Read The Clock Strikes Twelve Online

Authors: Patricia Wentworth

Tags: #Mystery, #Crime, #Thriller

The Clock Strikes Twelve (24 page)

BOOK: The Clock Strikes Twelve
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“What was he doing there?” said Elliot obstinately.

Miss Silver resumed her knitting. The stitches were diminishing to the point of the dark grey toe.

“I can tell you what I think,” she said. “I cannot tell you whether it is the truth or not. That will never be known to anyone except Mr. Pearson. But I have read his character, and I have tried to put myself in his place. I can tell you what I think. Consider for a moment what his feelings must have been when Mr. Paradine launched his accusation at dinner. He could not have doubted for a moment that it was aimed at him. His sin had found him out. Think what that meant to him. He had been an industrious boy and an industrious young man, he had attained a confidential position, he had good prospects, and in one moment he saw all these things about to dissolve and leave him ruined. I believe he went to the study in a desperate state of mind, resolved to know the worst. Mr. Paradine’s ‘Hullo, Albert—have you come to confess?’ must have removed his last lingering hope. But the immediate entrance of Lane put it out of his power to reply, and in the next few moments, whilst they were together in the room, I believe that a plan formed itself in his mind. Mr. Paradine called him back to suggest an alteration to some letter dictated earlier in the day. This took only a moment. Before Lane was out of earshot Mr. Pearson left the study and ran up the back stairs to alter the clock. The alibi was already planned. I do not know whether Mr. Paradine’s death was planned also, or whether that came later during the hours when he sat in your room, Mr. Wray, and waited for midnight. I think he did plan Mr. Paradine’s death—like you I can see no other reason for his waiting at the bathroom window. But I do not think he would have carried out his plan. At any rate he made no move to do so. He remained at the window and watched while Mr. Paradine stood by the parapet. He could not have expected him to stay there indefinitely, yet he made no move. He has, I think, no imagination. He made a plan, but he had no idea of what his feelings would be when it came to carrying it out. He has not the temperament of a murderer. His mental processes are orderly and balanced. I can only repeat that I do not believe he would have killed Mr. Paradine.” The last stitch left the last needle. Little Roger’s leggings dropped completed upon Miss Silver’s lap. “Let us think of pleasanter things,” she said. “You will be taking your wife away, Mr. Wray?”

“As soon as the inquest and the funerals are over.”

“That is very wise.”

She turned to Mark and Lydia.

“May I say how much I wish you every happiness.”

Lydia said, “We owe it to you.” And Mark, “She’s going to leave her office and take on Albert’s job here. Then as soon as all this ghastly business is over we can get married. I shall hand this house over for a hospital, or a convalescent home, or anything that’s wanted, and we’ll go and live in my flat. It will do to start with anyhow.”

Miss Silver rolled up little Roger’s leggings and put them away in her knitting-bag together with the needles and a half-finished ball of dark grey wool. Then she rose to her feet and smiled kindly upon the three young people.

“I wish you every happiness,” she said.

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BOOK: The Clock Strikes Twelve
5.75Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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