Towards Zero by Agatha Christie Read Free Book Online Page B

Lovely yachting trip. I’m rather tired of all this tennis business.”
    â€œHow long have you got of it? Another month?”
    â€œYes. Then in September we go to Gull’s Point for a fortnight.”
    â€œI shall be at the Easterhead Bay Hotel,” said Ted. “I’ve booked my room.”
    â€œIt’s going to be a lovely party!” said Kay. “Nevile and I, and Nevile’s Ex, and some Malayan planter who’s home on leave.”
    â€œThat does sound hilarious!”
    â€œAnd the dowdy cousin, of course. Slaving away round that unpleasant old woman—and she won’t get anything for it, either, since the money comes to me and Nevile.”
    â€œPerhaps,” said Ted, “she doesn’t know that?”
    â€œThat would be rather funny,” said Kay.
    But she spoke absently. She stared down at the racquet she was twiddling in her hands. She caught her breath suddenly.
    â€œOh Ted!”
    â€œWhat’s the matter, sugar?”
    â€œI don’t know. It’s just sometimes I get—I get cold feet! I get scared and feel queer.”
    â€œThat doesn’t sound like you, Kay.”
    â€œIt doesn’t, does it? Anyway,” she smiled rather uncertainly, “you’ll be at the Easterhead Bay Hotel.”
    â€œAll according to plan.”
    When Kay met Nevile outside the changing rooms, he said:
    â€œI see the boy friend’s arrived.”
    â€œTed?”
    â€œYes, the faithful dog—or faithful lizard might be more apt.”
    â€œYou don’t like him, do you?”
    â€œOh, I don’t mind him. If it amuses you to pull him around on a string—”
    He shrugged his shoulders.
    Kay said:
    â€œI believe you’re jealous.”
    â€œOf Latimer?” His surprise was genuine.
    Kay said:
    â€œTed’s supposed to be very attractive.”
    â€œI’m sure he is. He has that lithe South American charm.”
    â€œYou are jealous.”
    Nevile gave her arm a friendly squeeze.
    â€œNo, I’m not, Gorgeous. You can have your tame adorers—a whole court of them if you like. I’m the man in possession, and possession is nine points of the law.”
    â€œYou’re very sure of yourself,” said Kay with a slight pout.
    â€œOf course. You and I are Fate. Fate let us meet. Fate brought us together. Do you remember when we met at Cannes and I was going on to Estoril and suddenly, when I got there, the first person I met was lovely Kay! I knew then that it was Fate—and that I couldn’t escape.”
    â€œIt wasn’t exactly Fate,” Kay said. “It was me!”
    â€œWhat do you mean by ‘it was me?’”
    â€œBecause it was! You see, I heard you say at Cannes you were going to Estoril, so I set to work on Mums and got her all worked up—and that’s why the first person you saw when you got there was Kay.”
    Nevile looked at her with a rather curious expression. He said slowly: “You never told me that before.”
    â€œNo, because it wouldn’t have been good for you. It might have made you conceited! But I always have been good at planning. Things don’t happen unless you make them! You call me a nitwit sometimes—but in my own way I’m quite clever. I make things happen. Sometimes I have to plan a long way beforehand.”
    â€œThe brainwork must be intense.”
    â€œIt’s all very well to laugh.”
    Nevile said with a sudden curious bitterness:
    â€œAm I just beginning to understand the woman I’ve married? For Fate—read Kay!”
    Kay said:
    â€œYou’re not cross, are you, Nevile?”
    He said rather absently:
    â€œNo—no, of course not. I was just—thinking….”
    August 10th
    Lord Cornelly, that rich and eccentric peer, was sitting at the monumental desk which was his especial pride and pleasure. It had been designed for him at immense expense and the whole