The Mirror Crack'd: from Side to Side Read Online Free PDF Page B

dropped them.”
    Haydock looked at her thoughtfully.
    Then his eyes twinkled.
    â€œThere’s always the opposite.”
    â€œNow what do you mean by that?”
    â€œIf you can’t knit, what about unravelling for a change? Penelope did.”
    â€œI’m hardly in her position.”
    â€œBut unravelling’s rather in your line, isn’t it?”
    He rose to his feet.
    â€œI must be getting along. What I’d prescribe for you is a nice juicy murder.”
    â€œThat’s an outrageous thing to say!”
    â€œIsn’t it? However, you can always make do with the depth theparsley sank into the butter on a summer’s day. I always wondered about that. Good old Holmes. A period piece, nowadays, I suppose. But he’ll never be forgotten.”
    Miss Knight bustled in after the doctor had gone.
    â€œThere,” she said, “we look much more cheerful. Did the doctor recommend a tonic?”
    â€œHe recommended me to take an interest in murder.”
    â€œA nice detective story?”
    â€œNo,” said Miss Marple. “Real life.”
    â€œGoodness,” exclaimed Miss Knight. “But there’s not likely to be a murder in this quiet spot.”
    â€œMurders,” said Miss Marple, “can happen anywhere. And do.”
    â€œAt the Development, perhaps?” mused Miss Knight. “A lot of those Teddy-looking boys carry knives.”
    But the murder, when it came, was not at the Development.

Four
    M rs. Bantry stepped back a foot or two, surveyed herself in the glass, made a slight adjustment to her hat (she was not used to wearing hats), drew on a pair of good quality leather gloves and left the lodge, closing the door carefully behind her. She had the most pleasurable anticipations of what lay in front of her. Some three weeks had passed since her talk with Miss Marple. Marina Gregg and her husband had arrived at Gossington Hall and were now more or less installed there.
    There was to be a meeting there this afternoon of the main persons involved in the arrangements for the fête in aid of the St. John Ambulance. Mrs. Bantry was not among those on the committee, but she had received a note from Marina Gregg asking her to come and have tea beforehand. It had recalled their meeting in California and had been signed, “Cordially, Marina Gregg.” It had been handwritten, not typewritten. There is no denying that Mrs. Bantry was both pleased and flattered. After all, a celebrated film star is a celebrated film star and elderly ladies, though they may be of localimportance, are aware of their complete unimportance in the world of celebrities. So Mrs. Bantry had the pleased feeling of a child for whom a special treat had been arranged.
    As she walked up the drive Mrs. Bantry’s keen eyes went from side to side registering her impressions. The place had been smartened up since the days when it had passed from hand to hand. “No expense spared,” said Mrs. Bantry to herself, nodding in satisfaction. The drive afforded no view of the flower garden and for that Mrs. Bantry was just as pleased. The flower garden and its special herbaceous border had been her own particular delight in the far-off days when she had lived at Gossington Hall. She permitted regretful and nostalgic memories of her irises. The best iris garden of any in the country, she told herself with a fierce pride.
    Faced by a new front door in a blaze of new paint she pressed the bell. The door was opened with gratifying promptness by what was undeniably an Italian butler. She was ushered by him straight to the room which had been Colonel Bantry’s library. This, as she had already heard, had been thrown into one with the study. The result was impressive. The walls were panelled, the floor was parquet. At one end was a grand piano and halfway along the wall was a superb record player. At the other end of the room was a small island, as it were, which comprised Persian