Free Agatha Christie by The House of Lurking Death: A Tommy, Tuppence SS Page B

Blunt, that I was brought up by my aunt, Lady Radclyffe, who was extremely wealthy. Her husband made a big fortune, and was knighted. It was he who bought Thurnly Grange, but he died two years after going there, and it was then that Lady Radclyffe sent for me to come and make my home with her. I was her only living relation. The other inmate of the house was Dennis Radclyffe, her husband’s nephew. I have always called him cousin, but of course he is really nothing of the kind. Aunt Lucy always said openly that she intended to leave her money, with the exception of a small provision for me, to Dennis. It was Radclyffe money, she said, and it ought to go to a Radclyffe. However, when Dennis was twenty-two, she quarrelled violently with him – over some debts that he had run up, I think. When she died, a year later, I was astonished to find that she had made a will leaving all her money to me. It was, I know, a great blow to Dennis, and I felt very badly about it. I would have given him the money if he would have taken it, but it seems that kind of thing can’t be done. However, as soon as I was twenty-one, I made a will leaving it all to him. That’s the least I can do. So if I’m run over by a motor, Dennis will come into his own.’
    â€˜Exactly,’ said Tommy. ‘And when were you twenty-one, if I may ask the question?’
    â€˜Just three weeks ago.’
    â€˜Ah!’ said Tommy. ‘Now will you give me fuller particulars of the members of your household at this minute?’
    â€˜Servants – or – others?’
    â€˜Both.’
    â€˜The servants, as I say, have been with us some time. There is old Mrs Holloway, the cook, and her niece Rose, the kitchenmaid. Then there are two elderly housemaids, and Hannah who was my aunt’s maid and who has always been devoted to me. The parlourmaid is called Esther Quant, and seems a very nice quiet girl. As for ourselves, there is Miss Logan, who was Aunt Lucy’s companion, and who runs the house for me, and Captain Radclyffe – Dennis, you know, whom I told you about, and there is a girl called Mary Chilcott, an old school friend of mine who is staying with us.’
    Tommy thought for a moment.
    â€˜That all seems fairly clear and straightforward, Miss Hargreaves,’ he said after a minute or two. ‘I take it that you have no special reason for attaching suspicion more to one person than another? You are only afraid it might prove to be – well – not a servant, shall we say?’
    â€˜That’s it exactly, Mr Blunt. I have honestly no idea who used that piece of brown paper. The handwriting was printed.’
    â€˜There seems only one thing to be done,’ said Tommy. ‘I must be on the spot.’
    The girl looked at him inquiringly.
    Tommy went on after a moment’s thought. ‘I suggest that you prepare the way for the arrival of – say, Mr and Miss Van Dusen – American friends of yours. Will you be able to do that quite naturally?’
    â€˜Oh, yes. There will be no difficulty at all. When will you come down – tomorrow – or the day after?’
    â€˜Tomorrow, if you please. There is no time to waste.’
    â€˜That is settled then.’
    The girl rose and held out her hand.
    â€˜One thing, Miss Hargreaves, not a word, mind, to anyone – anyone at all, that we are not what we seem.’
    â€˜What do you think of it, Tuppence?’ he asked, when he returned from showing the visitor out.
    â€˜I don’t like it,’ said Tuppence decidedly. ‘Especially I don’t like the chocolates having so little arsenic in them.’
    â€˜What do you mean?’
    â€˜Don’t you see? All those chocolates being sent round the neighbour-hood were a blind. To establish the idea of a local maniac. Then, when the girl was really poisoned, it would be thought to be the same thing. You see, but for a stroke of luck, no one would ever have