Three Act Tragedy Read Online Free PDF Page B

but pleasantly chatty. They spoke of Sir Charles. Did Mr. Satterthwaite know him well? Not intimately, Mr. Satterthwaite said. He had a financial interest in one of Sir Charles’s plays some years ago. They had been friends ever since.
    â€œHe has great charm,” said Lady Mary, smiling. “I feel it as wellas Egg. I suppose you’ve discovered that Egg is suffering badly from hero-worship?”
    Mr. Satterthwaite wondered if, as a mother, Lady Mary was not made slightly uneasy by that hero-worship. But it did not seem so.
    â€œEgg sees so little of the world,” she said, sighing. “We are so badly off. One of my cousins presented her and took her to a few things in town, but since then she has hardly been away from here, except for an occasional visit. Young people, I feel, should see plenty of people and places—especially people. Otherwise—well, propinquity is sometimes a dangerous thing.”
    Mr. Satterthwaite agreed, thinking of Sir Charles and the sailing, but that this was not what was in Lady Mary’s mind, she showed a moment or two later.
    â€œSir Charles’s coming has done a lot for Egg. It has widened her horizon. You see, there are very few young people down here—especially men. I’ve always been afraid that Egg might marry someone simply from being thrown with one person only and seeing no one else.”
    Mr. Satterthwaite had a quick intuition.
    â€œAre you thinking of young Oliver Manders?”
    Lady Mary blushed in ingenuous surprise.
    â€œOh, Mr. Satterthwaite, I don’t know how you knew! I was thinking of him. He and Egg were together a lot at one time, and I know I’m old-fashioned, but I don’t like some of his ideas.”
    â€œYouth must have its fling,” said Mr. Satterthwaite.
    Lady Mary shook her head.
    â€œI’ve been so afraid—it’s quite suitable, of course, I know allabout him, and his uncle, who has recently taken him into his firm, is a very rich man; it’s not that—it’s silly of me—but—”
    She shook her head, unable to express herself further.
    Mr. Satterthwaite felt curiously intimate. He said quietly and plainly:
    â€œAll the same, Lady Mary, you wouldn’t like your girl to marry a man twice her own age.”
    Her answer surprised him.
    â€œIt might be safer so. If you do that, at least you know where you are. At that age a man’s follies and sins are definitely behind him; they are not—still to come….”
    Before Mr. Satterthwaite could say any more, Egg rejoined them.
    â€œYou’ve been a long time, darling,” said her mother.
    â€œI was talking to Sir Charles, my sweet. He’s all alone in his glory.” She turned reproachfully to Mr. Satterthwaite. “You didn’t tell me the house party had flitted.”
    â€œThey went back yesterday—all but Sir Bartholomew Strange. He was staying till tomorrow, but he was recalled to London by an urgent telegram this morning. One of his patients was in a critical condition.”
    â€œIt’s a pity,” said Egg. “Because I meant to study the house party. I might have got a clue.”
    â€œA clue to what, darling?”
    â€œMr. Satterthwaite knows. Oh, well, it doesn’t matter. Oliver’s still here. We’ll rope him in. He’s got brains when he likes.”
    When Mr. Satterthwaite arrived back at Crow’s Nest he found his host sitting on the terrace overlooking the sea.
    â€œHullo, Satterthwaite. Been having tea with the Lytton Gores?”
    â€œYes. You don’t mind?”
    â€œOf course not. Egg telephoned…Odd sort of girl, Egg….”
    â€œAttractive,” said Mr. Satterthwaite.
    â€œH’m, yes, I suppose she is.”
    He got up and walked a few aimless steps.
    â€œI wish to God,” he said suddenly and bitterly, “that I’d never come to this cursed place.”

Five
F LIGHT FROM A L ADY
    M r.