Lady Elizabeth's story

Mrs Flack left the study and К wrote her report. Then there was a knock at the door. It was very quiet.

'Come in,' К said softly. The door opened. 'You wanted to see me,' Lady Elizabeth said. 'Yes, Lady Elizabeth. Come in and sit down, please. Would you like a drink?'

'No, thank you, Inspector.'

'How are you?' К asked quietly.

'How can you ask? Mike's gone. He's dead. Dead! It ism true, is it, Inspector? It can't be true!' 'Sshh!' К said. 'Tell me about him.'

'Mike? He was a good husband. We married twenty-five years ago. That's a long time, isn't it? He was just out of the army then. He loved me and I loved him. We didn't have any children and Mike was sorry about that. But he was always a good husband to me.'

'Always?'

'Yes, always!' Lady Elizabeth shouted. 'Well - there were...'

'Yes?' К asked quietly.

'Other women. All these secretaries!' Lady Elizabeth cried. 'Mike liked young secretaries — and they liked him. For his money! Look at this new one. This... this... What's her name? This Angela Everett. The little...!' Lady Elizabeth's voice was quiet but her face was red and her eyes were angry.

'Oh,' she continued, 'I hated Mike's secretaries. They were always young, always pretty and they took him away from me. But I really hate this secretary. This Angela Everett. She comes into my house every day. She comes with Mike. "I'm sorry, Lady Elizabeth," she says in her pretty little voice. "I must take Sir Michael from you. We have work to do." Mike loved me. I know it! I know it! But he liked other women. He was rich, so women liked him. Yes, I loved Mike, but sometimes I hated him. I hated him! Perhaps he's in this room now. Perhaps he can hear me. I loved him and I hated him. He knew that well.'

'What happened this evening?' К asked.

‘I’ ll tell you,' Lady Elizabeth said.

'So Sir Michael went to his study at nine o'clock. What did you jo?' К asked.

'I went to the living room because I wanted to speak to my brother, Andrew. We sat and talked. I told him about Mike and about that woman, Everett. Andrew knows all about it.'

'Sir Michael was in the study. Did you hear him?'

'No. At 9.30 I heard Nancy shouting. Andrew and I ran to the study. The door was locked. Andrew and Colonel Fawcett broke down the door. Then I saw Mike's body on the floor. He was dead! I telephoned the police.'

'Where was Miss Everett?' К asked.

'In the garden. She often went to the study after dinner.'

'But not tonight?'

'No. Not tonight. She was in the garden. Why did Mike die? He didn't kill himself, so perhaps she knows. Perhaps she can tell you. A woman like that can't bring good to this house. Can I go now?' Lady Elizabeth asked suddenly.

'Of course,' К said. 'Thank you, Lady Elizabeth.'

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