Читать книгу Payment Deferred. Psychological Thriller онлайн

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As he replaced the glass Annie Marble rose. She knew the role it was necessary for her to assume, and by some strange freak of mental poise she did it perfectly. Her dim mind had never fully realized the grim peril in which lay the fortunes of her husband and herself; nothing that Marble could say—and he said little—would force it home to her as long as she could go on obtaining credit at the shops; but she knew they were in some trouble, and that Marble was intending that this young nephew of his should help them out. It behoved her therefore to do her best, quite apart from the fact that her negative personality responded in small actions to every whim of her husband, just as he wished.

‘I think I shall go to bed, Will,’ she said rising a little wearily from the uncomfortable bentwood chair. ‘I’ve got a bit of a headache.’

Mr Marble was greatly concerned.

‘Really, dear?’ he said, rising. ‘That’s bad luck. Have a nightcap before you go up?’ And he nodded towards the decanter.

But even as he nodded, with his face away from Medland, there was a little scowl between his eyebrows that gave Mrs Marble her cue.