Sparkling Cyanide Part 20

The words seemed to restore her balance.

She said in a more normal tone: "But it's so incredible. George was killed - yes, killed. That's what the police think and it must be true. killed - yes, killed. That's what the police think and it must be true. Because there isn't any other alternative. But it doesn't make sense." Because there isn't any other alternative. But it doesn't make sense."

"Don't you think it does? If Rosemary was killed, and George was beginning to suspect by whom -" beginning to suspect by whom -"

She interrupted him.

"Yes, but Rosemary wasn't killed. That's why it doesn't make sense. George believed those stupid letters partly because depression after George believed those stupid letters partly because depression after influenza isn't a very convincing reason for killing yourself. But influenza isn't a very convincing reason for killing yourself. But Rosemary had a reason. Look, I'll show you." Rosemary had a reason. Look, I'll show you."

She ran out of the room and returned a few moments later with a folded letter in her hand. She thrust it on him. folded letter in her hand. She thrust it on him.

"Read it. See for yourself."

He unfolded the slightly crumpled sheet.

"Leopard darling..."

He read it twice before handing it back.

The girl said eagerly: "You see? She was unhappy - broken-hearted. She didn't want to go on living." She didn't want to go on living."

"Do you know to whom that letter was written?"

Iris nodded.

"Stephen Farraday. It wasn't Anthony. She was in love with Stephen and he was cruel to her. So she took the stuff with her to the and he was cruel to her. So she took the stuff with her to the restaurant and drank it there where he could see her die. Perhaps she restaurant and drank it there where he could see her die. Perhaps she hoped he'd be sorry then." hoped he'd be sorry then."

Race nodded thoughtfully, but said nothing After a moment or two he said: "When did you find this?"

"About six months ago. It was in the pocket of an old dressing-gown."

"You didn't show it to George?"

Iris cried pa.s.sionately: "How could I? How could I? Rosemary was my sister. How could I give her away to George? He was so sure that she sister. How could I give her away to George? He was so sure that she loved him. How could I show him this after she was dead? He'd got it loved him. How could I show him this after she was dead? He'd got it all wrong, but I couldn't tell him so. But what I want to know is, what am all wrong, but I couldn't tell him so. But what I want to know is, what am I to do now? I've shown it to you because you were George's friend. I to do now? I've shown it to you because you were George's friend. Has Inspector Kemp got to see it?" Has Inspector Kemp got to see it?"

"Yes. Kemp must have it. It's evidence, you see."

"But then they'll - they might read it out in court?"

"Not necessarily. That doesn't follow. It's George's death that is being investigated. Nothing will be made public that is not strictly relevant. investigated. Nothing will be made public that is not strictly relevant. You had better let me take this now." You had better let me take this now."

"Very well."

She went with him to the front door. As he opened it she said abruptly: "It does show, doesn't it, that Rosemary's death was suicide?"

Race said: "It certainly shows that she had a motive for taking her own life." life."

She gave a deep sigh. He went down the steps. Glancing back once, he saw her standing framed in the open doorway, watching him walk he saw her standing framed in the open doorway, watching him walk away across the square. away across the square.

Chapter 7.

Mary Rees-Talbot just greeted Colonel Race with a positive shriek of unbelief. unbelief.

"My dear, I haven't seen you since you disappeared so mysteriously from Allahabad that time. And why are you here now? It isn't to see me, from Allahabad that time. And why are you here now? It isn't to see me, I'm quite sure. You never pay social calls. Come on now, own up, you I'm quite sure. You never pay social calls. Come on now, own up, you needn't be diplomatic about it." needn't be diplomatic about it."

"Diplomatic methods would be a waste of time with you, Mary. I always have appreciated your X-ray mind." have appreciated your X-ray mind."

"Cut the cackle and come to the horses, my pet."

Race smiled.

"Is the maid who let me in, Betty Archdale?" he inquired.

"So that's it! Now don't tell me that that girl, a pure c.o.c.kney if ever there was one, is a well-known European spy because I simply don't there was one, is a well-known European spy because I simply don't believe it." believe it."

"No, no, nothing of the kind."

"And don't tell me she's one of our counter-espionage either, because I don't believe that." don't believe that."

"Quite right. The girl is simply a parlourmaid."

"And since when have you been interested in simple parlourmaids - not that Betty is simple - an artful dodger is more like it." not that Betty is simple - an artful dodger is more like it."

"I think," said Colonel Race, "that she might be able to tell me something." something."

"If you asked her nicely? I shouldn't be surprised if you're right. She has the close-to-the-door-when-there's-anything-interesting-going-on has the close-to-the-door-when-there's-anything-interesting-going-on technique very highly developed. What does M. do?" technique very highly developed. What does M. do?"

"M. very kindly offers me a drink and rings for Betty and orders it."

"And when Betty brings it?"

"By then M. has very kindly gone away."

"To do some listening outside the door herself?"

"If she likes."

"And after that I shall be bursting with Inside Information about the latest European crisis?" latest European crisis?"

"I'm afraid not. There is no political situation involved in this."

"What a disappointment! All right. I'll play!"

Mrs Rees-Talbot, who was a lively near-brunette of forty-nine, rang the bell and directed her good-looking parlourmaid to bring Colonel Race bell and directed her good-looking parlourmaid to bring Colonel Race a whisky and soda. a whisky and soda.

When Betty Archdale returned, with a salver and the drink upon it, Mrs Rees-Talbot was standing by the far door into her own sitting-room. Rees-Talbot was standing by the far door into her own sitting-room.

"Colonel Race has some questions to ask you," she said and went out.

Betty turned her impudent eyes on the tall grey-haired soldier with some alarm in their depths. He took the gla.s.s from the tray and smiled. some alarm in their depths. He took the gla.s.s from the tray and smiled.

"Seen the papers today?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." Betty eyed him warily.

"Did you see that Mr George Barton died last night at the Luxembourg Restaurant?" Restaurant?"

"Oh, yes, sir." Betty's eyes sparkled with the pleasure of public disaster. "Wasn't it dreadful?" disaster. "Wasn't it dreadful?"

"You were in service there, weren't you?"

"Yes, sir. I left last winter, soon after Mrs Barton died."

"She died at the Luxembourg, too."

Betty nodded. "Sort of funny, that, isn't it, sir?" Race did not think it funny, but he knew what the words were intended to convey. He said funny, but he knew what the words were intended to convey. He said gravely: gravely: "I see you've got brains. You can put two and two together."

Betty clasped her hands and cast discretion to the winds.

"Was he done in, too? The papers didn't say exactly?"

"Why do you say 'too'? Mrs Barton's death was brought in by the coroner's jury as suicide." coroner's jury as suicide."

She gave him a quick look out of the corner of her eye. Ever so old, she thought, but he's nice looking. That quiet kind. A real gentleman. Sort thought, but he's nice looking. That quiet kind. A real gentleman. Sort of gentleman who'd have given you a gold sovereign when he was of gentleman who'd have given you a gold sovereign when he was young. Funny, I don't even know what a sovereign looks like! What's he young. Funny, I don't even know what a sovereign looks like! What's he after, exactly? after, exactly?

She said demurely: "Yes, sir."

"But perhaps you never thought it was suicide?"

"Well, no, sir. I didn't - not really."

"That's very interesting - very interesting indeed. Why didn't you think so?" so?"

She hesitated, her fingers began pleating her ap.r.o.n.

"Please tell me. It may be very important."

So nicely he said that, so gravely. Made you feel important and as though you wanted to help him. And anyway she had been smart over though you wanted to help him. And anyway she had been smart over Rosemary Barton's death. Never been taken in, she hadn't! Rosemary Barton's death. Never been taken in, she hadn't!

"She was done in, sir, wasn't she?"

"It seems possible that it may be so. But how did you come to think so?" so?"

"Well," Betty hesitated. "It was something I heard one day."

"Yes?"

His tone was quietly encouraging.

"The door wasn't shut or anything. I mean I'd never go and listen at a door. I don't like that sort of thing," said Betty virtuously. "But I was door. I don't like that sort of thing," said Betty virtuously. "But I was going through the hall to the dining-room and carrying the silver on a going through the hall to the dining-room and carrying the silver on a tray and they were speaking quite loud. Saying something she was - tray and they were speaking quite loud. Saying something she was - Mrs Barton I mean - about Anthony Browne not being his name. And Mrs Barton I mean - about Anthony Browne not being his name. And then he got really nasty, Mr Browne did. I wouldn't have thought he had then he got really nasty, Mr Browne did. I wouldn't have thought he had it in him - so nice-looking and so pleasant spoken as he was as a rule. it in him - so nice-looking and so pleasant spoken as he was as a rule. Said something about carving up her face - ooh! and then he said if she Said something about carving up her face - ooh! and then he said if she didn't do what he told her he'd b.u.mp her off. Just like that! I didn't hear didn't do what he told her he'd b.u.mp her off. Just like that! I didn't hear any more because Miss Iris was coming down the stairs, and of course any more because Miss Iris was coming down the stairs, and of course I didn't think very much of it at the time, but after there was all the fuss I didn't think very much of it at the time, but after there was all the fuss about her committing suicide at that party and I heard he'd been there about her committing suicide at that party and I heard he'd been there at the time - well, it gave me s.h.i.+vers all down my back - it did indeed!" at the time - well, it gave me s.h.i.+vers all down my back - it did indeed!"

"But you didn't say anything?"

The girl shook her head.

"I didn't want to get mixed up with the police - and anyway I didn't know anything - not really. And perhaps if I had said anything I'd have know anything - not really. And perhaps if I had said anything I'd have been b.u.mped off too. Or taken for a ride as they call it." been b.u.mped off too. Or taken for a ride as they call it."

"I see." Race paused a moment and then said in his gentlest voice: "So you just wrote an anonymous letter to Mr George Barton?" you just wrote an anonymous letter to Mr George Barton?"

She stared at him. He detected no uneasy guilt - nothing but pure astonishment. astonishment.

"Me? Write to Mr Barton? Never."

"Now don't be afraid to tell about it. It was really a very good idea. It warned him without your having to give yourself away. It was very warned him without your having to give yourself away. It was very clever of you." clever of you."

"But I didn't, sir. I never thought of such a thing. You mean write to Mr Barton and say that his wife had been done in? Why, the idea never Barton and say that his wife had been done in? Why, the idea never came into my head!" came into my head!"

She was so earnest in her denial that, in spite of himself, Race was shaken. But if all fitted in so well - it could all be explained so naturally shaken. But if all fitted in so well - it could all be explained so naturally if only the girl had written the letters. But she persisted in her denials, if only the girl had written the letters. But she persisted in her denials, not vehemently nor uneasily, but soberly and without undue not vehemently nor uneasily, but soberly and without undue protestation. He found himself reluctantly believing her. protestation. He found himself reluctantly believing her.

He s.h.i.+fted his ground.

"Whom did you tell about this?"

She shook her head.

"I didn't tell anyone. I'll tell you honest, sir, I was scared. I thought I'd better keep my mouth shut. I tried to forget it. I only brought it up once better keep my mouth shut. I tried to forget it. I only brought it up once -that was when I gave Mrs Drake my notice - fussing terribly she'd been, more than a girl could stand, and now wanting me to go and bury been, more than a girl could stand, and now wanting me to go and bury myself in the dead of the country and not even a bus route! And then myself in the dead of the country and not even a bus route! And then she turned nasty about my reference, saying I broke things, and I said she turned nasty about my reference, saying I broke things, and I said sarcastic-like that at any rate I'd find a place where people didn't get sarcastic-like that at any rate I'd find a place where people didn't get b.u.mped off - and I felt scared when I'd said it, but she didn't pay any b.u.mped off - and I felt scared when I'd said it, but she didn't pay any real attention. Perhaps I ought to have spoken out at the time, but I real attention. Perhaps I ought to have spoken out at the time, but I couldn't really tell. I mean the whole thing might have been a joke. couldn't really tell. I mean the whole thing might have been a joke. People do say all sorts of things, and Mr Browne was ever so nice People do say all sorts of things, and Mr Browne was ever so nice really, and quite a one for joking, so I couldn't tell, sir, could I?" really, and quite a one for joking, so I couldn't tell, sir, could I?"

Race agreed that she couldn't. Then he said: "Mrs Barton spoke of Browne not being his real name. Did she mention what his real name was?" what his real name was?"

"Yes, she did. Because he said, 'Forget about Tony' - now what was it?

Tony something... Reminded me of the cherry jam cook had been making." making."

"Tony Cheriton? Cherable."

She shook her head.

"More of a fancy name than that. Began with an M. And sounded foreign." foreign."

"Don't worry. It will come back to you, perhaps. If so, let me know. Here is my card with my address. If you remember the name write to Here is my card with my address. If you remember the name write to me to that address." me to that address."

He handed her the card and a treasury note.