Agatha Christie - Appointment with Death

"This is rather fun," said Sarah, smiling.

Carol looked a little startled.

"Yes," she said doubtfully. "Yes, I suppose it is."

"Rather like the midnight feasts we used to have at school," went on Sarah. "I suppose you didn't go away to school?"

Carol shook her head. "We never left home. We had a governess-different governesses. They never stayed long."

"Did you never go away at all?"

"We've lived always in the same house. This coming abroad is the first time I've ever been away."

Sarah said casually: "It must have been a great adventure."

"Oh, it was. It-it's all been like a dream."

"What made your-your stepmother decide to come abroad?"

At the mention of Mrs. Boynton's name, Carol had flinched. Sarah said quickly: "You know, I'm by way of being a doctor. I've just taken my M.B… Your mother-or stepmother rather-is very interesting to me-as a case, you know. I should say she was quite definitely a pathological case."

Carol stared. It was clearly a very unexpected point of view to her. Sarah had spoken as she had with deliberate intent. She realized that to her family Mrs. Boynton loomed as a kind of powerful obscene idol. It was Sarah's object to rob her of her more terrifying aspect.

"Yes," she said. "There's a kind of disease of-of grandeur-that gets hold of people. They get very autocratic and insist on everything being done exactly as they say and are altogether very difficult to deal with."

Carol put down her cup. "Oh," she cried, "I'm so glad to be talking to you. You know, I believe Ray and I have been getting quite-well, quite queer. We'd got terribly worked up about things."

"Talking with an outsider is always a good thing," said Sarah. "Inside a family one is apt to get too intense." Then she asked casually: "If you are unhappy, haven't you ever thought of leaving home?"

Carol looked startled. "Oh, no! How could we? I-I mean, Mother would never allow it."

"But she couldn't stop you," said Sarah gently. "You're over age."

"I'm twenty-three."

"Exactly."

"But still, I don't see how-I mean I wouldn't know where to go and what to do." Her tone seemed bewildered. "You see," she said, "we haven't got any money."

"Haven't you any friends you could go to?"

"Friends?" Carol shook her head. "Oh, no, we don't know anyone!"

"Did none of you ever think of leaving home?"

"No-I don't think so. Oh-oh-we couldn't."

Sarah changed the subject. She found the girl's bewilderment pitiful.

She said: "Are you fond of your stepmother?"

Slowly Carol shook her head. She whispered in a low scared voice: "I hate her. So does Ray… We've-we've often wished she would die."

Again Sarah changed the subject. "Tell me about your elder brother."

"Lennox? I don't know what's the matter with Lennox. He hardly ever speaks now. He goes about in a kind of daydream. Nadine's terribly worried about him."

"You are fond of your sister-in-law?"

"Yes Nadine is different. She's always kind. But she's very unhappy."

"About your brother?"

"Yes."

"Have they been married long?"

"Four years."

"And they've always lived at home?"

"Yes."

Sarah asked: "Does your sister-in-law like that?"

"No." There was a pause. Then Carol said: "There was an awful fuss once about four years ago now. You see, as I told you, none of us ever goes outside the house at home. I mean we go into the grounds, but nowhere else. But Lennox did. He got out at night. He went into Fountain Springs-there was a sort of dance going on. Mother was frightfully angry when she found out. It was terrible. And then, after that, she asked Nadine to come and stay. Nadine was a very distant cousin of father's. She was very poor and was training to be a hospital nurse. She came and stayed with us for a month. I can't tell you how exciting it was to have someone to stay! And she and Lennox fell in love with each other. And Mother said they'd better be married quickly and live on with us."

"And was Nadine willing to do that?"

Carol hesitated. "I don't think she wanted to do that very much, but she didn't really mind. Then, later, she wanted to go away-with Lennox, of course-"

"But they didn't go?" asked Sarah.

"No, Mother wouldn't hear of it." Carol paused and then said: "I don't think she likes Nadine any longer. Nadine is funny. You never know what she's thinking. She tries to help Jinny and Mother doesn't like it."

"Jinny is your younger sister?"

"Yes. Ginevra is her real name."

"Is she-unhappy too?"

Carol shook her head doubtfully. "Jinny's been very queer lately. I don't understand her. You see, she's always been rather delicate-and-and Mother fusses about her and-and it makes her worse. And lately Jinny has been very queer indeed. She-she frightens me sometimes. She-she doesn't always know what she's doing."

"Has she seen a doctor?"

"No; Nadine wanted her to, but Mother said no, and Jinny got very hysterical and screamed and said she wouldn't see a doctor. But I'm worried about her." Suddenly Carol rose. "I mustn't keep you up. It's-it's very good of you letting me come and talk to you. You must think us very odd as a family."

"Oh, everybody's odd, really," said Sarah lightly. "Come again, will you? And bring your brother, if you like."

"May I really?"

"Yes; we'll do some secret plotting. I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, too; a Dr. Gerard, an awfully nice Frenchman."

The color came into Carol's cheeks. "Oh what fun it sounds. If only Mother doesn't find out!"

Sarah suppressed her original retort and said instead, "Why should she? Good night. Shall we say tomorrow night at the same time?"

"Oh yes. The day after, you see, we may be going away."

"Then let's have a definite date for tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night and thank you."

Carol went out of the room and slipped noiselessly along the corridor. Her own room was on the floor above. She reached it, opened the door-and stood appalled on the threshold.

Mrs. Boynton was sitting in an armchair by the fireplace in a crimson wool dressing gown. A little cry escaped from Carol's lips. "Oh!"

A pair of black eyes bored into hers. "Where have you been, Carol?"

"I-I-"

"Where have you been?" A soft husky voice with that queer menacing undertone in it that always made Carol's heart beat with unreasoning terror.

"To see a Miss King-Sarah King."

"The girl who spoke to Raymond the other evening?"

"Yes, Mother."

"Have you made any plans to see her again?"

Carol's lips moved soundlessly. She nodded assent. Fright-great sickening waves of fright…

"When?"

"Tomorrow night."

"You are not to go. You understand?"

"Yes, Mother."

"You promise?"

"Yes-yes."

Mrs. Boynton struggled to get up. Mechanically Carol came forward and helped her. Mrs. Boynton walked slowly across the room supporting herself on her stick. She paused in the doorway and looked back at the cowering girl.

"You are to have nothing more to do with this Miss King. You understand?"

"Yes, Mother."

"Repeat it."

"I am to have nothing more to do with her."

"Good."

Mrs. Boynton went out and shut the door.

Stiffly, Carol moved across the bedroom. She felt sick, her whole body felt wooden and unreal. She dropped onto the bed and suddenly she was shaken by a storm of weeping. It was as though a vista had opened before her-a vista of sunlight and trees and flowers… Now the black walls had closed around her once more…

"Can I speak to you a minute?"

Nadine Boynton turned in surprise, staring into the dark eager face of an entirely unknown young woman.

"Why, certainly." But as she spoke, almost unconsciously she threw a quick nervous glance over her shoulder.