Arsenic For Tea: A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery (A Wells and Wong Mystery) by Robin Stevens Page B
Authors: Robin Stevens
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squeaked.
‘And if there was any doubt, the missing teacup confirms it. The murderer knew that cup was important evidence, so they got rid of it.’
‘But who
is
the murderer?’ asked Beanie fearfully.
‘Good question!’ said Daisy, beaming. ‘Because of the way that the murderer broke in to the dining room, Hazel and I have deduced that it must be someone in this house. Only one of us could have known about the spare keys in the umbrella stand, or have been able to slip into Uncle Felix’s room to pinch the key that he had in his pocket.’
Beanie looked terrified. I wanted to tell her that she would be all right – but I couldn’t make myself say it when it might not be true. Had we done something awful by dragging her and Kitty into the investigation?
‘We ought to make a list of suspects,’ I said instead. Lists, as I knew from our last murder case, made everything seem more safe. When it was all down in my casebook it became a puzzle, something we could manage, something more exciting than terrifying.
‘So we ought!’ said Daisy. ‘You know, I have some very good ideas about who it might be.’
I looked at her. Her eyes were gleaming, and every bit of her was at attention and on the scent – just as though Mr Curtis’s death had happened in a faraway house, with quite different people. I thought of Uncle Felix, pretending to everyone that he didn’t know Mr Curtis had been poisoned. I thought of Aunt Saskia, begging Lady Hastings not to call the police, and I thought of Bertie, shouting so angrily at Lady Hastings and Mr Curtis on Friday evening. Was Daisy really excited about suspecting one of her own family?
‘Who?’ I asked cautiously.
‘Well, there is certainly one person who’s been acting particularly suspiciously ever since Mr Curtis arrived.’
We all waited to hear what she would say.
Daisy sighed. ‘
Miss Alston
, of course,’ she said.
8
Kitty gasped. Of course, I did see what Daisy meant. Miss Alston had been odder than ever since Mr Curtis arrived. I remembered the moment when she had emerged from the maze, and he had spoken to her in that strange way, as though he knew something about her that we did not. But all the same, I was concerned. I remembered what had happened the last time Daisy decided on a suspect so quickly.
‘Are you
sure
?’ I asked.
Daisy rolled her eyes. ‘
No
, I’m not sure,’ she said. ‘It’s just a hypothesis. But you have to admit, it’s a good one. We heard what Mr Curtis said to her – he accused her of being at Fallingford for a reason other than being a governess, and I’m sure that’s true. She’s a very suspicious character – I’m certain she has a secret. It’s extremely important that we watch her and try to discover what it is. Write her down on the list. Now, who else?’
I didn’t want to be the first to mention someone from Daisy’s family. I opened my mouth and shut it again. But then Kitty spoke.
‘What about your aunt Saskia?’ she asked. ‘You said that watch of Mr Curtis’s was missing with the teacup. Hasn’t she been absolutely fixated on it all weekend? She might have murdered Mr Curtis to get her hands on it.
And
she didn’t want your mother to call the police.’
Daisy blinked and frowned.
‘I’m only
saying
,’ said Kitty, undaunted. ‘You asked who else might have done it.’
‘Yes,’ said Daisy. ‘You’re quite right, of course. We know that the watch is missing, and we also know that Aunt Saskia is always taking things that don’t belong to her. She’s not a
thief
– people like
us
aren’t – but she does . . . have a little problem. She’s only ever taken small things that won’t be missed, but I suppose that if she wanted the watch enough she might have done something silly to get it. Write that down too, Hazel.’
‘And what about Uncle Felix?’ I put in, since the plunge had clearly been taken. ‘I know you like him, but you have to admit that he’s been behaving
‘And if there was any doubt, the missing teacup confirms it. The murderer knew that cup was important evidence, so they got rid of it.’
‘But who
is
the murderer?’ asked Beanie fearfully.
‘Good question!’ said Daisy, beaming. ‘Because of the way that the murderer broke in to the dining room, Hazel and I have deduced that it must be someone in this house. Only one of us could have known about the spare keys in the umbrella stand, or have been able to slip into Uncle Felix’s room to pinch the key that he had in his pocket.’
Beanie looked terrified. I wanted to tell her that she would be all right – but I couldn’t make myself say it when it might not be true. Had we done something awful by dragging her and Kitty into the investigation?
‘We ought to make a list of suspects,’ I said instead. Lists, as I knew from our last murder case, made everything seem more safe. When it was all down in my casebook it became a puzzle, something we could manage, something more exciting than terrifying.
‘So we ought!’ said Daisy. ‘You know, I have some very good ideas about who it might be.’
I looked at her. Her eyes were gleaming, and every bit of her was at attention and on the scent – just as though Mr Curtis’s death had happened in a faraway house, with quite different people. I thought of Uncle Felix, pretending to everyone that he didn’t know Mr Curtis had been poisoned. I thought of Aunt Saskia, begging Lady Hastings not to call the police, and I thought of Bertie, shouting so angrily at Lady Hastings and Mr Curtis on Friday evening. Was Daisy really excited about suspecting one of her own family?
‘Who?’ I asked cautiously.
‘Well, there is certainly one person who’s been acting particularly suspiciously ever since Mr Curtis arrived.’
We all waited to hear what she would say.
Daisy sighed. ‘
Miss Alston
, of course,’ she said.
8
Kitty gasped. Of course, I did see what Daisy meant. Miss Alston had been odder than ever since Mr Curtis arrived. I remembered the moment when she had emerged from the maze, and he had spoken to her in that strange way, as though he knew something about her that we did not. But all the same, I was concerned. I remembered what had happened the last time Daisy decided on a suspect so quickly.
‘Are you
sure
?’ I asked.
Daisy rolled her eyes. ‘
No
, I’m not sure,’ she said. ‘It’s just a hypothesis. But you have to admit, it’s a good one. We heard what Mr Curtis said to her – he accused her of being at Fallingford for a reason other than being a governess, and I’m sure that’s true. She’s a very suspicious character – I’m certain she has a secret. It’s extremely important that we watch her and try to discover what it is. Write her down on the list. Now, who else?’
I didn’t want to be the first to mention someone from Daisy’s family. I opened my mouth and shut it again. But then Kitty spoke.
‘What about your aunt Saskia?’ she asked. ‘You said that watch of Mr Curtis’s was missing with the teacup. Hasn’t she been absolutely fixated on it all weekend? She might have murdered Mr Curtis to get her hands on it.
And
she didn’t want your mother to call the police.’
Daisy blinked and frowned.
‘I’m only
saying
,’ said Kitty, undaunted. ‘You asked who else might have done it.’
‘Yes,’ said Daisy. ‘You’re quite right, of course. We know that the watch is missing, and we also know that Aunt Saskia is always taking things that don’t belong to her. She’s not a
thief
– people like
us
aren’t – but she does . . . have a little problem. She’s only ever taken small things that won’t be missed, but I suppose that if she wanted the watch enough she might have done something silly to get it. Write that down too, Hazel.’
‘And what about Uncle Felix?’ I put in, since the plunge had clearly been taken. ‘I know you like him, but you have to admit that he’s been behaving
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