Behold Here's Poison by Georgette Heyer Read Free Book Online Page A

dryly.
    'You must not pay too much attention to Guy, Aunt Gertrude,' said Randall. 'He is only trying to impress you.'
    'Damn you, are you hinting that I've any reason for wanting it hushed up?' demanded Guy angrily.
    'Shut up! he's only trying to get a rise out of you,' said Stella. She met Randall's ironic gaze, and said bluntly:
    'Why are you so against a post-mortem?'
    'Oh, I'm not!' Randall assured her. 'I was merely looking at it from your point of view.'
    'Mine?'
    'Yes, my sweet, yours, and Guy's, and Aunt Harriet's, and even my clever Aunt Zoë's. You ought all of you to be very thankful for uncle's timely decease. I do not like to see you looking a gift horse in the mouth. Could you not have induced your obliging medical friend to have signed the death certificate, Stella darling?'
    She flushed. 'Dr Fielding was perfectly ready to sign the certificate without any persuasion from me. None of us wanted to start a scandal except Aunt Gertrude.'
    'Of course we didn't,' corroborated Guy. 'In fact, I said everything I could to stop it.'
    'Then do not assume a pious attitude now, little cousin,' said Randall. 'Believe me, it is nauseating.'
    Miss Matthews, who had been opening and shutting her mouth in the manner of one awaiting an opportunity to enter into the conversation, suddenly exclaimed: 'How dare you say that I wanted Gregory to die? I never even thought of such a thing! I may not have been very fond of him, but—' She broke off as Randall's smile grew, and said, trembling: 'You are insufferable! just like your father!'
    'My dear aunt,' said Randall, 'you were not in the least fond of uncle. Nor was Stella, nor was Guy, nor, even, was my clever Aunt Zoë.'
    'And nor were you!' flashed Stella.
    'And nor was I,' agreed Randall suavely. 'In fact, I can think of no one, with the possible exception of Aunt Gertrude, who was fond of him. Were you fond of him, aunt, or was it a mere question of affinity?'
    'I'm sure I was very fond of poor Uncle Gregory,' said Janet unwisely.
    'How very affecting!' said Randall. 'But perhaps you are also sure that you are very fond of me too?'
    'I always try to see the best in people,' said Janet with a bright smile. 'And I'm sure you don't mean half the things you say.'
    Randall looked at her with acute dislike. 'I congratulate you, Janet,' he said. 'Your cousins have been trying to silence me for years, but you have done it with one utterly fatuous remark.'
    'May I ask, Randall, whether you came here with any other intention than of being offensive to my daughter?' asked Mrs Lupton.
    'Why, certainly,' he answered, 'I came to satisfy my not unnatural curiosity.'
    'You mean your uncle's death?'
    'I mean nothing of the sort,' said Randall. 'I was already informed of that, and also of the impending post-mortem, by uncle's solicitor. I was curious to know how you were all behaving in this time of trial, and why it had not occurred to any of you to notify me of uncle's death.'
    He looked round inquiringly as he spoke, and Guy immediately said: 'Because we didn't want you nosing about and creating unpleasantness!'
    'Oh, I do hope I haven't done that?' said Randall in a voice of gentle concern.
    'As a matter of fact,' stated Mrs Lupton fairly, 'I was telling your Aunt Harriet that you ought to be informed when you arrived. Not that I consider you have any cause for complaint. You are not more nearly concerned than Gregory's sisters. Please do not imagine that you need give yourself airs just because you happen now to be the head of the family! There will be time enough for that when we have heard your uncle's Will read. Which reminds me, Harriet, that I must arrange with Mr Carrington when it will be convenient to him to come down here. In the ordinary course of events I suppose he would come immediately after the funeral, but in this case I am of the opinion that the sooner he comes the better.'
    'I am glad of that,' said Randall. 'He is coming on the day after tomorrow.'
    Mrs Lupton eyed him