Final Curtain. Ngaio Marsh

id="u72bcae75-6a27-54c5-90b0-3cbdaf3ef126">

      

      NGAIO MARSH

      Final Curtain

       Dedication

       For Joan and Cecilwith my love

      Contents

       Cover

       Title Page

Dedication

Cast of Characters

1. Siege of Troy

2. Departure

3. Ancreton

4. Sir Henry

5. The Bloody Child

       6. Paint

       7. Fiesta

       8. Big Exit

       9. Alleyn

       10. Bombshell from Thomas

       11. Alleyn at Ancreton

       12. The Bell and the Book

       13. Spotlight on Cedric

       14. Psychiatry and a Churchyard

       15. New System

       16. Positively the Last Appearance of Sir Henry Ancred

       17. Escape of Miss O.

       18. The Last Appearance of Miss O.

       19. Final Curtain

       Keep Reading

       Also by the Author

       Copyright

       About the Publisher

       Cast of Characters

      AGATHA TROY ALLEYN

      KATTI BOSTOCK

      NIGEL BATHGATE

      SIR HENRY ANCRED, Bart

      CLAUDE ANCRED, his elder son (absent)

      THOMAS ANCRED, his younger son

      PAULINE KENTISH, his elder daughter

PAUL KENTISHPATRICIA KENTISH (Panty)

his grandchildren

      DESDEMONA ANCRED, his younger daughter

      MILLAMANT ANCRED (wife to Henry Irving Ancred, deceased), his daughter-in-law

      CEDRIC ANCRED, His heir apparent (Millamant’s son)

      THE HON. MRS. CLAUDE ANCRED (Jenetta), his daughter-in-law (wife to Claude Ancred)

      FENELLA ANCRED (her daughter)

      MISS SONIA ORRINCOURT

      MISS CAROLINE ABLE

      BARKER, butler at Ancreton Manor

      DR. WITHERS, G.P. at Ancreton

      MR. JUNIPER, chemist

      MR. RATTISBON, solicitor

      MR. MORTIMER, of Mortimer & Loame, Undertakers and Embalmers

      RODERICK ALLEYN,

      Chief Detective-Inspector

DETECTIVE-INSPECTOR FOXDETECTIVE-SERGEANT BAILEYDR. CURTIS, Police Surgeon

of the Criminal Investigation Department, New Scotland Yard.

      DETECTIVE-SERGEANT THOMPSON

      VILLAGE CONSTABLE

       1

       Siege of Troy

      I

      ‘Considered severally,’ said Troy, coming angrily into the studio, ‘a carbuncle, a month’s furlough and a husband returning from the antipodes don’t sound like the ingredients of a hell-brew. Collectively, they amount to precisely that.’

      Katti Bostock stepped heavily back from her easel, screwed up her eyes, and squinting dispassionately at her work said: ‘Why?’

      They’ve telephoned from C.1. Rory’s on his way. He’ll probably get here in about three weeks. By which time I shall have returned, cured of my carbuncle, to the girls in the back room.’

      ‘At least,’ said Miss Bostock, scowling hideously at her work, ‘he won’t have to face the carbuncle. There is that.’

      ‘It’s on my hip.’

      ‘I know that, you owl.’

      ‘Well – but, Katti,’ Troy argued, standing beside her friend, ‘you will allow and must admit, it’s a stinker. You are going it,’ she added, squinting at Miss Bostock’s canvas.

      ‘You’ll have to move into the London flat a bit earlier, that’s all.’

      ‘But if only the carbuncle, and Rory and my leave had come together – well, the carbuncle a bit earlier, certainly – we’d have had a fortnight