Postern of Fate (Tommy and Tuppence Series) - Agatha Christie [32]
‘Oh dear!’ said Tuppence, ‘now what have I done?’
What she had done was to catch her foot in the dark blue porcelain stool and it rolled down on to the floor and smashed in two pieces.
‘Oh dear,’ said Tuppence, ‘now I’ve really killed Oxford, I suppose. We shall have to make do with Cambridge. I don’t think you could stick Oxford together again. The pieces are too difficult.’
She sighed and wondered what Tommy was doing.
II
Tommy was sitting exchanging memories with some old friends.
‘World’s in a funny way nowadays,’ said Colonel Atkinson. ‘I hear you and your what’s-her-name, Prudence–no, you had a nickname for her, Tuppence, that’s right–yes, I hear you’ve gone to live in the country. Somewhere down near Hollowquay. I wonder what took you there. Anything particular?’
‘Well, we found this house fairly cheap,’ said Tommy.
‘Ah. Well, that’s lucky always, isn’t it? What’s the name? You must give me your address.’
‘Well, we think we may call it Cedar Lodge because there’s a very nice cedar there. Its original name was The Laurels, but that’s rather a Victorian hangover, isn’t it?’
‘The Laurels. The Laurels, Hollowquay. My word, what are you up to, eh? What are you up to?’
Tommy looked at the elderly face with the sprouting white moustache.
‘On to something, are you?’ said Colonel Atkinson. ‘Are you employed in the service of your country again?’
‘Oh, I’m too old for that,’ said Tommy. ‘I’m retired from all that sort of stuff.’
‘Ah, I wonder now. Perhaps that’s just the thing you say. Perhaps you’ve been told to say that. After all, you know, there’s a good deal was never found out about all that business.’
‘What business?’ said Tommy.
‘Well, I expect you’ve read about it or heard about it. The Cardington Scandal. You know, came after that other thing–the what-you-call-’em letters–and the Emlyn Johnson submarine business.’
‘Oh,’ said Tommy, ‘I seem to remember something vaguely.’
‘Well, it wasn’t actually the submarine business, but that’s what called attention to the whole thing. And there were those letters, you see. Gave the whole show away politically. Yes. Letters. If they’d been able to get hold of them it would have made a big difference. It would have drawn attention to several people who at the time were the most highly trusted people in the government. Astonishing how these things happen, isn’t it? You know! The traitors in one’s midst, always highly trusted, always splendid fellows, always the last people to be suspected–and all the time–well, a lot of all that never came to light.’ He winked one eye. ‘Perhaps you’ve been sent down there to have a look round, eh, my boy?’
‘A look round at what?’ said Tommy.
‘Well, this house of yours, The Laurels, did you say? There used to be some silly jokes about The Laurels sometimes. Mind you, they’d had a good look round, the security people and the rest of them. They thought that somewhere in that house was valuable evidence of some kind. There was an idea it had been sent overseas –Italy was mentioned–just before people got alerted. But other people thought it might be still hidden there in that part of the world somewhere. You know, it’s the sort of place that has cellars and flagstones and various things. Come now, Tommy, my boy, I feel you’re on the hunt again.’
‘I assure you I don’t do anything of that kind nowadays.’
‘Well, that’s what one thought before about you when you were at that other place. Beginning of the last war. You know, where you ran down that German chap. That and the woman with the nursery rhyme books. Yes. Sharp bit of work, all that. And now, perhaps, they’ve set you on another trail!’
‘Nonsense,’ said Tommy. ‘You mustn’t get all these ideas in your head. I’m an old gaffer now.’
‘You’re a cunning old dog. I bet you’re better than some of these young ones. Yes. You sit there looking innocent, and really I expect, well, one mustn’t ask you questions. Mustn’t ask you to betray State secrets, must I? Anyway, be careful of your missus. You know