‘What’s wrong with them?’ ‘Too many of them. Or too big – ‘The better to ear you ith, my child’ – Like Red Riding Hood’s grandmother.’ ‘You seem in a very odd sort of mood today, Tuppence.’ ‘I am rather. I’ve always thought of Miss Packard as very nice – but today, somehow, she seems to me rather sinister.
Have you ever felt that?’ ‘No, I haven’t. Come on, let’s get on with what we came here to do – look over poor old Aunt Ada’s “effects”, as the lawyers call them. That’s the desk I told you about – Uncle William’s desk. Do you like it?’ ‘It’s lovely· Regency, I should think. It’s nice for the old people who come here to be able to bring some of their own things with them. I don’t care for the horsehair chairs, but I’d like that little work-table. It’s just what we need for that corner by the window where we’ve got that perfectly hideous whatnot.’ ‘All right,’ said Tommy· ‘I’ll make a note of those two.’ ‘And we’ll have the picture over the mantelpiece. It’s an awfully attractive picture and I’m quite sure that I’ve seen that house somewhere. Now, let’s look at the jewellery.’ They opened the dressing-table drawer. There was a set of cameos and a Florentine bracelet and ear-rings and a ring with different coloured stones in it.
‘I’ve seen one of these before,’ said Tuppence. ‘They spell a name usually. Dearest sometimes. Diamond, emerald, amethyst, no, it’s not dearest. I don’t think it would be really. I can’t imagine anyone giving your Aunt Ada a ting that spelt dearest. Ruby, emerald – the difficulty is one never knows where to begin. I’ll try again. Ruby, emerald, another ruby, no, I think it’s a garnet and an amethyst and another pinky stone, it must be a ruby this time and a small diamond in the middle.
Oh, of course, it’s regard. Rather nice really. So old-fashioned and sentimental.’ She slipped it on to her finger.
‘I think Deborah mioht like to have this,’ she said, ‘and the Florentine set. She’s frightfully keen on Victorian things. A lot of people are nowadays. Now, I suppose we’d better do the clothes. That’s always rather macabre, I think. Oh, this is the ‘fur stole. Quite valuable, I should think. I wouldn’t want it myself. I wonder if there’s anyone here – anyone who was especially nice to Aunt Ada – or perhaps some special friend among the other inmates – visitors, I mean. They call them visitors or guests, I notice. It would be nice to offer her the stole if so. It’s real sable. We’ll ask Miss Packard. The rest of the things can go to the charities. So that’s all settled, isn’t it? We’ll go and find Miss Packard now. Goodbye, Aunt Ada,’ she remarked aloud, her eyes turning to the bed. ‘I’m glad we came to see you that last time. ‘I’m sorry you didn’t like me, but flit was fun to you not to like me and say those rude things, I don’t begrudge it to you. You had to have some fun. And we won’t forget you. We’ll think of you when we look at Uncle William’s desk.’ They went in search of Miss Packard. Tommy explained that they would arrange for the desk and the small worktable to be called for and despatched to their own address and that he would arrange with the local auctioneers to dispose of the rest of the furniture. He would leave the choice of any societies willing to receive clothing to Miss Packard if she wouldn’t mind the trouble.
‘I don’t know if there’s anyone here who would like her sable stole,’ said Tuppence. ‘It’s a very nice one. One of her special friends, perhaps? Or perhaps one of the nurses who had done some special waiting on Aunt Ada?’ ‘That is a very kind thought of yours, Mrs Beresford. I’m afraid Miss Fanshawe hadn’t any special friends among from visitors, but Miss O’Keefe, one of the nurses, did do a lot for ? her and was especially good and tactful, and I think she’d be ) pleased and honoured to have it.’ / ‘And there’s the picture over the mantelpiece,’ said Tuppence.