N or M_ - Agatha Christie [68]
‘How far?’
‘Five miles at least.’
Tuppence made a slight grimace.
‘Healthy walking exercise before lunch,’ she commented. ‘I hope Dr Binion offers me lunch when I get there.’
‘Do you know German, Mrs Beresford?’
‘Hotel variety only. I shall have to be firm about speaking English–say my instructions were to do so.’
‘It’s an awful risk,’ said Marsdon.
‘Nonsense. Who’s to imagine there’s been a substitution? Or does everyone know for miles round that there’s been a parachutist brought down?’
‘The two LDV men who reported it are being kept by the Chief Constable. Don’t want to risk their telling their friends how clever they have been!’
‘Somebody else may have seen it–or heard about it?’
Tony smiled.
‘My dear Mrs Beresford, every single day word goes round that one, two, three, four, up to a hundred parachutists have been seen!’
‘That’s probably quite true,’ agreed Tuppence. ‘Well, lead me to it.’
Tony said:
‘We’ve got the kit here–and a policewoman who’s an expert in the art of make-up. Come with me.’
Just inside the copse there was a tumble-down shed. At the door of it was a competent-looking middle-aged woman.
She looked at Tuppence and nodded approvingly.
Inside the shed, seated on an upturned packing case, Tuppence submitted herself to expert ministrations. Finally the operator stood back, nodded approvingly and remarked:
‘There, now, I think we’ve made a very nice job of it. What do you think, sir?’
‘Very good indeed,’ said Tony.
Tuppence stretched out her hand and took the mirror the other woman held. She surveyed her own face earnestly and could hardly repress a cry of surprise.
The eyebrows had been trimmed to an entirely different shape, altering the whole expression. Small pieces of adhesive plaster hidden by curls pulled forward over the ears that tightened the skin of the face and altered its contours. A small amount of nose putty had altered the shape of the nose, giving Tuppence an unexpectedly beak-like profile. Skilful make-up had added several years to her age, with heavy lines running down each side of the mouth. The whole face had a complacent, rather foolish look.
‘It’s frightfully clever,’ said Tuppence admiringly. She touched her nose gingerly.
‘You must be careful,’ the other woman warned her. She produced two slices of thin india-rubber. ‘Do you think you could bear to wear these in your cheeks?’
‘I suppose I shall have to,’ said Tuppence gloomily.
She slipped them in and worked her jaws carefully.
‘It’s not really too uncomfortable,’ she had to admit.
Tony then discreetly left the shed and Tuppence shed her own clothing and got into the nurse’s kit. It was not too bad a fit, though inclined to strain a little over the shoulders. The dark blue bonnet put the final touch to her new personality. She rejected, however, the stout square-toed shoes.
‘If I’ve got to walk five miles,’ she said decidedly, ‘I do it in my own shoes.’
They both agreed that this was reasonable–particularly as Tuppence’s own shoes were dark blue brogues that went well with the uniform.
She looked with interest into the dark blue handbag–powder; no lipstick; two pounds fourteen and sixpence in English money; a handkerchief and an identity card in the name of Freda Elton, 4 Manchester Road, Sheffield.
Tuppence transferred her own powder and lipstick and stood up, prepared to set out.
Tony Marsdon turned his head away. He said gruffly:
‘I feel a swine letting you do this.’
‘I know just how you feel.’
‘But, you see, it’s absolutely vital–that we should get some idea of just where and how the attack will come.’
Tuppence patted him on the arm. ‘Don’t you worry, my child. Believe it or not, I’m enjoying myself.’
Tony Marsdon said again: ‘I think you’re simply wonderful!’
III
Somewhat weary, Tuppence stood outside 14 St Asalph’s Road and noted that Dr Binion was a dental surgeon and not a doctor.
From the corner of her eye she noted Tony Marsdon. He was sitting in a racy-looking car outside a house farther down the street.
It had been judged necessary