaud again. Leaving the girl out of sight in the shrubbery, I entered the house. Marchaud was on duty outside the door of the salon. From within came the murmur of voices.
    'Monsieur desires Monsieur Hautet? He is within. He is again interrogating Françoise.'
    'No,' I said hastily, 'I don't want him. But I should very much like the key of the shed outside if it is not against regulations.'
    'But certainly, monsieur.' He produced it. 'Here it is. Monsieur Hautet gave orders that all facilities were to be placed at your disposal. You will return it to me when you have finished out there, that is all.'
    'Of course.'
    I felt a thrill of satisfaction as I realized that in Marchaud's eyes, at least, I ranked equally in importance with Poirot.
    The girl was waiting for me. She gave an exclamation of delight as she saw the key in my hand.
    'You've got it then?'
    'Of course,' I said coolly. 'All the same, you know, what I'm doing is highly irregular.'
    'You've been a perfect darling and I shan't forget it. Come along. They can't see us from the house, can they?'
    'Wait a minute.' I arrested her eager advance. 'I won't stop you if you really wish to go in. But do you? You've seen the grave, and the grounds, and you've heard all the details of the affair. Isn't that enough for you? This is going to be gruesome, you know, and unpleasant.'
    She looked at me for a moment with an expression that I could not quite fathom. Then she laughed.
    'I'm for the horrors,' she said. 'Come along.'
    In silence we arrived at the door of the shed. I opened it and we passed in. I walked over to the body, and gently pulled down the sheet as Bex had done the preceding afternoon. A little gasping sound escaped from the girl's lips, and I turned and looked at her. There was horror on her face now, and those debonair high spirits of hers were quenched utterly. She had not chosen to listen to my advice, and she was punished now for her disregard of it. I felt singularly merciless towards her. She should go through with it now. I turned the corpse over gently.
    'You see,' I said. 'He was stabbed in the back.'
    Her voice was almost soundless. 'With what?'
    I nodded towards the glass jar.
    'That dagger.'
    Suddenly the girl reeled, and then sank down in a heap. I sprang to her assistance.
    'You are faint. Come out of here. It has been too much for you.'
    'Water,' she murmured. 'Quick. Water.'
    I left her, and rushed into the house. Fortunately none of the servants were about and I was able to secure a glass of water unobserved and add a few drops of brandy from a pocket flask. In a few minutes I was back again. The girl was lying as I had left her, but a few sips of the brandy and water revived her in a marvellous manner.
    'Take me out of here - oh quickly, quickly!' she cried, shuddering.
    Supporting her with my arm, I led her out into the air, and she pulled the door to behind her. Then she drew a deep breath.
    'That's better. Oh, it was horrible! Why did you ever let me go in?'
    I felt this to be so feminine that I could not forbear a smile. Secretly, I was not dissatisfied with her collapse. It proved that she was not quite so callous as I had thought her.