They Do It With Mirrors

'Carrie Louise knows nothing about your nephew - or if she does, she knows him as a writer and has no idea that he's your nephew. The point, as I put it to Carrie Louise, is that it's just too bad about dear Jane. Really sometimes hardly enough to eat, and of course, far too proud ever to appeal to old friends. One couldn't, I said, suggest money - but a nice long rest in lovely surroundings, with an old friend and with plenty of nourishing food, and no cares or worries' - Ruth Van Rydock paused and then added defiantly, 'Now go on - be mad at me if you want to be.' Miss Marple opened her china blue eyes in gentle surprise.

'But why should I be mad at you, Ruth? A very ingenious and plausible approach. I'm sure Carrie Louise responded.' 'She's writing to you. You'll find the letter when you get back. Honestly, Jane, you don't feel that I've taken an unpardonable liberty? You won't mind ' She hesitated and Miss Marple put her thoughts deftly into words.

'Going to Stonygates as an object of charity - more or less under false pretences? Not in the least - if it is necessary. You think it is necessary - and I am inclined to agree with you.' Mrs Van Rydock stared at her.

'But why? What have you heard?' 'I haven't heard anything. It's just your conviction.

You're not a fanciful woman, Ruth.' 'No, but I haven't anything definite to go upon.' 'I remember,' said Miss Marple thoughtfully, 'one Sunday morning at church - it was the second Sunday in Advent - sitting behind Grace Lamble and feeling more and more worried about her. Quite sure, you know, that something was wrong - badly wrong - and yet being quite unable to say why. A most disturbing feeling and very very definite.' 'And was there something wrong?' 'Oh yes. Her father, the old Admiral, had been very peculiar for some time, and the very next day he went for her with the coal hammer, roaring Out that she was Antichrist masquerading as his daughter. He nearly killed her. They took him away to the asylum and she eventually recovered after months in hospital - but it was a very near thing.'

'And you'd actually had a premonition that day in church?'

'I wouldn't call it a premonition. It was founded on fact - these things usually are, though one doesn't always recognize it at the time. She was wearing her Sunday hat the wrong way round. Very significant, really, because Grace Lamble was a most precise woman, not at all vague or absent-minded - and the circumstances under which she would not notice which way her hat was put on to go to church were really extremely limited. Her father, you see, had thrown a marble paperweight at her and it had shattered the looking-glass. She had caught up her hat, put it on, and hurried out of the house. Anxious to keep up appearances and for the servants not to hear anything.

She put down these actions, you see, to "dear Papa's Naval temper," she didn't realize that his mind was definitely unhinged. Though she ought to have realized it clearly enough. He was always complaining to her of being spied upon and of enemies - all the usual symptoms, in fact.'

Mrs Van Rydock gazed respectfully at her friend.

'Maybe, Jane,' she said, 'that St Mary Mead of yours isn't quite the idyllic retreat that I've always imagined it.'

'Human nature, dear, is very much the same every-where.

It is more difficult to observe it closely in a city, that is all.'

'And you'll go to Stonygates?'

'I'll go to Stonygates. A little unfair, perhaps, on my nephew Raymond… To let it be thought that he does not assist me, I mean. Still, the dear boy is in Mexico for six months. And by that time it should all be over.' 'What should all be over?'

'Carrie Louise's invitation will hardly be for an indefinite stay. Three weeks, perhaps - a month. That should be ample.'

'For you to find out what is wrong?'

'For me to find out what is wrong.'

'My, Jane,' said Mrs Van Rydock, 'you've got a lot of confidence in yourself, haven't you?'

Miss Marple looked faintly reproachful.

'You have confidence in me, Ruth. Or so you say… I can only assure you that I shall endeavour to justify your confidence.'

Chapter 2

Before catching her train back to St Mary Mead (Wednesday special cheap day return), Miss Marple, in a precise and businesslike fashion, collected certain data.

'Carrie Louise and I have corresponded after a fashion, but it has largely been a matter of Christmas cards or calendars. It's just the facts I should like, Ruth dear - and also some idea as to whom exactly I shall encounter in the household at Stonygates.'

'Well, you know about Carrie Louise's marriage to Gulbrandsen. There were no children and Carrie Louise took that very much to heart. Gulbrandsen was a widower, and had three grown-up sons. Eventually they adopted a child. Pippa, they called her - a lovely little creature. She was just two years old when they got her.'

'Where did she come from? What was her background?'