Death of a Ghost by Margery Allingham

Author:Margery Allingham [Allingham, Margery]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Private investigators, England, Private investigators - England, Mystery & Detective, General, Mystery fiction, Traditional British, Fiction, Campion; Albert (Fictitious character)
ISBN: 9781933397825
Publisher: Felony & Mayhem
Published: 2007-09-14T23:00:00+00:00

* * *

CHAPTER 14

RAVELLINGS

« ^ »

I really don’t know when I’ve been so upset.’

Miss Cunninghame, pink with excitement and an underlying sense of outrage at tragedy treading so near, made the announcement as though it were an important confidence.

‘I really don’t know when.’

Inspector Oates sat forward on the broad Chippendale chair, his head on one side like a terrier at a rabbit hole. Mr Campion was stationed a little behind him. The Inspector never knew quite why he always invited the pale young man to accompany him on this sort of expedition in defiance of edict and etiquette alike, but the fact remained, and so did Mr Campion.

The small front suburban room in which they talked was a reflection of Miss Cunninghame’s gentility and modestly sufficient means. Its white paint, shining brass, Morris chintz and good furniture were tasteful, old-maidish, and intensely ordinary. Only the appalling water-colours in the narrow gilt frames were individual.

Miss Cunninghame went on talking.

‘Of course,’ she said, the light of self-preservation creeping into her eyes, ‘Mrs Potter was not a friend of mine. I mean we were never intimate, we never talked. I took a few lessons from her from time to time because she seemed such a capable person, and then her background attracted me. John Lafcadio still lives in that little colony — or did,’ she added dubiously, as though even that eminent ghost would hardly survive this last upheaval.

The Inspector remained quiet and alert and Miss Cunninghame was shamed into further speech.

‘So you see,’ she finished lamely. ‘I hardly knew her. Poor soul.’

‘She didn’t confide in you?’ Oates seemed disappointed.

‘Oh, no…’ It seemed for a moment that Miss Cunninghame would leave well alone, but the Inspector’s air of expectancy had its reward. ‘I thought she seemed very odd this afternoon,’ she said suddenly. ‘But if she was going to meet her death so soon afterwards, poor creature, that’s hardly to be wondered at.’

‘Odd?’ inquired Oates, ignoring his informant’s somewhat confused deductions.

Having committed herself, Miss Cunninghame did not draw back.

‘Definitely odd,’ she declared. ‘I told her she looked ill and she was almost angry. Also she was stupid.’

The Inspector’s head straightened. It almost seemed to Campion that his ears pricked forward.

‘When you say stupid, did it seem to you that she was dazed — drugged, I mean?’

Miss Cunninghame’s eyes opened very wide.

‘Drugs?’ she said. ‘You don’t say that she…? Well, really, if I had ever guessed…’

‘Oh, no, no.’ The Inspector was very patient. ‘No. I’m only trying to get at the probable cause of Mrs Potter’s death. The doctors have not yet decided the actual cause, and as you were the last person to see her alive, as far as we know, we are naturally anxious to hear how she seemed to you.’

‘I was the last person? Was I really? Oh!’ Miss Cunninghame’s momentary thrill of importance was suddenly dampened by a new and disturbing thought. ‘An inquest! I shan’t be called — oh, Inspector, I shan’t be called to give evidence? I couldn’t — I didn’t know her—’

‘We’re not sure of anything yet,’ said Oates mendaciously.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.