Смерть на Ниле / Death on the Nile

I had no idea he was in Egypt and he had no idea that I was! Nor that I was married! My letter, telling him of my marriage, must just have missed him. He is actually going up the Nile on the same trip that we are. Isn’t it a coincidence? Thank you so much for all you have done in this busy time. I-

As the young man was about to turn the page, Mr Carmichael took the letter from him.

‘That’s all,’ he said. ‘The rest doesn’t matter. Well, what do you think?’

His nephew considered for a moment – then he said:

‘Well – I think – not a coincidence…’

The other nodded approval.

‘Like a trip to Egypt?’ he barked out.

‘You think that’s advisable?’

‘I think there’s no time to lose.’

‘But, why me?’

‘Use your brains, boy; use your brains. Linnet Ridgeway has never met you; no more has Pennington. If you go by air you may get there in time.’

‘I–I don’t like it, sir. What am I to do?’

‘Use your eyes. Use your ears. Use your brains – if you’ve got any. And if necessary – act.

‘I–I don’t like it.’

‘Perhaps not – but you’ve got to do it.’

‘It’s – necessary?’

‘In my opinion,’ said Mr Carmichael, ‘it’s absolutely vital.’

Chapter 12

Mrs Otterbourne, readjusting the turban of local material that she wore draped round her head, said fretfully:

‘I really don’t see why we shouldn’t go on to Egypt. I’m sick and tired of Jerusalem.’

As her daughter made no reply, she said:

‘You might at least answer when you’re spoken to.’

Rosalie Otterbourne was looking at a newspaper reproduction of a face.

Mrs Simon Doyle, who before her marriage was the well-known society beauty, Miss Linnet Ridgeway. Mr and Mrs Doyle are spending their honeymoon in Egypt.

Rosalie said, ‘You’d like to move on to Egypt, Mother?’

‘Yes, I would,’ Mrs Otterbourne snapped. ‘I consider they’ve treated us in a most cavalier fashion here. My being here is an advertisement – I ought to get a special reduction in terms. When I hinted as much, I consider they were most impertinent – most impertinent.

The girl sighed. She said:

‘One place is very like another. I wish we could get right away.’

‘And this morning,’ went on Mrs Otterbourne, ‘the manager actually had the impertinence to tell me that all the rooms had been booked in advance and that he would require ours in two days’ time.’

‘So we’ve got to go somewhere.’

‘Not at all.