After The Funeral Part 25

It was a mercy really. To die i his sleep quietly like that.

Quietly... in his sleep If only she could sleep. It was so stupid lying awake hour after hour.., hearing the furniture creak, and the rustling of trees and bushes outside the window and the occasional queer melancholy hoot--an owl, she supposed. How sinister the country was, somehow.

So different from the big noisy indifferent town. One felt so safe there--surrounded by people--never alone. Whereas here...

Houses where a murder had been committed were sometimes haunted.

Perhaps this cottage would come to be known as the haunted cottage. Haunted by the spirit of Cora Lans quenet...

Aunt Cora. Odd, really, how ever since she had arrived she had felt as though Aunt Cora were quite close to her.., within reach. All nerves and fancy. Cora Lansquenet was dead, to-morrow she would be buried. There was no one in the cottage except Susan herself and Miss Gilchrist. Then why did she feel that there was someone in this room, someone close beside her...

She had lain on this bed when the hatchet fell Lying there trustingly asleep... Kowing nothing till the hatchet

fell... And now she wonldn t let Susan sleep ....

The furniture creaked again.., was that a stealthy step ?

Susan switched on the light. Nothing. Nerves, nothing but

nerves. Relax... close your eyes...

Surely that was a groan--a groan or a faint moan...

So,,meone in pain--someone dying...

I mustn't imagine things, I nstn't, I mustn't," Susan

whispered to herself.

Death was the end--there was no existence after death.

Under no circ.u.mstances could anyone come back. Or was

she reliving a scene from the past--a dying woman groaning ....

There it was again.., stronger.., someone groaning in

acute pain...

But--this was real. Once again Susan switched on the

light, sat up in bed and listened. The groans were real groans

and she was hearing them through the wall. They came from

the room next door.

Susan jumped out of bed, flung on a dressing-gown and

crossed to the door. She went out on to the landing, tapped

for a moment on Miss Gilchrist's door and then went in. Miss Gilchrist's light was on. She was sitting up in bed.

She looked ghastly. Her face was distorted with pain.

Mss Gilchrist, what s the matter. Are you ill ? "Yes. I don't know what--I--" she tried to get out of

9

bed, was seized with a fit of vomiting and then collapsed back on the pillows.

She murmured: ,Please---ring up doctor. Must have eaten something ....

"I'll get you some bicarbonate. We can get the doctor in

the morning if you're not better."

Miss Gilchrist shook her head.

"No, get doctor now. I--I feel dreadful."

"Do you know his number ? Or shall I look in the book ?"

Miss Gilchrist gave her the number. She was interrupted by anoth, er fit of retching.

Susan s call was answered by a sleepy male voice.

"Who ? Gilchrist ? In Mead's Lane. Yes, I know. I'll b fight along."

He was as good as his word. Ten minutes later Susan heard his car draw up outside and she went to open the door to him.

She explained the case as she took him upstairs. "I think," she said, "she must have eaten something that dis-agreed with her. But she seems pretty bad."

The doctor had had the air of one keeping his temper in leash and who has had some experience of being called out unnecessarily on more than one occasion. But as soon as he examined the moaning woman his manner changed. He gave various curt orders to Susan and presently came down and telephoned. Then he joined Susan in the sitting-room.

"I've sent for an ambulance. Must get her into hospital."

"She's really bad then ?"

"Yes. I've given her a shot o! morp,h, ia to ease the pain.

But it looks" He broke off. ' What s she eaten ?"

"We had macaroni au gratin for supper and a custard pud-ding.

Coffee afterwards."

"You have the same things ?"

"Yes."

' And you're all right ? No pain or discomfort ?"

"She's taken nothing else ? No tinned fish ? Or sausages?"

"No. We had lunch at the King's Arms--after the inquest."

"Yes, of course. You're Mrs. Lansquenet's niece ?"

"Yes."