Murder Is Easy - Agatha Christie [79]
Battle’s smile broadened to a grin.
“Anyone may be a criminal, sir, that’s what I meant.”
“Except Gordon,” said Bridget. “Luke, let’s go and find him.”
They found Lord Whitfield in his study busily making notes.
“Gordon,” said Bridget in a small meek voice. “Please, now that you know everything, will you forgive us?”
Lord Whitfield looked at her graciously.
“Certainly, my dear, certainly. I realize the truth. I was a busy man. I neglected you. The truth of the matter is as Kipling so wisely puts it: ‘He travels the fastest who travels alone. My path in life is a lonely one.’” He squared his shoulders. “I carry a big responsibility. I must carry it alone. For me there can be no companionship, no easing of the burden—I must go through life alone—till I drop by the wayside.”
Bridget said:
“Dear Gordon! You really are sweet!”
Lord Whitfield frowned.
“It is not a question of being sweet. Let us forget all this nonsense. I am a busy man.”
“I know you are.”
“I am arranging for a series of articles to start at once. Crimes committed by Women through the Ages.”
Bridget gazed at him with admiration.
“Gordon, I think that’s a wonderful idea.”
Lord Whitfield puffed out his chest.
“So please leave me now. I must not be disturbed. I have a lot of work to get through.”
Luke and Bridget tiptoed from the room.
“But he really is sweet!” said Bridget.
“Bridget, I believe you were really fond of that man!”
“Do you know, Luke, I believe I was.”
Luke looked out of the window.
“I’ll be glad to get away from Wychwood. I don’t like this place. There’s a lot of wickedness here, as Mrs. Humbleby would say. I don’t like the way Ashe Ridge broods over the village.”
“Talking of Ashe Ridge, what about Ellsworthy?”
Luke laughed a little shamefacedly.
“That blood on his hands?”
“Yes.”
“They’d sacrificed a white cock apparently!”
“How perfectly disgusting!”
“I think something unpleasant is going to happen to our Mr. Ellsworthy. Battle is planning a little surprise.”
Bridget said:
“And poor Major Horton never even attempted to kill his wife, and Mr. Abbot, I suppose, just had a compromising letter from a lady, and Dr. Thomas is just a nice unassuming young doctor.”
“He’s a superior ass!”
“You say that because you’re jealous of his marrying Rose Humbleby.”
“She’s much too good for him.”
“I always have felt you liked that girl better than me!”
“Darling, aren’t you being rather absurd?”
“No, not really.”
She was silent a minute and then said:
“Luke, do you like me now?”
He made a movement towards her but she warded him off.
“I said like, Luke—not love.”
“Oh! I see…Yes, I do…I like you, Bridget, as well as loving you.”
Bridget said:
“I like you, Luke….”
They smiled at each other—a little timidly—like children who have made friends at a party.
Bridget said:
“Liking is more important than loving. It lasts. I want what is between us to last, Luke. I don’t want us just to love each other and marry and get tired of each other and then want to marry someone else.”
“Oh! my dear Love, I know. You want reality. So do I. What’s between us will last forever because it’s founded on reality.”
“Is that true, Luke?”
“It’s true, my sweet. That’s why, I think, I was afraid of loving you.”
“I was afraid of loving you, too.”
“Are you afraid now?”
“No.”
He said:
“We’ve been close to Death for a long time. Now—that’s over! Now—we’ll begin to Live….”
* * *
The Agatha Christie Collection
THE HERCULE POIROT MYSTERIES
Match your wits with the famous Belgian detective.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
The Murder on the Links
Poirot Investigates
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
The Big Four
The Mystery of the Blue Train
Peril at End House
Lord Edgware Dies
Murder on the Orient Express
Three Act Tragedy
Death in the Clouds
The A.B.C. Murders
Murder in Mesopotamia
Cards on the Table
Murder in the Mews
Dumb Witness
Death on the Nile
Appointment with Death
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
Sad Cypress
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Evil Under the Sun
Five Little Pigs
The Hollow
The Labors