Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie Read Free Book Online Page B

hope,” Mr. Robinson said rising, “that we know enough—”

Four
R ETURN OF A T RAVELLER
    I
    â€œR eally!” said Mrs. Sutcliffe, in an annoyed voice, as she looked out of her hotel window, “I don’t see why it always has to rain when one comes back to England. It makes it all seem so depressing.”
    â€œI think it’s lovely to be back,” said Jennifer. “Hearing everyone talk English in the streets! And we’ll be able to have a really good tea presently. Bread and butter and jam and proper cakes.”
    â€œI wish you weren’t so insular, darling,” said Mrs. Sutcliffe. “What’s the good of my taking you abroad all the way to the Persian Gulf if you’re going to say you’d rather have stayed at home?”
    â€œI don’t mind going abroad for a month or two,” said Jennifer. “All I said was I’m glad to be back.”
    â€œNow do get out of the way, dear, and let me make sure that they’ve brought up all the luggage. Really, I do feel—I’ve felt ever since the war that people have got very dishonest nowadays. I’m sure if I hadn’t kept an eye on things that man would have goneoff with my green zip bag at Tilbury. And there was another man hanging about near the luggage. I saw him afterwards on the train. I believe, you know, that these sneak thieves meet the boats and if the people are flustered or seasick they go off with some of the suitcases.”
    â€œOh, you’re always thinking things like that, Mother,” said Jennifer. “You think everybody you meet is dishonest.”
    â€œMost of them are,” said Mrs. Sutcliffe grimly.
    â€œNot English people,” said the loyal Jennifer.
    â€œThat’s worse,” said her mother. “One doesn’t expect anything else from Arabs and foreigners, but in England one’s off guard and that makes it easier for dishonest people. Now do let me count. That’s the big green suitcase and the black one, and the two small brown and the zip bag and the golf clubs and the racquets and the holdall and the canvas suitcase—and where’s the green bag? Oh, there it is. And that local tin we bought to put the extra things in—yes, one, two, three, four, five, six—yes, that’s all right. All fourteen things are here.”
    â€œCan’t we have some tea now?” said Jennifer.
    â€œTea? It’s only three o’clock.”
    â€œI’m awfully hungry.”
    â€œAll right, all right. Can you go down by yourself and order it? I really feel I must have a rest, and then I’ll just unpack the things we’ll need for tonight. It’s too bad your father couldn’t have met us. Why he had to have an important directors’ meeting in Newcastle-on-Tyne today I simply cannot imagine. You’d think his wife and daughter would come first. Especially as he hasn’t seen us for three months. Are you sure you can manage by yourself?”
    â€œGood gracious, Mummy,” said Jennifer, “what age do youthink I am? Can I have some money, please? I haven’t got any English money.”
    She accepted the ten shilling note her mother handed to her, and went out scornfully.
    The telephone rang by the bed. Mrs. Sutcliffe went to it and picked up the receiver.
    â€œHallo … Yes … Yes, Mrs. Sutcliffe speaking….”
    There was a knock at the door. Mrs. Sutcliffe said, “Just one moment” to the receiver, laid it down and went over to the door. A young man in dark blue overalls was standing there with a small kit of tools.
    â€œElectrician,” he said briskly. “The lights in this suite aren’t satisfactory. I’ve been sent up to see to them.”
    â€œOh—all right….”
    She drew back. The electrician entered.
    â€œBathroom?”
    â€œThrough there—beyond the other bedroom.”
    She went back to the telephone.
    â€œI’m so