Читаем A Dangerous Fortune (1994) полностью

"I assume he'll see that it would be pointless, as you and I have realized." Suddenly he felt oppressed by the drab hospital ward and the grim talk of past murder. "I'd better go to work." He stood up. "I'm going to be made a partner in the bank."

"Congratulations! I'm sure you deserve it." Tonio suddenly looked hopeful. "Will you be able to stop the Santamaria railroad?"

Hugh shook his head. "I'm sorry, Tonio. Much as I dislike the project, I can't do anything about it now. Edward has made a deal with Greenbournes Bank to float the bonds jointly. The partners of both banks have approved the issue and contracts are being drawn up. I'm afraid we've lost that battle."

"Damn." Tonio was crestfallen.

"Your family will have to find other ways to oppose the Mirandas."

"I fear they may be unstoppable."

"I'm sorry," Hugh repeated. A new thought struck him and he frowned in puzzlement. "You know, you've solved a mystery for me. I couldn't understand how Peter drowned when he was such a good swimmer. But your answer is an even greater mystery."

"I'm not sure I follow you."

"Think about it. Peter was innocently swimming; Edward ducked him, just out of general nastiness; we all ran away; Edward gave chase--and then Micky cold-bloodedly killed Peter. It has nothing to do with what went before. Why did it happen? What had Peter done?"

"I see what you mean. Yes, it's puzzled me for years."

"Micky Miranda murdered Peter Middleton ... but why?"

Chapter FIVE

JULY

Section 1

AUGUSTA WAS LIKE A HEN that had laid an egg on the day Joseph's peerage was announced. Micky went to the house at teatime as usual and found the drawing room crowded with people congratulating her on becoming Countess Whitehaven. Her butler Hastead was wearing a smug smile and saying "my lady" and "your ladyship" at every opportunity.

She was amazing, Micky thought as he watched everyone buzzing around her like the bees in the sunny garden outside the open windows. She had planned her campaign like a general. At one point there had been a rumor that Ben Greenbourne was to get the peerage, but that had been killed by an eruption of anti-Jewish sentiment in the press. Augusta was not admitting, even to Micky, that she had been behind the press coverage, but he was sure of it. In some ways she reminded him of his father: Papa had the same remorseless determination. But Augusta was cleverer. Micky's admiration for her had grown as the years went by.