Free Third Girl by Agatha Christie Page A

maddening it is when one loses something like that,” went on Mrs Oliver, chattily. “One has all one's engagements written down there. I'm quite sure I'm lunching with someone very important today, and I can't remember who it was or where the luncheon was to be. Only, of course, it may be tomorrow. If so, I'm lunching with someone else quite different. Oh dear.”
    “Very trying for you, ma'am, I'm sure,” said the cleaning woman with sympathy.
    “They're such nice flats, these,” said Mrs Oliver, looking round.
    “A long way up.”
    “Well, that gives you a very good view, doesn't it?”
    “Yes, but if they face east you get a lot of cold wind in winter. Comes right through these metal window frames. Some people have had double windows put in. Oh yes, I wouldn't care for a flat facing this way in winter. No, give me a nice ground floor flat every time. Much more convenient too if you've got children. For prams and all that, you know. Oh yes, I'm all for the ground floor, I am. Think if there was to be a fire.”
    “Yes, of course, that would be terrible,” said Mrs Oliver. “I suppose there are fire escapes?”
    “You can't always get to a fire door. Terrified of fire, I am. Always have been. And they're ever so expensive, these flats. You wouldn't believe the rents they ask! That's why Miss Holland gets two other girls to go in with her.”
    “Oh yes, I think I met them both. Miss Cary's an artist, isn't she?”
    “Works for an art gallery, she does. Don't work at it very hard, though. She paints a bit - cows and trees that you'd never recognise as being what they're meant to be. An untidy young lady. The state her room is in - you wouldn't believe it! Now Miss Holland, everything is always as neat as a new pin. She was a secretary in the Coal Board at one time but she's a private secretary in the City now. She likes it better, she says. She's secretary to a very rich gentleman just come back from South America or somewhere like that. He's Miss Norma's father, and it was he who asked Miss Holland to take her as a boarder when the last young lady went off to get married - and she mentioned as she was looking for another girl. Well, she couldn't very well refuse, could she? Not since he was her employer.”
    “Did she want to refuse?”
    The woman sniffed. “I think she would have - if she'd known.”
    “Known what?” The question was too direct.
    “It's not for me to say anything, I'm sure. It's not my business -”
    Mrs Oliver continued to look mildly enquiring. Mrs Mop fell.
    “It's not that she isn't a nice young lady. Scatty - but then they're nearly all scatty. But I think as a doctor ought to see her. There are times when she doesn't seem to know rightly what she's doing, or where she is. It gives you quite a turn, sometimes - Looks just how my husband's nephew does after he's had a fit. (Terrible fits he has - you wouldn't believe!) Only I've never known her have fits. Maybe she takes things - a lot do.”
    “I believe there is a young man her family doesn't approve of.”
    “Yes, so I've heard. He's come here to call for her once or twice - though I've never seen him. One of these Mods by all accounts. Miss Holland doesn't like it - but what can you do nowadays? Girls go their own way.”
    “Sometimes one feels very upset about girls nowadays!” said Mrs Oliver, and tried to look serious and responsible. “Not brought up right, that's what one says.”
    “I'm afraid not. No, I'm afraid not. One feels really a girl like Norma Restarick would be better at home than coming all alone to London and earning her living as an interior decorator.”
    “She don't like it at home.”
    “Really?”
    “Got a stepmother. Girls don't like stepmothers. From what I've heard the stepmother's done her best, tried to pull her up, tried to keep flashy young men out of the house, that sort of thing. She knows girls pick up with the wrong young man and a lot of harm may come of it. Sometimes -” the cleaning