Ngaio Marsh - Spinsters in Jeopardy

Teresa placed her hand on her classic bosom. “In my heart, Monsieur, I am troubled to suffocation in his presence. It is in my soul that I find him impure.”

“Well, wherever it is, you are perfectly correct. He is a criminal who is wanted by the police of several countries. He has made fools of many silly girls before you. You’re lucky not to be in gaol, Teresa. M. le Commissaire would undoubtedly have locked you up if I had not asked him to give you a chance to redeem yourself.”

Teresa opened her mouth and let out an appropriate wail.

“To such deplorable depths have you reduced yourself,” said Raoul, who had apparently assumed the maddening role of chorus. “And me!” he pointed out.

“However,” Alleyn went on, “we have decided to give you this chance. On condition, Teresa, that you answer truthfully any questions I ask you.”

“The Holy Virgin is my witness—” Teresa began.

“There are also other less distinguished witnesses,” said Raoul. “In effect, there is the child-thief Georges Martel with whom you conspired and who is probably your paramour.”

“It is a lie.”

“How,” Alleyn asked, “did it come about that you took Ricky from the hotel?”

“I was in Roqueville. I go to the market for the femme de charge . At one o’clock following my custom I visited the restaurant of the parents of Raoul, who is killing me with cruelty,” Teresa explained, throwing a poignant glance at her fiancé. “There is a message for me to telephone the Château. I do so. I am told to wait as Monsieur wishes to speak to me. I do so. My heart churns in my bosom because that unfortunately is the effect Monsieur has upon it: it is not a pleasurable sensation.”

“Tell that one in another place,” Raoul advised.

“I swear it. Monsieur instructs me: there is a little boy at the Hotel Royal who is the son of his dear friends, Monsieur and Madame Alleyn . He plans with Monsieur Alleyn a little trick upon Madame, a drollery, a blague . They have nounou for the child and while they are here I am to be presented by Monsieur as a nounou and I am to receive extra salary.”

“More atrocity,” said Raoul. “How much?”

“Monsieur did not specify. He said an increase. And he instructs me to go to Le Pot des Fleurs and purchase turberoses. He tells me, spelling it out, the message I am to write. I have learned a little English from the servants of English guests at the Château so I understand. The flowers are from Mademoiselle Garbel who is at present at the Château.”

“Is she, by Heaven!” Alleyn ejaculated. “Have you seen her?”

“Often, Monsieur. She is often there.”

“What does she look like?”

“Like an Englishwoman. All Englishwomen with the exception, no doubt, of Madame, the wife of Monsieur, have teeth like mares and no poitrine . So, also, Mademoiselle Garbel.”

“Go on, Teresa.”

“In order that the drollery shall succeed, I am to go to the hotel while Madame is at déjeuner . I shall have the tuberoses and if without enquiry I can ascertain the apartments of Monsieur and Madame I am to go there. If I am questioned I am to say I am the new nounou and go up to the appartements . I am to remove the little one by the service stairs. Outside Georges Martel, who is nothing to me, waits in his auto. And from that point Georges will command the proceedings!”

“And that’s what you did? No doubt you saw the number of the appartement on the luggage in the hall.”

“Yes, Monsieur.”

“And then?”

“Georges drives us to 16 Rue des Violettes where the concierge tells me she will take the little boy to the appartement of Mademoiselle Garbel where his father awaits him. I am to stay in the auto in the back-street with Georges. Presently the concierge returns with the little boy. She says to Georges that the affair is in the water as the parents have seen the boy. She says that the orders are to drive at once to the factory. Georges protests: ‘Is it not to St. Céleste?’ She says: ‘No, at once, quickly to the factory.’ The little boy is angry and perhaps frightened and he shouts in French and in English that his papa and mama are not in a factory but in their hotel. But Georges uses blasphemous language and drives quickly away. And Monsieur will, I entreat, believe me when I tell him I regretted then very much everything that had happened. I was afraid. Georges would tell me nothing except to keep my mouth sewn up. So I see that I am involved in wickedness and I say several decades of the rosary and try to make amusements for the little boy who is angry and frightened and weeps for the loss of a statue bought from Marie of the Chèvre d’Argent. I think also of Raoul,” said Teresa.

“It’s easy to see,” Raoul observed, “that in the matter of intelligence you have not invented the explosive.” But he was visibly affected, nevertheless. “You should have known at once that it was a lot of blague about the nounou. ”

“And when you got to the factory?” Alleyn asked.

“Georges took the little boy inside. He then returned alone and we drove round to the garages at the back. I tried to run away and when he grasped my arms I inflicted some formidable scratches on his face. But he threw me a smack on the ear and told me Monsieur Oberon would put me under a malediction.”

“When he emerges from gaol,” Raoul said thoughtfully, “I shall make a meat pâté of Georges. He is already fried.”

“And then, Teresa?”

“I was frightened again, Monsieur, not of Georges but of what Monsieur Oberon might do to me. And presently the whistle blew and a loud-speaker summoned everybody to the hall. And Georges said we should clear out. He walked a little way and peeped round the corner and came back saying there were gendarmes at the gates and we must conceal ourselves. But one of the gendarmes came into the garage and said we must go into the hall. And when we arrived Georges left me saying: ‘Get out, don’t hang round my heels.’ So I went to some of the girls I knew and when I heard the announcement of Monsieur le Commissaire and saw Raoul and they said Raoul had seen me: Oh, Monsieur, judge of my feelings! Because, say what you will, Raoul is the friend of my heart and if he no longer loves me I am desolate.”

“You are as silly as a foot,” said Raoul, greatly moved, “but it is true that I love you.”

“Ah!” said Teresa simply. “ Quelle extase !”

“And upon that note,” said Alleyn, “we may return to Roqueville and make our plans.”

i

On the return journey Alleyn and Troy sat in the back seat with Ricky between them. Teresa, who was to be given a lift to the nearest bus stop, sat in the front by Raoul. She leaned against him in a luxury of reconciliation, every now and then twisting herself sideways in order to gaze into his face. Ricky, who suffered from an emotional hangover and was, therefore, inclined to be querulous and in any case considered Raoul his especial property, looked at these manifestations with distaste.

“Why does she do that?” he asked fretfully. “Isn’t she silly? Does Raoul like her?”

“Yes,” said Troy, hugging him.

“I bet he doesn’t really.”

“They are engaged to be married,” said Troy, “I think.”

“You and Mummy are married, aren’t you, Daddy?”

“Yes.”

“Well, Mummy doesn’t do it.”

“True,” said Alleyn, who was in good spirits, “but I should like it if she did.”

“Ooh, Daddy, you would not .”

Teresa wound her arm round Raoul’s neck.