At Bertram's Hotel - Agatha Christie [16]
Miss Marple studied her appraisingly. Bertram’s Hotel could certainly produce marvels. A real housemaid. She pinched her left arm surreptitiously.
“Have you been here long?” she asked.
“Just over three years, Madam.”
“And before that?”
“I was in a hotel at Eastbourne. Very modern and up-to-date—but I prefer an old-fashioned place like this.”
Miss Marple took a sip of tea. She found herself humming in a vague way—words fitting themselves to a long-forgotten song.
“Oh where have you been all my life….”
The chambermaid was looking slightly startled.
“I was just remembering an old song,” twittered Miss Marple apologetically. “Very popular at one time.”
Again she sang softly. “Oh where have you been all my life….”
“Perhaps you know it?” she asked.
“Well—” The chambermaid looked rather apologetic.
“Too long ago for you,” said Miss Marple. “Ah well, one gets to remembering things—in a place like this.”
“Yes, Madam, a lot of the ladies who stay here feel like that, I think.”
“It’s partly why they come, I expect,” said Miss Marple.
The chambermaid went out. She was obviously used to old ladies who twittered and reminisced.
Miss Marple finished her breakfast, and got up in a pleasant leisurely fashion. She had a plan ready-made for a delightful morning of shopping. Not too much—to overtire herself. Oxford Street today, perhaps. And tomorrow Knightsbridge. She planned ahead happily.
It was about ten o’clock when she emerged from her room fully equipped: hat, gloves, umbrella—just in case, though it looked fine—handbag—her smartest shopping bag—
The door next but one on the corridor opened sharply and someone looked out. It was Bess Sedgwick. She withdrew back into the room and closed the door sharply.
Miss Marple wondered as she went down the stairs. She preferred the stairs to the lift first thing in the morning. It limbered her up. Her steps grew slower and slower…she stopped.
II
As Colonel Luscombe strode along the passage from his room, a door at the top of the stairs opened sharply and Lady Sedgwick spoke to him.
“There you are at last! I’ve been on the look out for you—waiting to pounce. Where can we go and talk? That is to say without falling over some old pussy every second.”
“Well, really, Bess, I’m not quite sure—I think on the mezzanine floor there’s a sort of writing room.”
“You’d better come in here. Quick now, before the chambermaid gets peculiar ideas about us.”
Rather unwillingly, Colonel Luscombe stepped across the threshold and had the door shut firmly behind him.
“I’d no idea you would be staying here, Bess, I hadn’t the faintest idea of it.”
“I don’t suppose you had.”
“I mean—I would never have brought Elvira here. I have got Elvira here, you know?”
“Yes, I saw her with you last night.”
“But I really didn’t know that you were here. It seemed such an unlikely place for you.”
“I don’t see why,” said Bess Sedgwick, coldy. “It’s far and away the most comfortable hotel in London. Why shouldn’t I stay here?”
“You must understand that I hadn’t any idea of…I mean—”
She looked at him and laughed. She was dressed ready to go out in a well cut dark suit and a shirt of bright emerald green. She looked gay and very much alive. Beside her, Colonel Luscombe looked rather old and faded.
“Darling Derek, don’t look so worried. I’m not accusing you of trying to stage a mother and daughter sentimental meeting. It’s just one of those things that happen; where people meet each other in unsuspected places. But you must get Elvira out of here, Derek. You must get her out of it at once—today.”
“Oh, she’s going. I mean, I only brought her here just for a couple of nights. Do a show—that sort of thing. She’s going down to the Melfords’ tomorrow.”
“Poor girl, that’ll be boring for her.”
Luscombe looked at her with concern. “Do you think she will be very bored?”
Bess took pity on him.
“Probably not after duress in Italy. She might even think it wildly thrilling.”
Luscombe took his courage in both hands.
“Look here, Bess, I was startled to find you here, but don’t you think it—well,