Silent as the Grave Read Online Free PDF Page B

see. Don’t tell me, let me guess; Eve was in one of her moods? Was she very unpleasant?’
    â€˜At the station she was extremely unpleasant; after that neither of them spoke a word to me until they got here.’
    â€˜Just wait until I have a word with her, she’ll feel the rough edge of my tongue. I love my sister dearly but she can be a real bitch sometimes. Politeness forbids me to tell you what Tony reckons she needs but you can guess. Something you could give her but I couldn’t.’
    A stifled chuckle reminded us we weren’t alone. ‘I’m sorry, Polly,’ Harriet said. ‘I should have introduced you. Adam, meet Polly Jardine: a maestro in the kitchen and my closest friend and confidante. Polly, this is Adam Bailey; he used to be famous.’
    As we shook hands, Harriet leaned over to Polly and told her confidentially, ‘Adam was a TV reporter but I knew him long before that. We were at university together. I seduced him and he’s never looked back since.’
    â€˜Harriet,’ I told her sternly, ‘stop trying to embarrass me in front of your friends. It didn’t work years ago and it won’t work now. Shouldn’t I make a move to get those cases up to the rooms?’
    Â â€˜No you jolly well shouldn’t. If Eve and Edgar want them they can come down and get them. I can’t wait to give Eve a piece of my mind.’
    â€˜No, please don’t do that,’ I contradicted her, ‘let me have the pleasure.’ I paused, struck by something in her expression. ‘You don’t like Beaumont, do you?’
    â€˜No, I do not ,’ Harriet said emphatically. ‘Neither does Tony. Beaumont’s father was originally Tony’s partner, and ever since he died Tony’s been trying to get Edgar to sell his share in the business. The trouble is, Beaumont knows he’s onto a good thing so he sits tight. Tony’s in a bit of a cleft stick. If he wants to get shut of Beaumont he’d have to engineer things so the company loses money. That wouldn’t do us any good. The only reason we’ve invited him is so that Tony can try to persuade him again.’
    â€˜He might be tempted if you keep arranging accidents like the one he just had.’ I told Harriet and Polly about Beaumont’s fall.
    â€˜I wish I’d seen that. Never mind, I’m going to enjoy watching you deal with Eve instead. I’d better warn Tony and his mother not to give the game away. Come on, let me show you your room.’
    â€˜Harriet,’ Polly called after us as we turned to leave the kitchen, ‘what time do you want me to serve the first course?’
    â€˜We’ll be ready as soon as Adam is, better ask him.’ Harriet glanced at me.
    â€˜I don’t want to put you out, Polly.’ I smiled at her. ‘Would half an hour be asking too much?’
    â€˜Of course not, no problem at all,’ Polly reassured me. ‘It’s been a pleasure to meet you; especially after everything Harriet’s told me about you.’
    â€˜What did that final remark mean?’ I asked as I followed Harriet down the corridor.
    Harriet grinned. ‘I should have warned you, Adam, had I been given the chance, that Polly is a dreadful tease.’
    If I was to comply with the deadline I had promised Polly I would achieve, I scarcely had time to appreciate the luxury of my room. I had a quick shower, shaved, and was dressed but by the time I reached the ground floor the rest of the party had assembled in the dining hall. Tony had been deputed to meet me and guide me in the right direction. He met me at the foot of the staircase. ‘The entire rabble has gathered at the trough,’ he told me cheerfully. ‘When the butler summoned them they rushed through like a herd of Gadarene swine.’
    The dining hall was a fitting chamber for a castle. It positively reeked of Mediaeval England. Was it, I wondered