Death in the Middle Watch Read Free

shall consider the responsibility half yours if anything unpleasant happens.”
    â€œOh, it will,” said Carolus. “Make no mistake about that. To someone who thinks as you do, it’s bound to happen. Meanwhile I’ll bid you good-day, Mr Porteous.”

Two
    C AROLUS LEANED OVER THE rail of the
Summer Queen
watching while the cruisers, as he had learned to call them, came aboard. The Purser stood beside him. They were near enough to the head of the gangplank to observe the features of arrivals but not so near that their conversation could be overheard.
    â€œYes,” said Mr Ratchett, the Purser. “Mr Porteous asked me to give you any information you want. He says you’re writing a book about one of our cruises. Not so very interesting, I should have thought, but perhaps you find people are always interesting, however ordinary they seem to others. Good heavens, here comes Mrs Travers!”
    â€œYou sound surprised.”
    â€œShe’s the widow of the man who died on one of our cruises last year. Surely Mr Porteous must have told you?”
    â€œI believe he did mention something of the sort. So this is the lady who insisted on her husband’s burial at sea?”
    â€œShe certainly did. I didn’t like it. A long story about his always wishing for it. How did he know he would die at sea? Funny-looking woman, isn’t she?”
    Carolus saw nothing funny about the squat, severe-looking person, middle-aged and smartly dressed, indicated byMr Ratchett, but he nodded vaguely, and noticed that Mrs Travers came straight up to the Purser.
    â€œHere we are again,” she said giving Mr Ratchett her hand. “I’m sure you didn’t expect me, did you?”
    â€œTo tell you the truth, no,” said the Purser. “I was afraid you wouldn’t care to come with us again, Mrs Travers.”
    â€œMrs Darwin, now,” said the lady, with a harsh little smile.
    â€œDarwin? Mr Darwin was on the cruise last year, surely? A charming fellow.”
    â€œHe was. That’s how we met. After my dear Tom died, he showed me great sympathy. We’ve been married for six months.”
    â€œHe’s not with you now.”
    â€œHe’s been kept by important business. He’s flying out to join the ship at Lisbon.”
    â€œI see. We look forward to seeing him then. May I introduce Mr Deene? He’s coming with us.”
    â€œI expect we’ll be seeing more of each other,” said Mrs Darwin with a rather grim smile. “Do you play Scrabble? You do? I’ll take you on at that.” Then to the Purser—”I’m glad you’ve given me an outside cabin. Captain’s table, I suppose?”
    â€œYou must see the Chief Steward about that. I rather think …”
    â€œI shall be very upset if there’s any mistake. I said when booking that I should expect it.”
    Cleverly, Carolus thought, Mr Ratchett turned to greet another couple who had approached him.
    â€œSir Charles! Lady Spittals! Glad to see you again. You were with us last year, weren’t you?”
    Sir Charles was a disappointed-looking man, but his wife was an enthusiast.
    â€œWell, well!” she cried. “What a nice surprise! You’re looking ever so well, too. Remember the Gala Night? I thinkCharles”—she dug her husband in the ribs—”was the only one who didn’t enjoy himself! But then he never does. Do you? He’s just the same old misery. I don’t know why he comes on a Cruise like this, I really don’t. He never participates in anything. All he does is sit there moping. Where have we been placed in the dining room? Are we really? Captain’s table! I’m ever so glad. Not that I should have blamed you if you’d put us somewhere else with
him
sitting there looking like a funeral. Well, cheerio for now. Be seeing you.”
    â€œStrange couple,” commented Mr Ratchett to Carolus. “Lord