Читаем A Dangerous Fortune (1994) полностью

It was still early, and he found Edward alone in the smoking room of the club, drinking a large glass of Madeira. Edward's skin rash was getting worse, he noticed: where his collar chafed his neck it was red and raw.

Hugh sat down at the same table and ordered tea. When they were boys, Hugh had hated Edward passionately, for being a beast and a bully. But in recent years he had come to see his cousin as a victim. Edward was the way he was because of the influence of two wicked people, Augusta and Micky. Augusta had suffocated him and Micky had corrupted him. However, Edward had not softened toward Hugh, and he now made no bones about showing that he had no wish for Hugh's company. "You didn't have to come this far for a cup of tea," he, said. "What do you want?"

It was a bad start, but nothing could be done about that. Feeling pessimistic, Hugh began. "I have something to say that will shock and horrify you."

"Really?"

"You'll have trouble believing it, but all the same it's true. I think Micky Miranda is a murderer."

"Oh, for God's sake," Edward said angrily. "Don't bother me with such nonsense."

"Listen to me before you dismiss the idea out of hand," Hugh said. "I'm leaving the bank, you're Senior Partner, I have nothing left to fight for. But I discovered something yesterday. Solly Greenbourne knew that your mother was behind that press campaign to stop Ben Greenbourne's getting a peerage."

Edward gave an involuntary start, as if what Hugh had said chimed with something he already knew.

Hugh felt more hopeful. "I'm on the right track, am I not?" he said. Guessing, he went on: "Solly threatened to cancel the Santamaria railroad deal, didn't he?"

Edward nodded.

Hugh sat forward, trying to contain his excitement.

Edward said: "I was sitting at this very table, with Micky, when Solly came in, angry as the devil. But--"

"And that night Solly died."

"Yes--but Micky was with me all night. We played cards here, then went on to Nellie's."

"He must have left you, just for a few minutes."

"No--"

"I saw him coming into the club about the time Solly died."

"That must have been earlier."

"He may have gone to the toilet, or something."

"That hardly gives him enough time." Edward's face settled into an expression of decided skepticism.

Hugh's hopes faded again. For a moment he had succeeded in creating a doubt in Edward's mind, but it had not lasted.

"You've lost your senses," Edward went on. "Micky's not a murderer. The notion is absurd."