"Crombie, Deborah - A Share in Death" - читать интересную книгу автора (Crombie Deborah)

again he heard the hint of archness.

"Yes," Kincaid answered, and wondered for a moment
how his kindly, guileless cousin had fared under Cassie
Whitlake's sophisticated onslaught.

At the top of the stairs he followed Cassie down a hall that
ran toward the rear of the house, ending at a door adorned
with a discreet, brass number four. Cassie unlocked the door
with her own key and preceded him into the tiny entry.
Kincaid couldn't maneuver his bag through the small space
without brushing up against her, and the smile she gave him
was suggestive.

The entry opened into a sitting room in which Cassie's
hand was again evident in the decorating, at least in the
choice of colors. The plush sofas and armchairs were a dull
gold with rolled arms, buttons and fringes, the curtains were
olive green, and the figured carpet combined the two in a
fussy, geometric marriage. The whole room, which could
have been lifted en masse from any middle-class department
store showroom, gave an impression of solid, anonymous
respectability.

The room's saving grace was the French door at its far
end. Cassie followed Kincaid as he crossed the room, set
down his bag, and pulled open the door. They stepped out
onto the narrow balcony together. Below them stretched the
grounds and gardens of Followdale, leading his eyes up to
the bulk of Sutton Bank rising in the distance.

"There's the tennis court." Cassie pointed down to his
left. "And the greenhouse. We have croquet and badminton
and lawn bowling, as well as riding and walking trails. Oh,
and indoor swimming, of course. The pool is one of our star
attractions. I think we'll keep you occupied."

8 deborah grombie


"I'm overwhelmed." Kincaid grinned. "I may have a nervous
collapse trying to decide what to do."

"In the meantime, I'll let you get settled in. If you want to
lay in some supplies, it's only a few steps down the road to
the village shop. There's a cocktail party at six in the sitting
room, so the guests have a chance to get acquainted."

"I'm afraid I haven't any experience with timesharing.
Don't the other guests already know each other, all of them