Spider's Web - Agatha Christie [4]
‘Of course I’m enjoying myself,’ Jeremy admitted. ‘But you won’t let me say what I really want to say to you.’
‘Don’t be silly, darling,’ she replied. ‘You know you can say anything you like to me.’
‘Really? You mean that?’ he asked her.
‘Of course.’
‘Very well, then,’ said Jeremy. He rose from the stool and turned to face her. ‘I love you,’ he declared.
‘I’m so glad,’ replied Clarissa, cheerfully.
‘That’s entirely the wrong answer,’ Jeremy complained. ‘You ought to say, “I’m so sorry” in a deep, sympathetic voice.’
‘But I’m not sorry,’ Clarissa insisted. ‘I’m delighted. I like people to be in love with me.’
Jeremy sat down beside her again, but turned away from her. Now he seemed deeply upset. Looking at him for a moment, Clarissa asked, ‘Would you do anything in the world for me?’
Turning to her, Jeremy responded eagerly. ‘You know I would. Anything. Anything in the world,’ he declared.
‘Really?’ said Clarissa. ‘Supposing, for instance, that I murdered someone, would you help–no, I must stop.’ She rose and walked away a few paces.
Jeremy turned to face Clarissa. ‘No, go on,’ he urged her.
She paused for a moment and then began to speak. ‘You asked me just now if I ever got bored, down here in the country.’
‘Yes.’
‘Well, I suppose in a way, I do,’ she admitted. ‘Or, rather, I might, if it wasn’t for my private hobby.’
Jeremy looked puzzled. ‘Private hobby? What is that?’ he asked her.
Clarissa took a deep breath. ‘You see, Jeremy,’ she said, ‘my life has always been peaceful and happy. Nothing exciting ever happened to me, so I began to play my little game. I call it “supposing”.’
Jeremy looked perplexed. ‘Supposing?’
‘Yes,’ said Clarissa, beginning to pace about the room. ‘For example, I might say to myself, “Supposing I were to come down one morning and find a dead body in the library, what should I do?” Or “Supposing a woman were to be shown in here one day and told me that she and Henry had been secretly married in Constantinople, and that our marriage was bigamous, what should I say to her?” Or “Supposing I’d followed my instincts and become a famous actress.” Or “Supposing I had to choose between betraying my country and seeing Henry shot before my eyes?” Do you see what I mean?’ She smiled suddenly at Jeremy. ‘Or even–’ She settled into the armchair. ‘“Supposing I were to run away with Jeremy, what would happen next?”’
Jeremy went and knelt beside her. ‘I feel flattered,’ he told her. ‘But have you ever really imagined that particular situation?’
‘Oh yes,’ Clarissa replied with a smile.
‘Well? What did happen?’ He clasped her hand.
Again she withdrew it. ‘Well, the last time I played, we were on the Riviera at Juan les Pins, and Henry came after us. He had a revolver with him.’
Jeremy looked startled. ‘My God!’ he exclaimed. ‘Did he shoot me?’
Clarissa smiled reminiscently. ‘I seem to remember,’ she told Jeremy, ‘that he said–’ She paused, and then, adopting a highly dramatic delivery, continued, ‘“Clarissa, either you come back with me, or I kill myself.”’
Jeremy rose and moved away. ‘Jolly decent of him,’ he said, sounding unconvinced. ‘I can’t imagine anything more unlike Henry. But, anyway, what did you say to that?’
Clarissa was still smiling complacently. ‘Actually, I’ve played it both ways,’ she admitted. ‘On one occasion I told Henry that I was terribly sorry. I didn’t really want him to kill himself, but I was very deeply in love with Jeremy, and there was nothing I could do about it. Henry flung himself at my feet, sobbing, but I was adamant. “I am fond of you, Henry,” I told him, “but I can’t live without Jeremy. This is goodbye.” Then I rushed out of the house and into the garden where you were waiting for me. As we ran down the garden path to the front gate, we heard a shot ring out in the house, but we went on running.’
‘Good heavens!’ Jeremy gasped. ‘Well, that was certainly telling