They Do It With Mirrors - Christie Agatha - Страница 12

'I've not really been at all well lately.'

'That is bad. That is bad.'

There was a strong resemblance between Christian Gulbrandsen and his half-sister Mildred. There was nearly thirty years' difference in age and they might easily have been taken for father and daughter. Mildred herself seemed particularly pleased by his arrival. She was flushed and talkative, and had talked repeatedly during the day of 'my brother,' 'my brother Christian,' 'my brother Mr Gulbrandsen.'

'And how is little Gina?' said Gulbrandsen, turning to that young woman. 'You and your husband are still here, then?'

'Yes. We've quite settled down, haven't we, Wally?' 'Looks like it,' said Wally.

Gulbrandsen's small shrewd eyes seemed to sum up Wally quickly. Wally, as usual, looked sullen and unfriendly.

'So here I am with all the family again,' said Gulbrandsen.

His voice displayed a rather determined geniality - but in actual fact, Miss Marple thought, he was not feeling particularly genial. There was a grim set to his lips and a certain preoccupation in his manner.

Introduced to Miss Marple, he swept a keen look over her as though measuring and appraising this newcomer.

'We'd no idea you were in England, Christian,' said Mrs Serrocold.

'No, I came over rather unexpectedly.'

'It is too bad that Lewis is away. How long can you stay?' 'I meant to go tomorrow. When will Lewis be back?' 'Tomorrow afternoon or evening.' 'It seems then that I must stay another night.' 'If you'd only let us know ' 'My dear Carrie Louise, my arrangements, they were made very suddenly.' 'You will stay to see Lewis?' 'Yes, it is necessary that I see Lewis.' Miss Bellever said to Miss Marple: 'Mr Gulbrandsen and Mr Serrocold are both trustees of the Gulbrandsen Institute. The others are the Bishop of Cromer and Mr Gilfoy.' Presumably, then, it was on business concerned with the Gulbrandsen Institute that Christian Gulbrandsen had come to Stonygates. It seemed to be assumed so by Miss Believer and everyone else. And yet Miss Marple wondered.

Once or twice the old man cast a thoughtful puzzled look at Carrie Louise Whenhe was not aware of it - a look that puzzled Carrie Louis'xs watching friend. From Carrie Louise he shifted his gae to the others, examining them one and all with a kind of covert appraisal that seemed distinctly odd.

After tea, Miss Marple withdrew tactfully from the others to the library, but rather to her surprise when she had settled herself with her knitting, Christian Gulo brandsen came in and sat down beside her.

'You are a very old friend, I think, of our dear Carrie Louise?' he said.

'We were at school together in Italy, Mr Gulbrandsen.

Many many years ago.' 'Ah yes. And you are fond of her?' 'Yes, indeed,' said Miss Marple warmly.

'So, I think, is everyone. Yes, I truly think that. It should be so. For she is a very dear and enchanting person. Always, since my father married her, I and my brothers have loved her very much. She has been to us like a very dear sister. She was a faithful wife to my father and loyal to all his ideas. She has never thought of herself, but put the welfare of others first.'

'She has always been an idealist,' said Miss Marple.

'An idealist? Yes. Yes, that is so. And therefore it may be that she does not truly appreciate the evil that there is in the world.'

Miss Marple looked at him, surprised. His face was very steru.

'Tell me,' he said. 'How is her health?'

Again Miss Marple felt surprised.

'She seems to me very well - apart from arthritis - or rheumatism.'

'Rheumatism? Yes. And her heart? Her heart is good?' 'As far as I know.' Miss Marple was still more surprised. 'But until yesterday I had not seen her for many years. If you want to know the state of her health, you should ask somebody in the house here. Miss Believer, for instance.'

'Miss Bellever - Yes, Miss Believer. Or Mildred?' 'Or, as you say, Mildred.'

Miss Marple was faintly embarrassed.

Christian Gulbrandsen was staring at her very hard.

'There is not between the mother and daughter a very great sympathy, would you say?'

'No, I don't think there is.'

'I agree. It is a pity - her only child, but there it is. Now this Miss Believer, you think, is really attached to her?'

'Very much so.'

'And Carrie Louise leans on this Miss Believer?' 'I think so.' Christian Gulbrandsen was frowning. He spoke as though more to himself than to Miss Marple.

'There is the little Gina - but she is so young. It is difficult -' He broke off. 'Sometimes,' he said simply, 'it is hard to know what is best to be done. I wish very much to act for the best. I am particularly anxious that no harm and no unhappiness should come to that dear lady. But it is not easy - not easy at all.' Mrs Strete came into the room at that moment.

'Oh, there you are, Christian. We were wondering where you were. Dr Maverick wants to know if you would like to go over anything with him.' 'That is the new young doctor here? No - no, I will wait until Lewis returns.' 'He's waiting in Lewis's study, gh-tell him ' 'I will have a word with him myself.' Gulbrandsen hurried out. Mildred Strete stared after him and then stared at Miss Marple.

'I wonder if anything is wrong. Christian is very unlike himself… Did he say anything ' 'He only asked me about your mother's health.' 'Her health? Why should he ask you about that?' Mildred spoke sharply, her large square face flushing unbecomingly.

'I really don't know.' 'Mother's health is perfectly good. Surprisingly so for a woman of her age. Much better than mine as far as that goes.' She paused a moment before saying: 'I hope you told him so?' 'I don't really know anything about it,' said Miss Marple. 'He asked me about her heart.'

'Her heart?'

'Yes.'

'There's nothing wrong with mother's heart. Nothing at all!'

'I'm delighted to hear you say so, my dear.'

'What on earth put all these queer ideas into Chris-tian's head?'

'I've no idea,' said Miss Marple.

Chapter 7

The next day passed uneventfully to all appearances, yet to Miss Marple it seemed that there were signs of an inner tension. Christian Gulbrandsen spent his morning with Dr Maverick in going round the Institute and in discussing the general results of the Institute's policy. In the early afternoon Gina took him for a drive, and after that Miss Marple noticed that he induced Miss Bellever to show him something in the gardens. It seemed to her that it was a pretext for ensuring a tte-d-tte with that grim woman. And yet, if Christian Gulbrandsen's unex-pected visit had only to do with business matters, why this wish for Miss Believer's company, since the latter dealt only with the domestic side of Stonygates?

But in all this, Miss Marple could tell herself that she was being fanciful. The one really disturbing incident of the day happened about four o'clock. She hadzrotkd up her knitting and had gone out in the garden to take alittle stroll before tea. Rounding a straggling rhododendron she came upon Edgar Lawson, who was striding along muttering to himself and who nearly ran into her.

He said, 'I beg your pardon,' hastily, but Miss Marple was startled by the queer staring expression of his eyes.

'Aren't you feeling well, Mr Lawson?'

'Well? How should I be feeling well? I've had a shock - a terrible shock.'

'What kind of a shock?'

The young man gave a swift glance past her, and then a sharp uneasy glance to either side. His doing so gave Miss Marple a nervous feeling.

'Shall I tell you?' He looked at her doubtfully. 'I don't know. I don't really know. I've been so spied upon.'

Miss Marple made up her mind. She took him firmly by the arm.

'If we walk down this path… There, now, there are no trees or bushes near. Nobody can overhear.'