Agatha Christie: Dumb Witness

Theresa, for instance. She had no control over Theresa since the latter had come into her own money at the age of twenty-one.

Since then the girl had achieved a certain notoriety. Her picture was often in the papers. She belonged to a young, bright, go-ahead set in London – a set that had freak parties and occasionally ended up in the police courts. It was not the kind of notoriety that Emily Arundell approved of for an Arundell. In fact, she disapproved very much of Theresa's way of living. As regards the girl's engagement, her feelings were slightly confused. On the one hand she did not consider an upstart Dr Donaldson good enough for an Arundell. On the other she was uneasily conscious that Theresa was a most unsuitable wife for a quiet country doctor.

With a sigh her thoughts passed on to Bella. There was no fault to find with Bella. She was a good woman – a devoted wife and mother, quite exemplary in behavior – and extremely dull! But even Bella could not be regarded with complete approval. For Bella had married a foreigner – and not only a foreigner – but a Greek. In Miss Arundell's prejudiced mind a Greek was almost as bad as an Argentine or a Turk. The fact that Dr Tanios had a charming manner and was said to be extremely able in his profession only prejudiced the old lady slightly more against him. She distrusted charm and easy compliments.

For this reason, too, she found it difficult to be fond of the two children. They had both taken after their father in looks – there was really nothing English about them.

And then Charles…

Yes, Charles…

It was no use blinding one's eyes to facts.

Charles, charming though he was, was not to be trusted…

Emily Arundell sighed. She felt suddenly tired, old, depressed…

She supposed that she couldn't last much longer…

Her mind reverted to the will she had made some years ago.

Legacies to the servants – to charities – and the main bulk of her considerable fortune to be divided equally between these, her three surviving relations…

It still seemed to her that she had done the right and equitable thing. It just crossed her mind to wonder whether there might not be some way of securing Bella's share of the money so that her husband could not touch it… She must ask Mr Purvis.

She turned in at the gate of Littlegreen House.

Charles and Theresa Arundell arrived by car – the Tanioses by train.

The brother and sister arrived first. Charles, tall and good-looking with his slightly mocking manner, said:

"Hallo, Aunt Emily, how's the girl? You look fine."

And he kissed her.

Theresa put an indifferent young cheek against her withered one.

"How are you, Aunt Emily?"

Theresa, her aunt thought, was looking far from well. Her face, beneath its plentiful make-up, was slightly haggard and there were lines round her eyes.

They had tea in the drawing-room. Bella Tanios, her hair inclined to straggle in wisps from below the fashionable hat that she wore at the wrong angle, stared at her cousin Theresa with a pathetic eagerness to assimilate and memorize her clothes. It was poor Bella's fate in life to be passionately fond of clothes without having any clothes sense.

Theresa's clothes were expensive, slightly bizarre, and she herself had an exquisite figure.

Bella, when she arrived in England from Smyrna, had tried earnestly to copy Theresa's elegance at an inferior price and cut.

Dr Tanios, who was a big, bearded, jolly-looking man, was talking to Miss Arundell.

His voice was warm and full – an attractive voice that charmed a listener almost against his or her will. Almost in spite of herself, it charmed Miss Arundell.

Miss Lawson was fidgeting a good deal. She jumped up and down, handing plates, fussing over the tea table. Charles, whose manners were excellent, rose more than once to help her, but she expressed no gratitude.

When, after tea, the party went out to make a tour of the garden Charles murmured to his sister:

"Lawson doesn't like me. Odd, isn't it?"

Theresa said mockingly:

"Very odd. So there is one person who can withstand your fatal fascination?"

Charles grinned – an engaging grin – and said:

"Lucky it's only Lawson…"

In the garden Miss Lawson walked with Mrs Tanios and asked her questions about the children. Bella Tanios's rather drab face lighted up. She forgot to watch Theresa. She talked eagerly and animatedly. Mary had said such a quaint thing on the boat…

She found Minnie Lawson a most sympathetic listener.

Presently a fair-haired young man with a solemn face and pince-nez was shown into the garden from the house. He looked rather embarrassed. Miss Arundell greeted him politely.

Theresa said: "Hallo, Rex!"

She slipped an arm through his. They wandered away.

Charles made a face. He slipped away to have a word with the gardener, an ally of his from old days.

When Miss Arundell re-entered the house Charles was playing with Bob. The dog stood at the top of the stairs, his ball in his mouth, his tail gently wagging.

"Come on, old man," said Charles.

Bob sank down on his haunches, nosed his ball slowly and slowly nearer the edge.

As he finally bunted it over he sprang to his feet in great excitement. The ball bumped slowly down the stairs. Charles caught it and tossed it up to him. Bob caught it neatly in his mouth. The performance was repeated.

"Regular game of his, this," said Charles.

Emily Arundell smiled.

"He'll go on for hours," she said.

She turned into the drawing-room and Charles followed her. Bob gave a disappointed bark.

Glancing through the window, Charles said:

"Look at Theresa and her young man. They are an odd couple!"

"You think Theresa is really serious over this?"

"Oh, she's crazy about him!" said Charles with confidence. "Odd taste, but there it is. I think it must be the way he looks at her, as though she were a scientific specimen and not a live woman. That's rather a novelty for Theresa. Pity the fellow's so poor. Theresa's got expensive tastes."

Miss Arundell said drily:

"I've no doubt she can change her way of living – if she wants to! And after all she has her own income."

"Eh? Oh, yes, yes, of course."

Charles shot an almost guilty look at her.

That evening, as the others were assembled in the drawing-room waiting to go in to dinner, there was a scurry and a burst of profanity on the stairs. Charles entered with his face rather red.

"Sorry, Aunt Emily, am I late? That dog of yours nearly made me take the most frightful toss. He'd left that ball of his on the top of the stairs."

"Careless little doggie," cried Miss Lawson, bending down to Bob.

Bob looked at her contemptuously and turned his head away.

"I know," said Miss Arundell. "It's most dangerous. Minnie, fetch the ball and put it away."

Miss Lawson hurried out.

Dr Tanios monopolized the conversation at the dinner table most of the time. He told amusing stories of his life in Smyrna.

The party went to bed early. Miss Lawson carrying wool, spectacles, a large velvet bag and a book accompanied her employer to her bedroom chattering happily.

"Really most amusing, Dr Tanios. He is such good company! Not that I should quite care for that kind of life myself… One would have to boil the water, I expect… And goat's milk, perhaps – such a disagreeable taste -"

Miss Arundell snapped:

"Don't be a fool, Minnie. You told Ellen to call me at half-past six?"

"Oh, yes. Miss Arundell. I said no tea, but don't you think it might be wiser – You know, the vicar at Southbridge – a most conscientious man, told me distinctly that there was no obligation to come fasting -"

Once more Miss Arundell cut her short.