Read Online They Found Him Dead by Georgette Heyer - Free Book Online
Authors: Georgette Heyer
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happily unaware, so that when Oscar Roberts addressed him in the accents of his favourite film star he believed that he stood in the presence of one who might at any moment produce a gun from somewhere about his person and accorded him a reverent admiration that was strong enough to enable him to pardon Mr. Roberts for having committed the awful solecism of hailing him as "son."
They fell easily into conversation, Oscar Roberts being apparently amused by so much obvious admiration and having the tact neither to disclaim American citizenship nor to correct Timothy's ideas of American life. A polite reference to Silas Kane's death opened the floodgates of Timothy's confidence. He reiterated his belief that Silas had been bumped off, and although Mr. Roberts looked rather startled for a moment, he did not make any snubbing remarks but, on the contrary, listened to Timothy's various theories with perfect gravity and even allowed himself to be led off to inspect the scene of the accident. Appealed to, he agreed that no doubt some evil-minded person might have pushed Silas off the cliff.
"Well, don't you think that's probably what did happen, sir?" said Timothy, bent on acquiring an ally.
Oscar Roberts stroked his pointed beard and suggested mildly that the possible murderer must have taken a big chance on Silas' choosing to walk along the cliff that night.
"No, because everyone knew that Uncle Silas took a walk along here every night!" said Timothy, triumphantly disposing of this objection.
"Is that so?" said Roberts. "Kind of a habit with him, maybe?"
"Yes, because of not being able to sleep."
"Well," replied Roberts, shaking his head, "I'll say that certainly looks as though you might be right, son."
Timothy looked up at him with glistening eyes and in a burst of gratitude invited him to come back to the house for tea.
Oscar Roberts declined the invitation, but on the way to the drive across the gardens they encountered Miss Allison, who had come out in search of Timothy, and Timothy immediately begged her to add her persuasion to his. Oscar Roberts, however, intervened before she could speak and countered with an invitation to Timothy to accompany him back to Portlaw for tea at his hotel.
Patricia could not but feel grateful to anyone who offered to relieve her of Mr. Harte's company on this very trying day, as Timothy seemed anxious to go with his new friend she gave permission, only qualifying it by insisting on his first washing his hands and brushing his hair.
He went off to do this, leaving her to stroll towards the drive with Roberts. She said: "It's really most awfully kind of you. Are you sure he won't be a nuisance?"
He replied with his slow smile: "Why, no, Miss Allison. I've got a kind of fondness for kids of his age. I'm at a loose end just now, and I'll be mighty glad of his company." His smile grew. "Guess he hopes I'm one of those gunmen he sees in the movies."
She laughed but said with some misgiving: "He's a dreadfully bloodthirsty child. I do hope he hasn't favoured you with his 'theories' about Mr. Kane's death? I've done all I can to squash him, but without much success."
"I shouldn't worry," he answered. "Kids just naturally get those ideas."
She felt impelled to say: "Of course, there's nothing in it. It was an accident. I don't want you to get a false impression from Timothy."
He looked down at her with a twinkle in his eyes. "Any impression I get won't come from Timothy, Miss Allison," he said deliberately.
CHAPTER FOUR
Greatly to Timothy's disgust, the inquest on Silas Kane's death contained no thrills. A verdict of death by misadventure was returned, a post-mortem examination having established the fact that Silas must have had a heart attack. His own doctor gave some highly technical evidence and annoyed Timothy by agreeing that, although an attack was unexpected, he would not go so far as to say that he was surprised that Silas should have had one. The excitement of his
They fell easily into conversation, Oscar Roberts being apparently amused by so much obvious admiration and having the tact neither to disclaim American citizenship nor to correct Timothy's ideas of American life. A polite reference to Silas Kane's death opened the floodgates of Timothy's confidence. He reiterated his belief that Silas had been bumped off, and although Mr. Roberts looked rather startled for a moment, he did not make any snubbing remarks but, on the contrary, listened to Timothy's various theories with perfect gravity and even allowed himself to be led off to inspect the scene of the accident. Appealed to, he agreed that no doubt some evil-minded person might have pushed Silas off the cliff.
"Well, don't you think that's probably what did happen, sir?" said Timothy, bent on acquiring an ally.
Oscar Roberts stroked his pointed beard and suggested mildly that the possible murderer must have taken a big chance on Silas' choosing to walk along the cliff that night.
"No, because everyone knew that Uncle Silas took a walk along here every night!" said Timothy, triumphantly disposing of this objection.
"Is that so?" said Roberts. "Kind of a habit with him, maybe?"
"Yes, because of not being able to sleep."
"Well," replied Roberts, shaking his head, "I'll say that certainly looks as though you might be right, son."
Timothy looked up at him with glistening eyes and in a burst of gratitude invited him to come back to the house for tea.
Oscar Roberts declined the invitation, but on the way to the drive across the gardens they encountered Miss Allison, who had come out in search of Timothy, and Timothy immediately begged her to add her persuasion to his. Oscar Roberts, however, intervened before she could speak and countered with an invitation to Timothy to accompany him back to Portlaw for tea at his hotel.
Patricia could not but feel grateful to anyone who offered to relieve her of Mr. Harte's company on this very trying day, as Timothy seemed anxious to go with his new friend she gave permission, only qualifying it by insisting on his first washing his hands and brushing his hair.
He went off to do this, leaving her to stroll towards the drive with Roberts. She said: "It's really most awfully kind of you. Are you sure he won't be a nuisance?"
He replied with his slow smile: "Why, no, Miss Allison. I've got a kind of fondness for kids of his age. I'm at a loose end just now, and I'll be mighty glad of his company." His smile grew. "Guess he hopes I'm one of those gunmen he sees in the movies."
She laughed but said with some misgiving: "He's a dreadfully bloodthirsty child. I do hope he hasn't favoured you with his 'theories' about Mr. Kane's death? I've done all I can to squash him, but without much success."
"I shouldn't worry," he answered. "Kids just naturally get those ideas."
She felt impelled to say: "Of course, there's nothing in it. It was an accident. I don't want you to get a false impression from Timothy."
He looked down at her with a twinkle in his eyes. "Any impression I get won't come from Timothy, Miss Allison," he said deliberately.
CHAPTER FOUR
Greatly to Timothy's disgust, the inquest on Silas Kane's death contained no thrills. A verdict of death by misadventure was returned, a post-mortem examination having established the fact that Silas must have had a heart attack. His own doctor gave some highly technical evidence and annoyed Timothy by agreeing that, although an attack was unexpected, he would not go so far as to say that he was surprised that Silas should have had one. The excitement of his
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