from one Simon Mortimer, of London - a dry business-like letter containing so little of moment that Tuppence wondered why it had been kept. Was Mr Mortimer not so harmless as he seemed? At the bottom of the pile a letter in faded ink signed Pat and beginning “This will be the last letter I'll be writing you, Eileen my darling -”
No, not that! Tuppence could not bring herself to read that! She refolded it, tidied the letters on top of it and then, suddenly alert, pushed the drawer to - no time to re-lock it - and when the door opened and Mrs Perenna came in, she was searching vaguely amongst the bottles on the washstand.
Mrs. Blenkensop turned a flustered, but foolish face towards her hostess.
“Oh, Mrs Perenna, do forgive me. I came in with such a blinding headache, and I thought I would lie down on my bed with a little aspirin, and I couldn't find mine, so I thought you wouldn't mind - I know you must have some because you offered it to Miss Minton the other day.”
Mrs Perenna swept into the room. There was a sharpness in her voice as she said:
“Why, of course, Mrs Blenkensop, why ever didn't you come and ask me?”
“Well, of course, yes, I should have done really. But I knew you were all at lunch, and I do hate, you know, making a fuss -”
Passing Tuppence, Mrs Perenna caught up the bottle of aspirin from the washstand.
“How many would you like?” she demanded crisply.
Mrs Blenkensop accepted three. Escorted by Mrs Perenna she crossed to her own room and hastily demurred to the suggestion of a hot water bottle.
Mrs Perenna used her parting shot as she left the room.
“But you have some aspirin of your own, Mrs Blenkensop. I've seen it.”
Tuppence cried quickly:
“Oh, I know. I know I've got some somewhere, but, so stupid of me. I simply couldn't lay my hands on it.”
Mrs Perenna said, with a, flash of her big white teeth:
“Well, have a good rest until tea time.”
She went out, closing the door behind her. Tuppence drew a deep breath, lying on her bed rigidly lest Mrs Perenna should return.
Had the other suspected anything? Those teeth, so big and so white - the better to eat you with, my dear. Tuppence always thought of that when she noticed those teeth. Mrs Perenna's hands too, big cruel-looking hands.
She had appeared to accept Tuppence's presence in her bedroom quite naturally. But latter she would find the bureau drawer unlocked. Would she suspect then? Or would she think she had left it unlocked herself by accident? One did do such things. Had Tuppence been able to replace the papers in such a way that they looked much the same as before?
Surely, even if Mrs Perenna did notice anything amiss she would be more likely to suspect one of the servants than she would “Mrs Blenkensop.” And if she did suspect the latter, wouldn't it be a mere case of suspecting her of undue curiosity? There were people, Tuppence knew, who did poke and pry.
But then, if Mrs Perenna were the renowned German agent, M, she would be suspicious of counterespionage.
Had anything in her bearing revealed undue alertness?
She had seemed natural enough - only that one sharply pointed remark about the aspirin.
Suddenly, Tuppence sat up on her bed. She remembered that her aspirin, together with some iodine and a bottle of soda mints were all together at the back of the writing table drawer where she had shoved them when unpacking.
It would seem, therefore, that she was not the only person to snoop in other people's rooms. Mrs Perenna had got there first.
N or M
Chapter 7
On the following day Mrs Sprot went up to London.
A few tentative remarks on her part had led immediately to various offers on the part of the inhabitants of Sans Souci to look after Betty.
When Mrs Sprot, with many final adjurations to Betty to be a very good girl, had departed, Betty attached herself to Tuppence, who had elected to take morning duty.
“Play,” said Betty. “Play hide seek.”
She was talking more easily every day
No, not that! Tuppence could not bring herself to read that! She refolded it, tidied the letters on top of it and then, suddenly alert, pushed the drawer to - no time to re-lock it - and when the door opened and Mrs Perenna came in, she was searching vaguely amongst the bottles on the washstand.
Mrs. Blenkensop turned a flustered, but foolish face towards her hostess.
“Oh, Mrs Perenna, do forgive me. I came in with such a blinding headache, and I thought I would lie down on my bed with a little aspirin, and I couldn't find mine, so I thought you wouldn't mind - I know you must have some because you offered it to Miss Minton the other day.”
Mrs Perenna swept into the room. There was a sharpness in her voice as she said:
“Why, of course, Mrs Blenkensop, why ever didn't you come and ask me?”
“Well, of course, yes, I should have done really. But I knew you were all at lunch, and I do hate, you know, making a fuss -”
Passing Tuppence, Mrs Perenna caught up the bottle of aspirin from the washstand.
“How many would you like?” she demanded crisply.
Mrs Blenkensop accepted three. Escorted by Mrs Perenna she crossed to her own room and hastily demurred to the suggestion of a hot water bottle.
Mrs Perenna used her parting shot as she left the room.
“But you have some aspirin of your own, Mrs Blenkensop. I've seen it.”
Tuppence cried quickly:
“Oh, I know. I know I've got some somewhere, but, so stupid of me. I simply couldn't lay my hands on it.”
Mrs Perenna said, with a, flash of her big white teeth:
“Well, have a good rest until tea time.”
She went out, closing the door behind her. Tuppence drew a deep breath, lying on her bed rigidly lest Mrs Perenna should return.
Had the other suspected anything? Those teeth, so big and so white - the better to eat you with, my dear. Tuppence always thought of that when she noticed those teeth. Mrs Perenna's hands too, big cruel-looking hands.
She had appeared to accept Tuppence's presence in her bedroom quite naturally. But latter she would find the bureau drawer unlocked. Would she suspect then? Or would she think she had left it unlocked herself by accident? One did do such things. Had Tuppence been able to replace the papers in such a way that they looked much the same as before?
Surely, even if Mrs Perenna did notice anything amiss she would be more likely to suspect one of the servants than she would “Mrs Blenkensop.” And if she did suspect the latter, wouldn't it be a mere case of suspecting her of undue curiosity? There were people, Tuppence knew, who did poke and pry.
But then, if Mrs Perenna were the renowned German agent, M, she would be suspicious of counterespionage.
Had anything in her bearing revealed undue alertness?
She had seemed natural enough - only that one sharply pointed remark about the aspirin.
Suddenly, Tuppence sat up on her bed. She remembered that her aspirin, together with some iodine and a bottle of soda mints were all together at the back of the writing table drawer where she had shoved them when unpacking.
It would seem, therefore, that she was not the only person to snoop in other people's rooms. Mrs Perenna had got there first.
N or M
Chapter 7
On the following day Mrs Sprot went up to London.
A few tentative remarks on her part had led immediately to various offers on the part of the inhabitants of Sans Souci to look after Betty.
When Mrs Sprot, with many final adjurations to Betty to be a very good girl, had departed, Betty attached herself to Tuppence, who had elected to take morning duty.
“Play,” said Betty. “Play hide seek.”
She was talking more easily every day
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