‘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?