The Scandal at 23 Mount Street (An Angela Marchmont Mystery Book 9) by Clara Benson Read Free Book Online Page B

frightened, you see. I thought something dreadful might happen if I didn’t get away from him.’
    He looked at her in surprise.
    ‘You don’t mean you were afraid he’d kill you?’
    ‘No,’ she said. ‘Quite the opposite, in fact. I was afraid I’d kill him.’
    He raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. They drove in silence for a few minutes, then suddenly Angela began to laugh.
    ‘What is it?’ he said.
    ‘Nothing,’ she said. ‘Just that I shall never get over your ability to surprise me.’
    He laughed too.
    ‘As a matter of fact I’ve rather surprised myself this evening. I certainly never expected to be doing this. You wretched woman! Look what you’ve done to me. I shall never be able to hold my head up in public again.’
    ‘I knew you couldn’t be as black as you like to paint yourself,’ she said.
    ‘I suppose even the worst of us have our decent moments.’
    ‘Were you good, once?’ she said curiously.
    ‘Perhaps not good,’ he said. ‘Can anyone be wholly good? I certainly wasn’t as good as you, but I was better than I am now.’
    ‘I’m not that good,’ she said. ‘I’ve done my share of bad things. I just don’t boast about them.’
    ‘Do I boast?’
    ‘Just a little,’ she said.
    He laughed again.
    ‘I suppose I do, now and again. I can’t help but be pleased with myself. It’s a weakness of mine. Am I insufferable?’
    ‘Not all the time,’ she said.
    ‘Splendid,’ he said. ‘Then there’s hope for me yet.’
    ‘I suppose you’re in some danger now,’ she said after a pause. ‘Do they know how to find you?’
    ‘Not at this moment,’ he said. ‘Most criminals have the good sense to stay well away from the scene of the crime. They’re hardly likely to be looking for me here.’
    ‘But they will come looking?’
    ‘Yes,’ he said carelessly. ‘They’re rather a foul lot and they don’t forget a bad turn in a hurry. I dare say they’ll keep up the search for some time to come.’
    ‘Aren’t you afraid?’ she said.
    ‘One doesn’t get far in this business by being afraid,’ he said. ‘I try and take these things lightly.’
    ‘Can you protect yourself, though? Do you have a gun, or anything like that?’
    ‘I don’t like guns,’ he said. ‘They’re noisy and fire things that hurt when they hit you.’
    ‘All the more reason to have one yourself,’ she said.
    ‘Well, I don’t own one, I’m afraid.’
    ‘I have a gun,’ she said after a moment. ‘You can have it.’
    ‘But I don’t need it.’
    ‘Perhaps not, but I’d like you to take it all the same.’
    ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were concerned for my safety, Mrs. Marchmont,’ he said.
    ‘Let’s pretend for the purposes of this conversation that I am,’ she said.
    ‘Yes, let’s. I rather like the idea. It’s a long time since anyone was concerned about me.’
    ‘Then you’ll take the gun?’
    ‘Of course I will,’ he said, ‘since you insist on it.’
    ‘I do,’ she said.
    They fell silent for a few moments, then he said:
    ‘Am I to take it that I’m back in your good books now?’
    They exchanged glances.
    ‘Perhaps,’ she replied.
    ‘Then will you come and talk to me and keep me company while I pack my things? It’s almost three o’clock and I shall be going in a few hours, and I’m afraid I left everything in rather a mess before I came out. Do say you will. You’re not tired, are you?’
    ‘No,’ said Angela, who had never felt more awake. It had been the oddest of evenings, and she was still feeling strangely reckless and exhilarated after their midnight adventure. She knew she would find it impossible to sleep if she went home, so without giving it too much thought she agreed. After all, he would be gone for good soon, and she would never see him again—which would be a relief in many ways—so she saw no harm in granting his request and keeping him company for the few hours that remained to him in London. He seemed pleased, and