Cat Among the Pigeons - Agatha Christie [56]
“She’s—she isn’t—she’s never—?”
“Are you going to say violent, Dennis? You’ve got an extraordinarily lurid imagination. No. My dear mamma is never violent. She just gets fuddled. She forgets where she is and who she is and wants to go for long walks, and then as like as not she’ll jump into a train or a bus and take off somewhere and—well, it’s all very difficult, you see. Sometimes it’s too much for one person to cope with. But she’s quite happy, even when she is fuddled. And sometimes quite funny about it. I remember her saying: ‘Ann, darling, it really is very embarrassing. I knew I was going to Tibet and there I was sitting in that hotel in Dover with no idea how to get there. Then I thought why was I going to Tibet? And I thought I’d better come home. Then I couldn’t remember how long ago it was when I left home. It makes it very embarrassing, dear, when you can’t quite remember things.’ Mummy was really very funny over it all, you know. I mean she quite sees the humorous side herself.”
“I’ve never actually met her,” Dennis began.
“I don’t encourage people to meet her,” said Ann. “That’s the one thing I think you can do for your people. Protect them from—well, curiosity and pity.”
“It’s not curiosity, Ann.”
“No, I don’t think it would be that with you. But it would be pity. I don’t want that.”
“I can see what you mean.”
“But if you think I mind giving up jobs from time to time and going home for an indefinite period, I don’t,” said Ann. “I never meant to get embroiled in anything too deeply. Not even when I took my first post after my secretarial training. I thought the thing was to get really good at the job. Then if you’re really good you can pick and choose your posts. You see different places and you see different kinds of life. At the moment I’m seeing school life. The best school in England seen from within! I shall stay there, I expect, about a year and a half.”
“You never really get caught up in things, do you, Ann?”
“No,” said Ann thoughtfully, “I don’t think I do. I think I’m one of those people who is a born observer. More like a commentator on the radio.”
“You’re so detached,” said Dennis gloomily. “You don’t really care about anything or anyone.”
“I expect I shall some day,” said Ann encouragingly.
“I do understand more or less how you’re thinking and feeling.”
“I doubt it,” said Ann.
“Anyway, I don’t think you’ll last a year. You’ll get fed up with all those women,” said Dennis.
“There’s a very good-looking gardener,” said Ann. She laughed when she saw Dennis’s expression. “Cheer up, I’m only trying to make you jealous.”
“What’s this about one of the mistresses having been killed?”
“Oh, that.” Ann’s face became serious and thoughtful.
“That’s odd, Dennis. Very odd indeed. It was the Games Mistress. You know the type. I-am-a-plain-Games Mistress. I think there’s a lot more behind it than has come out yet.”
“Well, don’t you get mixed up in anything unpleasant.”
“That’s easy to say. I’ve never had any chance at displaying my talents as a sleuth. I think I might be rather good at it.”
“Now, Ann.”
“Darling, I’m not going to trail dangerous criminals. I’m just going to—well, make a few logical deductions. Why and who. And what for? That sort of thing. I’ve come across one piece of information that’s rather interesting.”
“Ann!”
“Don’t look so agonized. Only it doesn’t seem to link up with anything,” said Ann thoughtfully. “Up to a point it all fits in very well. And then, suddenly, it doesn’t.” She added cheerfully, “Perhaps there’ll be a second murder, and that will clarify things a little.”
It was at exactly that moment that Miss Chadwick pushed open the Sports Pavilion door.
Fifteen
MURDER REPEATS ITSELF
“Come along,” said Inspector Kelsey, entering the room with a grim face. “There’s been another.”
“Another what?” Adam looked up sharply.