N or M_ - Agatha Christie [27]
She opened the first letter.
‘Dearest Mother,
‘Lots of funny things I could tell you only I mustn’t. We’re putting up a good show, I think. Five German planes before breakfast is today’s market quotation. Bit of a mess at the moment and all that, but we’ll get there all right in the end.
‘It’s the way they machine-gun the poor civilian devils on the roads that gets me. It makes us all see red. Gus and Trundles want to be remembered to you. They’re still going strong.
‘Don’t worry about me. I’m all right. Wouldn’t have missed this show for the world. Love to old Carrot Top–have the W.O. given him a job yet?
‘Yours ever,
‘Derek.’
Tuppence’s eyes were very bright and shining as she read and re-read this.
Then she opened the other letter.
‘Dearest Mum,
‘How’s old Aunt Gracie? Going strong? I think you’re wonderful to stick it. I couldn’t.
‘No news. My job is very interesting, but so hush-hush I can’t tell you about it. But I really do feel I’m doing something worthwhile. Don’t fret about not getting any war work to do–it’s so silly all these elderly women rushing about wanting to do things. They only really want people who are young and efficient. I wonder how Carrots is getting on at his job up in Scotland? Just filling up forms, I suppose. Still he’ll be happy to feel he is doing something.
‘Lots of love,
‘Deborah.’
Tuppence smiled.
She folded the letters, smoothed them lovingly, and then under the shelter of a breakwater she struck a match and set them on fire. She waited until they were reduced to ashes.
Taking out her fountain-pen and a small writing-pad, she wrote rapidly.
‘Langherne,
Cornwall.
‘Dearest Deb,
‘It seems so remote from the war here that I can hardly believe there is a war going on. Very glad to get your letter and know that your work is interesting.
‘Aunt Gracie has grown much more feeble and very hazy in her mind. I think she is glad to have me here. She talks a good deal about the old days and sometimes, I think, confuses me with my own mother. They are growing more vegetables than usual–have turned the rose-garden into potatoes. I help old Sikes a bit. It makes me feel I am doing something in the war. Your father seems a bit disgruntled, but I think, as you say, he too is glad to be doing something.
‘Love from your
‘TUPPENNY MOTHER.’
She took a fresh sheet.
‘Darling Derek,
‘A great comfort to get your letter. Send field postcards often if you haven’t time to write.
‘I’ve come down to be with Aunt Gracie a bit. She is very feeble. She will talk of you as though you were seven and gave me ten shillings yesterday to send you as a tip.
‘I’m still on the shelf and nobody wants my invaluable services! Extraordinary! Your father, as I told you, has got a job in the Ministry of Requirements. He is up north somewhere. Better than nothing, but not what he wanted, poor old Carrot Top. Still I suppose we’ve got to be humble and take a back seat and leave the war to you young idiots.
‘I won’t say “Take care of yourself”, because I gather that the whole point is that you should do just the opposite. But don’t go and be stupid.
‘Lots of love,
‘TUPPENCE.’
She put the letters into envelopes, addressed and stamped them, and posted them on her way back to Sans Souci.
As she reached the bottom of the cliff her attention was caught by two figures standing talking a little way up.
Tuppence stopped dead. It was the same woman she had seen yesterday and talking to her was Carl von Deinim.
Regretfully Tuppence noted the fact that there was no cover. She could not get near them unseen and overhear what was being said.
Moreover, at that moment, the young German turned his head and saw her. Rather abruptly, the two figures parted. The woman came rapidly down the hill, crossing the road and passing Tuppence on the other side.
Carl von Deinim waited until Tuppence came up to him.
Then, gravely and politely, he wished her good