Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie Read Free Book Online Page A

would be good for your sister-in-law not to -
     not to shut herself away too much from people.”
    Nadine Boynton looked thoughtfully at Sarah. She said: “I see. You're a doctor. That makes
     a difference.”
    “You see what I mean?” Sarah urged.
    Nadine bent her head. She was still thoughtful. “You are quite right, of course,” she said
     after a minute or two. “But there are difficulties. My mother-in-law is in bad health and
     she has what I can only describe as a morbid dislike of any outsiders penetrating into her
     family circle.”
    Sarah said mutinously: “But Carol is a grown-up woman.”
    Nadine Boynton shook her head. “Oh no,” she said. “In body, but not in mind. If you talked
     to her you must have noticed that. In an emergency she would always behave like a
     frightened child.”
    “Do you think that's what happened? Do you think she became - afraid?”
    “I should imagine, Miss King, that my mother-in-law insisted on Carol having nothing more
     to do with you.”
    “And Carol gave in?”
    Nadine Boynton said quietly: “Can you really imagine her doing anything else?”
    The eyes of the two women met. Sarah felt that behind the mask of conventional words, they
     understood each other. Nadine, she felt, understood the position. But she was clearly not
     prepared to discuss it in any way. Sarah felt discouraged. The other evening it had seemed
     to her as though half the battle were won. By means of secret meetings she would imbue
     Carol with the spirit of revolt - yes, and Raymond, too. (Be honest, now; wasn't it
     Raymond really she had had in mind all along?)
    And now, in the very first round of the battle she had been ignominiously defeated by that
     hulk of shapeless flesh with her evil gloating eyes. Carol had capitulated without a
     struggle.
    “It's all wrong!” cried Sarah.
    Nadine did not answer. Something in her silence went home to Sarah like a cold hand laid
     on her heart. She thought: “This woman knows the hopelessness of it much better than I do.
     She's lived with it!”
    The elevator doors opened. The elder Mrs. Boynton emerged. She leaned on a stick and
     Raymond supported her on the other side.
    Sarah gave a slight start. She saw the old woman's eyes sweep from her to Nadine and back
     again. She had been prepared for dislike in those eyes - for hatred even. She was not
     prepared for what she saw - a triumphant and malicious enjoyment.
    Sarah turned away. Nadine went forward and joined the other two.
    “So there you are, Nadine,” said Mrs. Boynton. “I'll sit down and rest a little before I
     go out.”
    They settled her in a high-backed chair. Nadine sat down beside her.
    “Who were you talking to, Nadine?”
    “A Miss King.”
    “Oh, yes. The girl who spoke to Raymond the other night. Well, Ray, why don't you go and
     speak to her now? She's over there at the writing table.”
    The old woman's mouth widened into a malicious smile as she looked at Raymond. His face
     flushed. He turned his head away and muttered something.
    “What's that you say, son?”
    “I don't want to speak to her.”
    “No, I thought not. You won't speak to her. You couldn't, however much you wanted to!”
    She coughed suddenly - a wheezing cough. “I'm enjoying this trip, Nadine,” she said. “I
     wouldn't have missed it for anything.”
    “No?” Nadine's voice was expressionless.
    “Ray.”
    “Yes, Mother?”
    “Get me a piece of notepaper - from the table over there in the corner.”
    Raymond went off obediently. Nadine raised her head. She watched, not the boy, but the old
     woman. Mrs. Boynton was leaning forward, her nostrils dilated as though with pleasure. Ray
     passed close by Sarah. She looked up, a sudden hope showing in her face. It died down as
     he brushed past her, took some notepaper from the case and went back across the room.
    There were little beads of sweat on his forehead as he rejoined them and his face was dead
     white. Very