The Seven Dials Mystery - Agatha Christie [73]
‘Well, I wish Loraine and I were going to be there to look after you.’
‘Thank you, nurse. As a matter of fact, though, I have a scheme.’
‘Yes?’
‘Do you think you and Loraine might have a convenient car breakdown near Letherbury to-morrow morning? It’s not so very far from you, is it?’
‘Forty miles. That’s nothing.’
‘I thought it wouldn’t be–to you! Don’t kill Loraine though. I’m rather fond of Loraine. All right, then–somewhere round about quarter to half-past twelve.’
‘So that they invite us to lunch?’
‘That’s the idea. I say, Bundle, I ran into that girl Socks yesterday, and what do you think–Terence O’Rourke is going to be down there this week-end!’
‘Jimmy, do you think he–?’
‘Well–suspect everyone, you know. That’s what they say. He’s a wild lad, and daring as they make them. I wouldn’t put it past him to run a secret society. He and the Countess might be in this together. He was out in Hungary last year.’
‘But he could pinch the formula any time.’
‘That’s just what he couldn’t. He’d have to do it under circumstances where he couldn’t be suspected. But the retreat up the ivy and into his own bed–well, that would be rather neat. Now for instructions. After a few polite nothings to Lady Coote, you and Loraine are to get hold of Pongo and O’Rourke by hook or by crook and keep them occupied till lunch time. See? It oughtn’t to be difficult for a couple of beautiful girls like you.’
‘You’re using the best butter, I see.’
‘A plain statement of fact.’
‘Well, at any rate, your instructions are duly noted. Do you want to talk to Loraine now?’
Bundle passed over the receiver and tactfully left the room.
Chapter 27
Nocturnal Adventure
Jimmy Thesiger arrived at Letherbury on a sunny autumn afternoon and was greeted affectionately by Lady Coote and with cold dislike by Sir Oswald. Aware of the keen matchmaking eye of Lady Coote upon him, Jimmy took pains to make himself extremely agreeable to Socks Daventry.
O’Rourke was there in excellent spirits. He was inclined to be official and secretive about the mysterious events at the Abbey, about which Socks catechized him freely, but his official reticence took a novel form…namely that of embroidering the tale of events in such a fantastic manner that nobody could possibly guess what the truth might have been.
‘Four masked men with revolvers? Is that really so?’ demanded Socks severely.
‘Ah! I’m remembering now that there was the round half-dozen of them to hold me down and force the stuff down my throat. Sure, and I thought it was poison, and I done for entirely.’
‘And what was stolen, or what did they try and steal?’
‘What else but the crown jewels of Russia that were brought to Mr Lomax secretly to deposit in the Bank of England.’
‘What a bloody liar you are,’ said Socks without emotion.
‘A liar, I? And the jewels brought over by aeroplane with my best friend as pilot. This is secret history I’m telling you, Socks. Will you ask Jimmy Thesiger there if you don’t believe me. Not that I’d be putting any trust in what he’d say.’
‘Is it true,’ said Socks, ‘that George Lomax came down without his false teeth? That’s what I want to know.’
‘There were two revolvers,’ said Lady Coote. ‘Nasty things. I saw them myself. It’s a wonder this poor boy wasn’t killed.’
‘Oh, I was born to be hanged,’ said Jimmy.
‘I hear that there was a Russian countess there of subtle beauty,’ said Socks. ‘And that she vamped Bill.’
‘Some of the things she said about Buda Pesth were too dreadful,’ said Lady Coote. ‘I shall never forget them. Oswald, we must send a subscription.’
Sir Oswald grunted.
‘I’ll make a note of it, Lady Coote,’ said Rupert Bateman.
‘Thank you, Mr Bateman. I feel one ought to do something as a thank offering. I can’t imagine how Sir Oswald escaped being shot–letting alone die of pneumonia.’
‘Don’t be foolish, Maria,’ said Sir Oswald.
‘I’ve always had a horror of cat burglars,’ said Lady Coote.
‘Think