Читать книгу Ten Little Niggers / Десять негритят - Агата Кристи, Agatha Christie, Detection Club The - Страница 14

The boat went round the rock. The south side of the island was quite different. It sloped gently down to the sea. Now at last they saw the house – low and square and modern-looking with rounded windows letting in all the light.

An exciting house – a house that lived up to expectation![12]

Fred Narracott stopped the engine, they nosed their way gently into a little natural inlet between rocks.

Philip Lombard said sharply:

“Must be difficult to land here in bad weather.”

Fred Narracott said cheerfully:

“Can’t land on Nigger Island when there’s a southeasterly. Sometimes it’s cut off for a week or more.”

Fred Narracott jumped out and he and Lombard helped the others to get out. Narracott tied the boat to a ring in the rock. Then they went up the steps cut in the rock.

General Macarthur said:

“Ha, enchanting spot!”

But he felt uneasy. Damned odd sort of place.

As the party came out on a terrace above, their mood brightened. In the open doorway of the house a correct butler was awaiting them, and something about his appearance reassured them. And then the house itself was really most attractive, the view from the terrace magnificent…

The butler bowed slightly and said:

“Will you come this way, please?”

In the wide hall drinks stood ready. Rows of bottles. That pleased Anthony Marston. His mood improved a little. He’d just been thinking this was not his kind of company. How could old Badger have let him in for this?[13] But the drinks were all right. Plenty of ice, too.

What was the butler chap saying?

“Mr. Owen – unfortunately delayed – unable to get here till tomorrow. Instructions – everything they wanted – if they would like to go to their rooms?.. dinner would be at 8 o’clock.”