Spider's Web - Agatha Christie [17]
‘By the way,’ Henry informed her solemnly, ‘Kalendorff will be referred to only as Mr Jones.’
‘Mr Jones?’ Clarissa attempted, not altogether successfully, to keep a note of amused incredulity out of her voice.
‘That’s right,’ Henry explained, ‘one can’t be too careful about using real names.’
‘Yes–but–Mr Jones?’ Clarissa queried. ‘Couldn’t they have thought of something better than that?’ She shook her head doubtfully, and continued, ‘Incidentally, what about me? Do I retire to the harem, as it were, or do I bring in the drinks, utter greetings to them both and then discreetly fade away?’
Henry regarded his wife somewhat uneasily as he admonished her, ‘You must take this seriously, dear.’
‘But Henry, darling,’ Clarissa insisted, ‘can’t I take it seriously and still enjoy it a little?’
Henry gave her question a moment’s consideration, before replying, gravely, ‘I think it would be better, perhaps, Clarissa, if you didn’t appear.’
Clarissa seemed not to mind this. ‘All right,’ she agreed, ‘but what about food? Will they want something?’
‘Oh no,’ said Henry. ‘There need be no question of a meal.’
‘A few sandwiches, I think,’ Clarissa suggested. She sat on an arm of the sofa, and continued, ‘Ham sandwiches would be best. In a napkin to keep them moist. And hot coffee, in a Thermos jug. Yes, that’ll do very well. The chocolate mousse I shall take up to my bedroom to console me for being excluded from the conference.’
‘Now, Clarissa–’ Henry began, disapprovingly, only to be interrupted by his wife as she rose and flung her arms around his neck. ‘Darling, I am being serious, really,’ she assured him. ‘Nothing will go wrong. I shan’t let it.’ She kissed him affectionately.
Henry gently disentangled himself from her embrace. ‘What about old Roly?’ he asked.
‘He and Jeremy are dining at the club house with Hugo,’ Clarissa told him. ‘They’re going to play bridge afterwards, so Roly and Jeremy won’t be back here until about midnight.’
‘And the Elgins are out?’ Hugo asked her.
‘Darling, you know they always go to the cinema on Thursdays,’ Clarissa reminded him. ‘They won’t be back until well after eleven.’
Henry looked pleased. ‘Good,’ he exclaimed. ‘That’s all quite satisfactory. Sir John and Mr–er–’
‘Jones,’ Clarissa prompted him.
‘Quite right, darling. Mr Jones and the Prime Minister will have left long before then.’ Henry consulted his watch. ‘Well, I’d better have a quick shower before I start off for Bindley Heath,’ he announced.
‘And I’d better go and make the ham sandwiches,’ Clarissa said, dashing out of the room.
Picking up his briefcase, Henry called after her, ‘You must remember about the lights, Clarissa.’ He went to the door and switched off the concealed lighting. ‘We’re making our own electricity here, and it costs money.’ He switched off the wall-brackets as well. ‘It’s not like London, you know.’
After a final glance around the room, which was now in darkness except for a faint glow of light from the hall door, Henry nodded and left, closing the door behind him.
Chapter 7
At the golf club, Hugo was busily complaining about Clarissa’s behaviour in making them test the port. ‘Really, she ought to stop playing these games, you know,’ he said as they made their way to the bar. ‘Do you remember, Roly, the time I received that telegram from Whitehall telling me that I was going to be offered a knighthood in the next Honours List? It was only when I mentioned it in confidence to Henry one evening when I was dining with them both, and Henry was perplexed but Clarissa started giggling–it was only then that I discovered she’d sent the bloody thing. She can be so childish sometimes.’
Sir Rowland chuckled. ‘Yes, she can indeed. And she loves play-acting. You know, she was actually a damned good actress in her school’s drama club. At one time I thought she’d take it up seriously and go on the stage professionally. She’s so convincing, even when she’s telling the most dreadful lies. And that’s what actors are, surely. Convincing liars.’
He was lost in reminiscence for a moment, and then