Free The Mirror Crack'd: from Side to Side by Agatha Christie

think Heather Badcock was that kind of person.”
    Mrs. Bantry said, “You think she was the sort of person who might have butted into something without knowing what she was doing?”
    â€œAnd without realising that it was a dangerous thing to do,” said Miss Marple. She added, “It’s the only reason I can possibly think of why she should have been killed. If of course,” added Miss Marple, “we are right in assuming that murder has been committed.”
    â€œYou don’t think she was blackmailing someone?” Mrs. Bantry suggested.
    â€œOh, no,” Miss Marple assured her. “She was a kind, good woman. She’d never have done anything of that kind.” She added vexedly, “The whole thing seems to me very unlikely. I suppose it can’t have been—”
    â€œWell?” Mrs. Bantry urged her.
    â€œI just wondered if it might have been the wrong murder,” said Miss Marple thoughtfully.
    The door opened and Dr. Haydock breezed in, Miss Knight twittering behind him.
    â€œAh, at it already, I see,” said Dr. Haydock, looking at the two ladies. “I came in to see how your health was,” he said to Miss Marple, “but I needn’t ask. I see you’ve begun to adopt the treatment that I suggested.”
    â€œTreatment, Doctor?”
    Dr. Haydock pointed a finger at the knitting that lay on the table beside her. “Unravelling,” he said. “I’m right, aren’t I?”
    Miss Marple twinkled very slightly in a discreet, old-fashioned kind of way.
    â€œYou will have your joke, Doctor Haydock,” she said.
    â€œYou can’t pull the wool over my eyes, my dear lady. I’ve known you too many years. Sudden death at Gossington Hall and all the tongues of St. Mary Mead are wagging. Isn’t that so? Murder suggested long before anybody even knows the result of the inquest.”
    â€œWhen is the inquest to be held?” asked Miss Marple.
    â€œThe day after tomorrow,” said Dr. Haydock, “and by that time,” he said, “you ladies will have reviewed the whole story, decided onthe verdict and decided on a good many other points too, I expect. Well,” he added, “I shan’t waste my time here. It’s no good wasting time on a patient that doesn’t need my ministrations. Your cheeks are pink, your eyes are bright, you’ve begun to enjoy yourself. Nothing like having an interest in life. I’ll be on my way.” He stomped out again.
    â€œI’d rather have him than Sandford any day,” said Mrs. Bantry.
    â€œSo would I,” said Miss Marple. “He’s a good friend, too,” she added thoughtfully. “He came, I think, to give me the go-ahead sign.”
    â€œThen it was murder,” said Mrs. Bantry. They looked at each other. “At any rate, the doctors think so.”
    Miss Knight brought in cups of coffee. For once in their lives, both ladies were too impatient to welcome this interruption. When Miss Knight had gone Miss Marple started immediately.
    â€œNow then, Dolly, you were there—”
    â€œI practically saw it happen,” said Mrs. Bantry, with modest pride.
    â€œSplendid,” said Miss Marple. “I mean—well, you know what I mean. So you can tell me just exactly what happened from the moment she arrived.”
    â€œI’d been taken into the house,” said Mrs. Bantry. “Snob status.”
    â€œWho took you in?”
    â€œOh, a willowy-looking young man. I think he’s Marina Gregg’s secretary or something like that. He took me in, up the staircase. They were having a kind of reunion reception committee at the top of the stairs.”
    â€œOn the landing?” said Miss Marple, surprised.
    â€œOh, they’ve altered all that. They’ve knocked the dressingroom and bedroom down so that you’ve got a big sort of alcove, practically a room. It’s very attractive