فصل چهارم

Chapter four

Then, in a slow, wheezing voice, Mrs Boynton spoke. ‘Ginevra, you’re tired. Go up to bed.’

The youngest daughter answered, in an attractive, musical voice. ‘I’m not tired, Mother.’

‘Yes, you are,’ replied Mrs Boynton. ‘I know what you’re like. You’ll be too tired to go out tomorrow. You’ll be ill.’

‘I’m not tired! And I won’t be ill!’ Ginevra began to tremble.

A soft, calm voice said, ‘I’ll come upstairs with you, Ginevra.’ It was the quiet young woman with dark hair - Nadine Boynton.

‘No. Let her go upstairs alone,’ said Mrs Boynton.

‘I want Nadine to come!’ said Ginevra excitedly.

‘You would prefer to go alone - wouldn’t you, Ginevra?’ said Mrs Boynton.

There was a pause. ‘Yes, I would prefer to go alone,’ said Ginevra Boynton in a flat, dull voice. She got up and left the room.

Dr Gerard put down his newspaper and looked at Mrs Boynton. The old woman was smiling. Then suddenly she looked straight at Dr Gerard, with her small black eyes. He realized that although she was old, Mrs Boynton had a strong personality - and power. Her eyes were dark and frightening and evil. Dr Gerard breathed in quickly. Now he knew the emotion that the family was hiding - it was hate. All her children hated Mrs Boynton.

Dr Gerard thought, ‘People would think I am imagining all this!’ Then he looked at the quiet young woman, Nadine Boynton. She wore a wedding ring, and was looking anxiously at Lennox. ‘So,’ thought Dr Gerard, ‘she is married to Lennox, the elder son.’ And he realized that although she was worried about her husband, Nadine was not afraid of Mrs Boynton.

‘This is all very interesting,’ said Dr Gerard to himself.