The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie (good beach reads txt) đ
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âYou meanâdo I understand you to meanâthat you did not correct the misapprehension under which he was labouring?â
Virginia shook her head, shooting a sideways glance at him.
âGood heavens, Virginia, you must be mad.â
âI suppose it would seem that way to you.â
âBut why? In Godâs name, why?â
âSeveral reasons. To begin with he was doing it so beautifullyâblackmailing me, I meanâI hate to interrupt an artist when heâs doing his job really well. And then, you see, Iâd never been blackmailedâââ
âI should hope not, indeed.â
âAnd I wanted to see what it felt like.â
âI am quite at a loss to comprehend you, Virginia.â
âI knew you wouldnât understand.â
âYou did not give him money, I hope?â
âJust a trifle,â said Virginia apologetically.
âHow much?â
âForty pounds.â
âVirginia!â
âMy dear George, itâs only what I pay for an evening dress. Itâs just as exciting to buy a new experience as it is to buy a new dressâmore so, in fact.â
George Lomax merely shook his head, and Chilvers appearing at that moment with the tea urn, he was saved from having to express his outraged feelings. When tea had been brought in, and Virginiaâs deft fingers were manipulating the heavy silver teapot, she spoke again on the subject.
âI had another motive too, Georgeâa brighter and better one. We women are usually supposed to be cats, but at any rate Iâd done another woman a good turn this afternoon. This man isnât likely to go off looking for another Virginia Revel. He thinks heâs found his bird all right. Poor little devil, she was in a blue funk when she wrote that letter. Mr. Blackmailer would have had the easiest job of his life there. Now, though he doesnât know it, heâs up against a tough proposition. Starting with the great advantage of having led a blameless life, I shall toy with him to his undoingâas they say in books. Guile, George, lots of guile.â
George still shook his head.
âI donât like it,â he persisted. âI donât like it.â
âWell, never mind, George dear. You didnât come here to talk about blackmailers. What did you come here for, by the way? Correct answer: âTo see you!â Accent on the you, and press her hand with significance unless you happen to have been eating heavily buttered muffin, in which case it must all be done with the eyes.â
âI did come to see you,â replied George seriously. âAnd I am glad to find you alone.â
âOh, George, this is so sudden,â says she, swallowing a currant.
âI wanted to ask a favour of you. I have always considered you, Virginia, as a woman of considerable charm.â
âOh, George!â
âAnd also a woman of intelligence!â
âNot really? How well the man knows me.â
âMy dear Virginia, there is a young fellow arriving in England to-morrow whom I should like you to meet.â
âAll right, George, but itâs your partyâlet that be clearly understood.â
âYou could, I feel sure, if you chose, exercise your considerable charm.â
Virginia cocked her head a little on one side.
âGeorge, dear, I donât âcharmâ as a profession, you know. Often I like peopleâand then, well, they like me. But I donât think I could set out in cold blood to fascinate a helpless stranger. That sort of thing isnât done, George, it really isnât. There are professional sirens who would do it much better than I should.â
âThat is out of the question, Virginia. This young man, he is a Canadian, by the way, of the name of McGrathâââ
âA Canadian of Scotch descent,â says she, deducing brilliantly.
âIs probably quite unused to the higher walks of English society. I should like him to appreciate the charm and distinction of a real English gentlewoman.â
âMeaning me?â
âExactly.â
âWhy?â
âI beg your pardon?â
âI said why? You donât boom the real English gentlewoman with every stray Canadian who sets foot upon our shores. What is the deep idea, George? To put it vulgarly, what do you get out of it?â
âI cannot see that that concerns you, Virginia.â
âI couldnât possibly go out for an evening and fascinate, unless I knew all the whys and wherefors.â
âYou have a most extraordinary way of putting things, Virginia. Anyone would thinkâââ
âWouldnât they? Come on, George, part with a little more information.â
âMy dear Virginia, matters are likely to be a little strained shortly in a certain Central European nation. It is important, for reasons which are immaterial, that thisâMr.âer McGrath should be brought to realize that the restoring of the Monarchy in Herzoslovakia is imperative to the peace of Europe.â
âThe part about the peace of Europe is all bosh,â said Virginia calmly, âbut Iâm all for Monarchies every time, especially for a picturesque people like the Herzoslovakians. So youâre running a King in the Herzoslovakian States, are you? Who is he?â
George was reluctant to answer, but did not see his way to avoid the question. The interview was not going at all as he had planned. He had foreseen Virginia as a willing, docile tool, receiving his hints gratefully, and asking no awkward questions. This was far from being the case. She seemed determined to know all about it and this George, ever doubtful of female discretion, was determined at all costs to avoid. He had made a mistake. Virginia was not the woman for the part. She might, indeed, cause serious trouble. Her account of her interview with the blackmailer had caused him grave apprehension. A most undependable creature, with no idea of treating serious matters seriously.
âPrince Michael Obolovitch,â he replied, as Virginia was obviously waiting for an answer to her question. âBut please let that go no further.â
âDonât be absurd, George. There are all sort of hints in the papers already, and articles cracking up the Obolovitch dynasty and talking about the murdered Nicholas IV as though he were a cross between a Saint and a hero instead of a stupid little man besotted by a third-rate actress.â
George winced. He was more than ever convinced that he had made a mistake in enlisting Virginiaâs aid. He must stave her off quickly.
âYou are right, my dear Virginia,â he said hastily, as he rose to his feet to bid her farewell. âI should not have made the suggestion I did to you. But we are anxious for the Dominions to see eye to eye with us on this Herzoslovakian crisis, and McGrath has, I believe, influence in journalistic circles. As an ardent Monarchist, and with your knowledge of the country, I thought it a good plan for you to meet him.â
âSo thatâs the explanation, is it?â
âYes, but I dare say you wouldnât have cared for him.â
Virginia looked at him for a second and then she laughed.
âGeorge,â she said, âyouâre a rotten liar.â
âVirginia!â
âRotten, absolutely rotten! If I had had your training, I could have managed a better one than thatâone that had a chance of being believed. But I shall find out all about it, my poor George. Rest assured of that. The Mystery of Mr. McGrath. I shouldnât wonder if I got a hint or two at Chimneys this week-end.â
âAt Chimneys? You are going to Chimneys?â
George could not conceal his perturbation. He had hoped to reach Lord Caterham in time for the invitation to remain unissued.
âBundle rang up and asked me this morning.â
George made a last effort.
âRather a dull party, I believe,â he said. âHardly in your line, Virginia.â
âMy poor George, why didnât you tell me the truth and trust me? Itâs still not too late.â
George took her hand and dropped it again limply.
âI have told you the truth,â he said coldly, and he said it without a blush.
âThatâs a better one,â said Virginia approvingly. âBut itâs still not good enough. Cheer up, George, I shall be at Chimneys all right, exerting my considerable charmâas you put it. Life has become suddenly very much more amusing. First a blackmailer, and then George in diplomatic difficulties. Will he tell all to the beautiful woman who asks for his confidence so pathetically? No, he will reveal nothing until the last chapter. Good-bye, George. One last fond look before you go? No? Oh, George, dear, donât be sulky about it!â
Virginia ran to the telephone as soon as George had departed with a heavy gait through the front door.
She obtained the number she required and asked to speak to Lady Eileen Brent.
âIs that you, Bundle? Iâm coming to Chimneys all right to-morrow. What? Bore me? No, it wonât. Bundle, wild horses wouldnât keep me away! So there!â
Mr. McGrath Refuses an Invitation
The letters were gone!
Having once made up his mind to the fact of their disappearance, there was nothing to do but accept it. Anthony realized very well that he could not pursue Giuseppe through the corridors of the Blitz Hotel. To do so was to court undesired publicity, and in all probability to fail in his object all the same.
He came to the conclusion that Giuseppe had mistaken the packet of letters, enclosed as they were in the other wrappings, for the Memoirs themselves. It was likely therefore that when he discovered his mistake he would make another attempt to get hold of the Memoirs. For this attempt Anthony intended to be fully prepared.
Another plan that occurred to him was to advertize discreetly for the return of the package of letters. Supposing Giuseppe to be an emissary of the Comrades of the Red Hand, or, which seemed to Anthony more probable, to be employed by the Loyalist party, the letters could have no possible interest for either employer and he would probably jump at the chance of obtaining a small sum of money for their return.
Having thought out all this, Anthony returned to bed and slept peacefully until morning. He did not fancy that Giuseppe would be anxious for a second encounter that night.
Anthony got up with his plan of campaign fully thought out. He had a good breakfast, glanced at the papers which were full of the new discoveries of oil in Herzoslovakia, and then demanded an interview with the manager, and, being Anthony Cade, with a gift for getting his own way by means of quiet determination, he obtained what he asked for.
The manager, a Frenchman with an exquisitely suave manner, received him in his private office.
âYou wished to see me, I understand, Mr.âerâMcGrath?â
âI did. I arrived at your hotel yesterday afternoon, and I had dinner served to me in my own rooms by a waiter whose name was Giuseppe.â
He paused.
âI dare say we have a waiter of that name,â agreed the manager indifferently.
âI was struck by something unusual in the waiterâs manner, but thought nothing more of it at the time. Later, in the night, I was awakened by the sound of some one moving softly about the room. I switched on the light, and found this same Giuseppe in the act of rifling my leather suit-case.â
The managerâs indifference had completely disappeared now.
âBut I have heard nothing of this,â he exclaimed. âWhy was I not informed sooner?â
âThe man and I had a brief struggleâhe was armed with a knife by the way. In the end he succeeded in making off by way of the window.â
âWhat did you do then, Mr. McGrath?â
âI examined the contents of my suit-case.â
âHad anything been taken?â
âNothing ofâimportance,â said Anthony slowly.
The manager leaned back with a sigh.
âI am glad of that,â he remarked. âBut you will allow me to say, Mr. McGrath, that I do not quite understand your attitude in the matter. You made no attempt to arouse the hotel? To pursue the thief?â
Anthony shrugged his shoulders.
âNothing of value had been taken, as I tell you. I am aware, of course, that strictly speaking it is a case for the policeâââ
He paused, and the manager murmured without any particular enthusiasm:
âFor the policeâof courseâââ
âIn any case, I was fairly certain that the man would manage to make good his escape, and since nothing was taken why bother with the police?â
The manager
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