Original Sin by P. D. James Read Free Book Online Page A

'What is he planning, do you knOW?' Rumour has it that he wants to sell Innocent House and move to Docklands. That won't please FranCes Peverell. The Peverells have always had an obsession about Ionocent House. It belongs to the partnership now, not to the family, but any Peverell thinks of it as the fatally home. He's already made other changes, some staff sacked including Sonia Clements. He's right, of course. The firm has got to be dragged into the twentieth centu or go under, but he's certainly made eremies. It's significant that they had no trouble at the Press until Gerard took over. That cocidence hasn't escaped Stilgoe, although his wife is still convinced that the malice is directed against her husband personally, not the irm, and against his memoirs in particular.' 'Will Peverell lose much if the book is withdrawn?' 'Not a great deal I imagine. Of course they'll hype the memoirs as if their tisclosures could bring down the Government, discredit the OpPosition and end parliamentar)r democracy as we know it, but I imagine, that, like most political nemoirs, they'll promise more than they deliver. But I don't see how it can be withdrawn. The book is in production, they won't let it go without a struggle, and Stilgoe won't wart to break the contract if it meres publicly explaining why. What D�oth3,, Stilgoe is asking is, was s0nia Clements' death really suicide and dicl someone interfere with petrie's Jag? I think she's satisfied en�gh that old Seabright died fro natural causes.' '8o hat am I expected to do?'
    'There must have been inquests in the last two cases and presumably the police carried out an investigation. Your people could take a look at the papers, have a word with the officers concerned, that sort of thing. Then, if Dorothy could be assured that a senior Metropolitan detective has looked at all the evidence and is satisfied, she might give her husband, and Peverell Press, some peace.' Dalgliesh said: hat might serve to satisfy her that Sonia Clements' death was suicide. It will hardly content her if she's superstitious, and I don't see what will. The essence of superstition is that it isn't amenable to reason. She'll probably take the view that an unlucky publisher is as bad as a murderous one. I suppose she isn't seriously suggesting that someone at Peverell Press put an unidentifiable poison in Sonia Clements' wine?' 'No, I don't think she's going as far as that.' 'Just as well or her husband will have his profits eaten up by a libel action. I'm surprised he didn't go straight to the Commissioner or to me direct.' 'Are you? I'm not sure. It would have looked - well, shall we say a little timid, a trifle over-concerned. Besides he doesn't know you, I do. I can understand why he spoke to me first. And of course, one can hardly see him calling in at the local nick, joining the queue of lost-dog owners, assaulted wives and aggrieved motorists and explaining his dilemma to the duty sergeant. Frankly I don't think he believed it would be taken seriously. His view is that, having regard to his wife's concern and that anonymous note, he's justified in asking the police to take a look at what is happening at the Peverell Press.' The lamb had arrived, pink and succulent and tender enough to be eaten with a spoon. In the few minutes of silence which Ackroyd thought a necessary tribute to a perfectly cooked meal, Dalgliesh recalled the first time he had seen Innocent House. His father had taken him to London for his eighth birthday treat; they were to spend two whole days sightseeing and stay overnight with a friend, who was a parish priest in Kensington, and his wife. He could remember lying in bed the night before, fitfully sleeping and almost sick with excitement, the cavernous immensity and clamour of the old Liverpool Street Station, his terror of losing his father, of being caught up and swept along with the great army of grey-faced rarching people. In the two days in which his father had intended to