Sparkling Cyanide Page 2

  Her own entry into Rosemary’s sitting-room, her sudden stop.

  It had startled her so; what she saw! Rosemary, sitting at the writing table, her head laid down on her outstretched arms. Rosemary weeping with a deep abanoned sobbing. She’d never seen Rosemary cry before—and this bitter, violent weeping frightened her.

  True, Rosemary had had a bad go of ’flu. She’d only been up a day or two. And everyone knew that ’flu did leave you depressed. Still—

  Iris had cried out, her voice childish, startled:

  ‘Oh, Rosemary, what is it?’

  Rosemary sat up, swept the hair back from her disfigured face. She struggled to regain command of herself. She said quickly:

  ‘It’s nothing—nothing—don’t stare at me like that!’

  She got up and passing her sister, she ran out of the room.

  Puzzled, upset, Iris went farther into the room. Her eyes, drawn wonderingly to the writing table, caught sight of her own name in her sister’s handwriting. Had Rosemary been writing to her then?

  She drew nearer, looked down on the sheet of blue notepaper with the big characteristic sprawling writing, even more sprawling than usual owing to the haste and agitation behind the hand that held the pen.

  Darling Iris,

  There isn’t any point in my making a will because my money goes to you anyway, but I’d like certain of my things to be given to certain people.

  To George, the jewellery he’s given me, and the little enamel casket we bought together when we were engaged.

  To Gloria King, my platinum cigarette case.

  To Maisie, my Chinese Pottery horse that she’s always admired—

  It stopped there, with a frantic scrawl of the pen as Rosemary had dashed it down and given way to uncontrollable weeping.

  Iris stood as though turned to stone.

  What did it mean? Rosemary wasn’t going to die, was she? She’d been very ill with influenza, but she was all right now. And anyway people didn’t die of ’flu—at least sometimes they did, but Rosemary hadn’t. She was quite well now, only weak and run down.

  Iris’s eyes went over the words again and this time a phrase stood out with startling effect:

  ‘…my money goes to you anyway…’

  It was the first intimation she had had of the terms of Paul Bennett’s will. She had known since she was a child that Rosemary had inherited Uncle Paul’s money, that Rosemary was rich whilst she herself was comparatively poor. But until this moment she had never questioned what would happen to that money on Rosemary’s death.

  If she had been asked, she would have replied that she supposed it would go to George as Rosemary’s husband, but would have added that it seemed absurd to think of Rosemary dying before George!

  But here it was, set down in black and white, in Rosemary’s own hand. At Rosemary’s death the money came to her, Iris. But surely that wasn’t legal? A husband or wife got any money, not a sister. Unless, of course, Paul Bennett had left it that way in his will. Yes, that must be it. Uncle Paul had said the money was to go to her if Rosemary died. That did make it rather less unfair—

  Unfair? She was startled as the word leapt to her thoughts. Had she been thinking that it was unfair for Rosemary to get all Uncle Paul’s money? She supposed that, deep down, she must have been feeling just that. It was unfair. They were sisters, she and Rosemary. They were both her mother’s children. Why should Uncle Paul give it all to Rosemary?

  Rosemary always had everything!

  Parties and frocks and young men in love with her and an adoring husband.

  The only unpleasant thing that ever happened to Rosemary was having an attack of ’flu! And even that hadn’t lasted longer than a week!

  Iris hesitated, standing by the desk. That sheet of paper—would Rosemary want it left about for the servants to see?

  After a minute’s hesitation she picked it up, folded it in two and slipped it into one of the drawers of the desk.

  It was found there after the fatal birthday party, and provided an additional proof, if proof was necessary, that Rosemary had been in a depressed and unhappy state of mind after her illness, and had possibly been thinking of suicide even then.

  Depression after influenza. That was the motive brought forward at the inquest, the motive that Iris’s evidence helped to establish. An inadequate motive, perhaps, but the only one available, and consequently accepted. It had been a bad type of influenza that year.

  Neither Iris nor George Barton could have suggested any other motive—then.

  Now, thinking back over the incident in the attic, Iris wondered that she could have been so blind.

  The whole thing must have been going on under her eyes! And she had seen nothing, noticed nothing!

  Her mind took a quick leap over the tragedy of the birthday party. No need to think of that! That was over—done with. Put away the horror of that and the inquest and George’s twitching face and bloodshot eyes. Go straight on to the incident of the trunk in the attic.

  IV

  That had been about six months after Rosemary’s death.

  Iris had continued to live at the house in Elvaston Square. After the funeral the Marle family solicitor, a courtly old gentleman with a shining bald head and unexpectedly shrewd eyes, had had an interview with Iris. He had explained with admirable clarity that under the will of Paul Bennett, Rosemary had inherited his estate in trust to pass at her death to any children she might have. If Rosemary died childless, the estate was to go to Iris absolutely. It was, the solicitor explained, a very large fortune which would belong to her absolutely upon attaining the age of twenty-one or on her marriage.

  In the meantime, the first thing to settle was her place of residence. Mr George Barton had shown himself anxious for her to continue living with him and had suggested that her father’s sister, Mrs Drake, who was in impoverished circumstances owing to the financial claims of a son (the black sheep of the Marle family), should make her home with them and chaperon Iris in society. Did Iris approve of this plan?

  Iris had been quite willing, thankful not to have to make new plans. Aunt Lucilla she remembered as an amiable friendly sheep with little will of her own.

  So the matter had been settled. George Barton had been touchingly pleased to have his wife’s sister still with him and treated her affectionately as a younger sister. Mrs Drake, if not a stimulating companion, was completely subservient to Iris’s wishes. The household settled down amicably.

  It was nearly six months later that Iris made her discovery in the attic.

  The attics of the Elvaston Square house were used as storage rooms for odds and ends of furniture, and a number of trunks and suitcases.

  Iris had gone up there one day after an unsuccessful hunt for an old red pullover for which she had an affection. George had begged her not to wear mourning for Rosemary, Rosemary had always been opposed to the idea, he said. This, Iris knew, was true, so she acquiesced and continued to wear ordinary clothes, somewhat to the disapproval of Lucilla Drake, who was old-fashioned and liked what she called ‘the decencies’ to be observed. Mrs Drake herself was still inclined to wear crêpe for a husband deceased some twenty-odd years ago.

  Various unwanted clothes, Iris knew, had been packed away in a trunk upstairs. She started hunting through it for her pullover, coming across, as she did so, various forgotten belongings, a grey coat and skirt, a pile of stockings, her skiing kit and one or two old bathing dresses.

  It was then that she came across an old dressing-gown that had belonged to Rosemary and which had somehow or other escaped being given away with the rest of Rosemary’s things. It was a mannish affair of spotted silk with big pockets.

  Iris shook it out, noting that it was in perfectly good condition. Then she folded it carefully and returned it to the trunk. As she did so, her hand felt something crackle in one of the pockets. She thrust in her hand and drew out a crumpled-up piece of paper. It was in Rosemary’s handwriting and she smoothed it out and read it
.

  Leopard darling, you can’t mean it…You can’t—you can’t…We love each other! We belong together! You must know that just as I know it! We can’t just say goodbye and go on coolly with our own lives. You know that’s impossible, darling—quite impossible. You and I belong together—for ever and ever. I’m not a conventional woman—I don’t mind about what people say. Love matters more to me than anything else. We’ll go away together—and be happy—I’ll make you happy. You said to me once that life without me was dust and ashes to you—do you remember, Leopard darling? And now you write calmly that all this had better end—that it’s only fair to me. Fair to me? But I can’t live without you! I’m sorry about George—he’s always been sweet to me—but he’ll understand. He’ll want to give me my freedom. It isn’t right to live together if you don’t love each other any more. God meant us for each other, darling—I know He did. We’re going to be wonderfully happy—but we must be brave. I shall tell George myself—I want to be quite straight about the whole thing—but not until after my birthday.

  I know I’m doing what’s right, Leopard darling—and I can’t live without you—can’t, can’t—CAN’T. How stupid it is of me to write all this. Two lines would have done. Just ‘I love you. I’m never going to let you go.’ Oh darling—

  The letter broke off.

  Iris stood motionless, staring down at it.

  How little one knew of one’s own sister!

  So Rosemary had had a lover—had written him passionate love letters—had planned to go away with him?

  What had happened? Rosemary had never sent the letter after all. What letter had she sent? What had been finally decided between Rosemary and this unknown man?

  (‘Leopard!’ What extraordinary fancies people had when they were in love. So silly. Leopard indeed!)

  Who was this man? Did he love Rosemary as much as she loved him? Surely he must have done. Rosemary was so unbelievably lovely. And yet, according to Rosemary’s letter, he had suggested ‘ending it all’. That suggested—what? Caution? He had evidently said that the break was for Rosemary’s sake. That it was only fair to her. Yes, but didn’t men say that sort of thing to save their faces? Didn’t it really mean that the man, whoever he was, was tired of it all? Perhaps it had been to him a mere passing distraction. Perhaps he had never really cared. Somehow Iris got the impression that the unknown man had been very determined to break with Rosemary finally…

  But Rosemary had thought differently. Rosemary wasn’t going to count the cost. Rosemary had been determined, too…

  Iris shivered.

  And she, Iris, hadn’t known a thing about it! Hadn’t even guessed! Had taken it for granted that Rosemary was happy and contented and that she and George were quite satisfied with one another. Blind! She must have been blind not to know a thing like that about her own sister.

  But who was the man?

  She cast her mind back, thinking, remembering. There had been so many men about, admiring Rosemary, taking her out, ringing her up. There had been no one special. But there must have been—the rest of the bunch were mere camouflage for the one, the only one, that mattered. Iris frowned perplexedly, sorting her remembrances carefully.

  Two names stood out. It must, yes, positively it must, be one or the other. Stephen Farraday? It must be Stephen Farraday. What could Rosemary have seen in him? A stiff pompous young man—and not so very young either. Of course people did say he was brilliant. A rising politician, an under-secretaryship prophesied in the near future, and all the weight of the influential Kidderminster connection behind him. A possible future Prime Minister! Was that what had given him glamour in Rosemary’s eyes? Surely she couldn’t care so desperately for the man himself—such a cold self-contained creature? But they said that his own wife was passionately in love with him, that she had gone against all the wishes of her powerful family in marrying him—a mere nobody with political ambitions! If one woman felt like that about him, another woman might also. Yes, it must be Stephen Farraday.

  Because, if it wasn’t Stephen Farraday, it must be Anthony Browne.

  And Iris didn’t want it to be Anthony Browne.

  True, he’d been very much Rosemary’s slave, constantly at her beck and call, his dark good-looking face expressing a kind of humorous desperation. But surely that devotion had been too open, too freely declared to go really deep?

  Odd the way he had disappeared after Rosemary’s death. They had none of them seen him since.

  Still not so odd really—he was a man who travelled a lot. He had talked about the Argentine and Canada and Uganda and the U.S.A. She had an idea that he was actually an American or a Canadian, though he had hardly any accent. No, it wasn’t really strange that they shouldn’t have seen anything of him since.

  It was Rosemary who had been his friend. There was no reason why he should go on coming to see the rest of them. He had been Rosemary’s friend. But not Rosemary’s lover! She didn’t want him to have been Rosemary’s lover. That would hurt—that would hurt terribly…

  She looked down at the letter in her hand. She crumpled it up. She’d throw it away, burn it…

  It was sheer instinct that stopped her.

  Some day it might be important to produce that letter…

  She smoothed it out, took it down with her and locked it away in her jewel case.

  It might be important, some day, to show why Rosemary took her own life.

  V

  ‘And the next thing, please?’

  The ridiculous phrase came unbidden into Iris’s mind and twisted her lips into a wry smile. The glib shop-keeper’s question seemed to represent so exactly her own carefully directed mental processes.

  Was not that exactly what she was trying to do in her survey of the past? She had dealt with the surprising discovery in the attic. And now—on to ‘the next thing, please!’ What was the next thing?

  Surely the increasingly odd behaviour of George. That dated back for a long time. Little things that had puzzled her became clear now in the light of the surprising interview last night. Disconnected remarks and actions took their proper place in the course of events.

  And there was the reappearance of Anthony Browne. Yes, perhaps that ought to come next in sequence, since it had followed the finding of the letter by just one week.

  Iris couldn’t recall her sensations exactly…

  Rosemary had died in November. In the following May, Iris, under the wing of Lucilla Drake, had started her social young girl’s life. She had gone to luncheons and teas and dances without, however, enjoying them very much. She had felt listless and unsatisfied. It was at a somewhat dull dance towards the end of June that she heard a voice say behind her:

  ‘It is Iris Marle, isn’t it?’

  She had turned, flushing, to look into Anthony’s—Tony’s—dark quizzical face.

  He said:

  ‘I don’t expect you to remember me, but—’

  She interrupted.

  ‘Oh, but I do remember you. Of course I do!’

  ‘Splendid. I was afraid you’d have forgotten me. It’s such a long time since I saw you.’

  ‘I know. Not since Rosemary’s birthday par—’

  She stopped. The words had come gaily, unthinkingly, to her lips. Now the colour rushed away from her cheeks, leaving them white and drained of blood. Her lips quivered. Her eyes were suddenly wide and dismayed.

  Anthony Browne said quickly:

  ‘I’m terribly sorry. I’m a brute to have reminded you.’

  Iris swallowed. She said:

  ‘It’s all right.’

  (Not since the night of Rosemary’s birthday party. Not since the night of Rosemary’s suicide. She wouldn’t think of it. She would not think of it!)

  Anthony Browne said again:

  ‘I’m terribly sorry. Please forgive me. Shall we dance?’

  She nodded. Although already engaged for the dance that was just beginning, she had floated on to the floor in his arms. She saw her partne
r, a blushing immature young man whose collar seemed too big for him, peering about for her. The sort of partner, she thought scornfully, that debs have to put up with. Not like this man—Rosemary’s friend.

  A sharp pang went through her. Rosemary’s friend. That letter. Had it been written to this man she was dancing with now? Something in the easy feline grace with which he danced lent substance to the nickname ‘Leopard’. Had he and Rosemary—

  She said sharply:

  ‘Where have you been all this time?’

  He held her a little way from him, looking down into her face. He was unsmiling now, his voice held coldness.

  ‘I’ve been travelling—on business.’

  ‘I see.’ She went on uncontrollably, ‘Why have you come back?’

  He smiled then. He said lightly:

  ‘Perhaps—to see you, Iris Marle.’

  And suddenly gathering her up a little closer, he executed a long daring glide through the dancers, a miracle of timing and steering. Iris wondered why, with a sensation that was almost wholly pleasure, she should feel afraid.

  Since then Anthony had definitely become part of her life. She saw him at least once a week.

  She met him in the Park, at various dances, found him put next to her at dinner.

  The only place he never came to was the house in Elvaston Square. It was some time before she noticed this, so adroitly did he manage to evade or refuse invitations there. When she did realize it she began to wonder why. Was it because he and Rosemary—

  Then, to her astonishment, George, easy-going, non-interfering George, spoke to her about him.

  ‘Who’s this fellow, Anthony Browne, you’re going about with? What do you know about him?’

  She stared at him.

  ‘Know about him? Why, he was a friend of Rosemary’s!’

  George’s face twitched. He blinked. He said in a dull heavy voice:

  ‘Yes, of course, so he was.’

  Iris cried remorsefully:

  ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have reminded you.’

  George Barton shook his head. He said gently: