Dumb Witness Read Free Page A

decorative female you are, Theresa,” he remarked appreciatively.
    Theresa said sharply:
    â€œWhat’s the matter?” Charles grinned.
    â€œSharp, aren’t you? Well, I stole a march on you, my girl! Thought I’d make my touch before you got to work.”
    â€œWell?”
    Charles spread his hands downwards in negation.
    â€œNothing doing! Aunt Emily ticked me off good and proper. She intimated that she was under no illusions as to why her affectionate family had gathered round her! And she also intimated that the said affectionate family would be disappointed. Nothing being handed out but affection—and not so much of that.”
    â€œYou might have waited a bit,” said Theresa drily.
    Charles grinned again.
    â€œI was afraid you or Tanios might get in ahead of me. I’m sadly afraid, Theresa my sweet, that there’ll be nothing doing this time. Old Emily is by no means a fool.”
    â€œI never thought she was.”
    â€œI even tried to put the wind up her.”
    â€œWhat d’you mean?” asked his sister sharply.
    â€œTold her she was going about it the right way to get bumped off. After all she can’t take the dibs to heaven with her. Why not loosen up a bit?”
    â€œCharles, you are a fool!”
    â€œNo, I’m not. I’m a bit of a psychologist in my way. It’s never a bit of good sucking up to the old girl. She much prefers you to stand up to her. And after all, I was only talking sense. We get the money when she dies—she might just as well part with a little beforehand! Otherwise the temptation to help her out of the way might become overwhelming.”
    â€œDid she see your point?” asked Theresa, her delicate mouth curling up scornfully.
    â€œI’m not sure. She didn’t admit it. Just thanked me rather nastily for my advice and said she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. ‘Well,’ I said, ‘I’ve warned you.’ ‘I’ll remember it,’ she said.”
    Theresa said angrily:
    â€œReally, Charles, you are an utter fool.”
    â€œDamn it all, Theresa, I was a bit ratty myself! The old girl’s rolling—simply rolling. I bet she doesn’t spend a tenth part of her income—what has she got to spend it on, anyway? And here weare—young, able to enjoy life—and to spite us she’s capable of living to a hundred….I want my fun now….So do you….”
    Theresa nodded.
    She said in a low, breathless voice:
    â€œThey don’t understand—old people don’t….they can’t….They don’t know what it is to live! ”
    Brother and sister were silent for some minutes.
    Charles got up.
    â€œWell, my love, I wish you better success than I’ve had. But I rather doubt it.”
    Theresa said:
    â€œI’m rather counting on Rex to do the trick. If I can make old Emily realize how brilliant he is, and how it matters terrifically that he should have his chance and not have to sink into a rut as a general practitioner… Oh, Charles, a few thousand of capital just at this minute would make all the difference in the world to our lives!”
    â€œHope you get it, but I don’t think you will. You’ve got through a bit too much capital in riotous living in your time. I say, Theresa, you don’t think the dreary Bella or the dubious Tanios will get anything, do you?”
    â€œI don’t see that money would be any good to Bella. She goes about looking like a ragbag and her tastes are purely domestic.”
    â€œOh, well,” said Charles, vaguely. “I expect she wants things for those unprepossessing children of hers, schools, and plates for their front teeth and music lessons. And anyway it isn’t Bella—it’s Tanios. I bet he’s got a nose for money all right! Trust a Greek for that. You know he’s got through most of Bella’s? Speculated with it and lost it