Endless Night by Agatha Christie Page A

herself.”
    â€œDo you think she’ll try and make trouble between us?” I asked.
    â€œI think,” said Mr. Lippincott, “that I have no right to say anything of that kind.”
    He sat looking cautiously at me, and blinking like a wrinkled old tortoise.
    I didn’t know quite what to say next. He spoke first, choosing his words with some care.
    â€œThere has been, then, no suggestion that Greta Andersen might take up her residence with you?”
    â€œNot if I can help it,” I said.
    â€œAh. So that is what you feel? The idea has been mooted.”
    â€œEllie did say something of the kind. But we’re newly married, Mr. Lippincott. We want our house—our new home—to ourselves. Of course she’ll come and stay sometimes, I suppose. That’ll only be natural.”
    â€œAs you say, that would be only natural. But you realize, perhaps, that Greta is going to be in a somewhat difficult position as regards further employment. I mean, it is not a question of what Ellie thinks of her, but of what the people who engaged her and reposed trust in her feel.”
    â€œYou mean that you or Mrs. van What’s-her-name won’t recommend her for another post of the same kind?”
    â€œThey are hardly likely to do so except so far as to satisfy purely legal requirements.”
    â€œAnd you think that she’ll want to come to England and live on Ellie.”
    â€œI don’t want to prejudice you too much against her. After all, this is mostly in my mind. I dislike some of the things she has done and the way she has done them. I think that Ellie who has a very generous heart will be upset at having, shall we say, blighted Greta’s prospects in many ways. She might impulsively insist on her coming to live with you.”
    â€œI don’t think Ellie will insist,” I said slowly. I sounded a little worried all the same, and I thought Lippincott noticed it. “But couldn’t we—Ellie, I mean—couldn’t Ellie pension her off?”
    â€œWe should not put it precisely like that,” said Mr. Lippincott. “There is a suggestion of age about pensioning anyone off andGreta is a young woman, and I may say a very handsome young woman. Beautiful, in fact,” he added in a deprecating, disapproving voice. “She’s very attractive to men, too.”
    â€œWell, perhaps she’ll marry,” I said. “If she’s all that, why hasn’t she got married before this?”
    â€œThere have been people attracted, I believe, but she has not considered them. I think, however, that your suggestion is a very sound one. I think it might be carried out in a way that would not hurt anyone’s susceptibilities. It might seem quite a natural thing to do on Ellie’s having attained her majority and having had her marriage helped on by Greta’s good offices—settle a sum of money upon her in a fit of gratitude.” Mr. Lippincott made the last two words sound as sour as lemon juice.
    â€œWell, then, that’s all right,” I said cheerfully.
    â€œAgain I see that you are an optimist. Let us hope that Greta will accept what is offered to her.”
    â€œWhy shouldn’t she? She’d be mad if she didn’t.”
    â€œI don’t know,” said Mr. Lippincott. “I should say it would be extraordinary if she did not accept, and they will remain on terms of friendship, of course.”
    â€œYou think—what do you think?”
    â€œI would like to see her influence over Ellie broken,” said Mr. Lippincott. He got up. “You will, I hope, assist me and do everything you can to further that end?”
    â€œYou bet I will,” I said. “The last thing I want is to have Greta in our pockets all the time.”
    â€œYou might change your mind when you see her,” said Mr. Lippincott.
    â€œI don’t think so,” I said. “I don’t like managing females,