Strangeways to Oldham Read Online Free

If I’d been stuck in there, I’d probably have committed murder by now, and be locked up in Broadmoor, if it still exists. So who was this infrequent but regular visitor of his?’
    â€˜One of the nurses said it was his nephew,’ replied Hugo, unsuspectingly.
    â€˜His nephew ?’ boomed Lady Amanda. ‘But he was an only child and he never married. How the hell can a nephew visit him, when he hasn’t – sorry, hadn’t – any brothers or sisters, or in-laws?’
    â€˜I don’t know, Manda. I’m only repeating what I was told. Don’t shoot the messenger. It was your father who was in partnership with him, back in those antediluvian days. I was still a bit of a stripling, back then.’
    â€˜Sorry, Hugo. I just don’t understand it. Any other information?’
    â€˜Yes. Apparently, this ‘nephew’ always brought along a hip flask filled with Reggie’s favourite cocktail, and they shared it during his visit.’
    â€˜Yes!’ Lady Amanda was back in booming mode.
    â€˜Careful, Manda. You nearly made me spill my tea.’
    â€˜Again, sorry, but you’ve just jogged my memory. So much has happened this afternoon that I just forgot all about it. Look here,’ she commanded, scuffling in her capacious handbag and pulling out a cocktail glass, a fine old linen handkerchief a barrier against her leaving any fingerprints on its surface.
    â€˜I say, old girl! You haven’t taken to drinking during the day have you?’ enquired Hugo, aware of her love for cocktails when he had last known her.
    â€˜Of course not. I actually went into Reggie’s room. That’s why I was at that ghastly place. Enid Tweedie told me he was in there, when I went to see her in hospital … But that’s a completely different story.
    â€˜I went there with the specific goal of visiting him, just for old time’s sake, you know. But when I got there, that person on reception told me she’d have to ask Matron first. Well, you know me! I wasn’t going to wait to be given permission to visit an old family friend, so I checked his room number with the list pinned on the wall, and toddled down to see him, sans permit.’
    â€˜But he was dead, Manda.’
    â€˜I know that now!’ she exclaimed in exasperation. ‘But I didn’t know it then – just shot into his room before anyone saw me, and there he was, covered from top to toe in a white sheet. It gave me quite a turn, I can tell you.’
    â€˜So the cocktail glass is from his room?’
    â€˜Bingo, Chummy! There were two glasses on the bedside table, and they looked rather out of place in a joint like that, so I sniffed ʼem.’
    â€˜Ah, the old Golightly nose! Can identify a cocktail at a hundred paces.’
    â€˜That’s right! And I got it straight away. The cocktail was a ‘Strangeways to Oldham’: one measure of dark rum, one measure of gin, half a measure of Rose’s Lime Cordial, two measures of mandarin juice, one measure of passion fruit juice and two measures of lemonade,’ she informed him crisply.
    â€˜But there had been something else in those glasses, too – something nasty. And some of the liquid had been spilled on the carpet, so I got down on all fours like a dog, and sniffed that too.’
    â€˜Oh, you didn’t, Manda. You’re quite shameless, you know.’
    â€˜And that’s how Matron caught me – on all fours, sniffing the carpet.’
    â€˜Whatever did you tell her?’ asked Hugo, amused at the turn of this tale.
    â€˜I told her I was praying for Reggie’s immortal soul, nicked an empty glass, and swiftly made my retreat, because I’d heard your voice. Your room seemed as good a place as any to hide, and I didn’t fancy being chased by that old harridan, down the drive, with my proof in my handbag. If I’d hesitated, she might have asked why