Postern of Fate

by Agatha Christie

  'Yes. Probably on a special assignment,' said Colonel Pikeaway. He puffed out more smoke.

  Tommy coughed.

  'I expect you know all about him.'

  'I know about him,' said Colonel Pikeaway. 'We know everything here. He's all right. He's in charge of this enquiry. Local people will perhaps be able to spot who it was who's been following you about, finding out things about you. You don't think, do you, Beresford, that it would be well if you left the place for a while and brought your wife along?'

  'I don't think I could do that,' said Tommy.

  'You mean she wouldn't come?' said Colonel Pikeaway.

  'Again,' said Tommy, 'if I may mention it, you seem to know everything. I don't think you could draw Tuppence away. Mind you, she's not badly hurt, she's not ill and she's got a feeling now that - well, that we're on to something. We don't know what it is and we don't know what we shall find or do.'

  'Nose around,' said Colonel Pikeaway, 'that's all you can do in a case of this kind.' He tapped a nail on the metal box. 'This little box is going to tell us something, though, and it's going to tell us something we've always wanted to know. Who was involved a great many years ago in selling things going and doing a lot of dirty work behind the scenes.'

  'But surely -'

  'I know what you're going to say. You're going to say whoever it was is now dead. That's true. But it tells us nevertheless what was going on, how it was set in motion, who helped, who inspired it and who has inherited or carried on with something of the same business ever since. People who don't seem to amount to much but possibly they amount to more than we've ever thought. And people who've been in touch with the same group, as one calls it - one calls anything a group nowadays - the same group which may have different people in it now but who have the same ideas, the same love of violence and evil and the same people to communicate with elsewhere and other groups. Some groups are all right but some groups are worse because they are groups. It's a kind of technique, you know. We've taught it to ourselves in the last, oh, say fifty to a hundred years. Taught that if people cohere together and make a tight little mob of themselves, it's amazing what they are able to accomplish and what they are able to inspire other people to accomplish for them.'

  'May I ask you something?'

  'Anyone can always ask,' said Colonel Pikeaway. 'We know everything here but we don't always tell, I have to warn you of that.'

  'Does the name of Solomon mean anything to you?'

  'Ah,' said Colonel Pikeaway. 'Mr Solomon. And where did you get that name from?'

  'It was mentioned by Inspector Norris"

  'I see. Well, if you're going by what Norris said, you're going right. I can tell you that. You won't see Solomon personally, I don't mind telling you. He's dead.'

  'Oh,' said Tommy, 'I see.'

  'At least you don't quite see,' said Colonel Pikeaway. 'We use his name sometimes. It's useful, you know, to have a name you can use. The name of a real person, a person who isn't there any longer but although dead is still highly regarded in the neighbourhood. It's sheer chance you ever came to live in The Laurels at all and we've got hopes that it may lead to a piece of luck for us. But I don't want it to be a cause of disaster to you or to your missus. Suspect everyone and everything. It's the best way.'

  'I only trust two people there,' said Tommy. 'One's Albert, who's worked for us for years -'

  'Yes, I remember Albert. Red-haired boy, wasn't he?'

  'Not a boy any longer -'

  'Who's the other one?'

  'My dog Hannibal.'

  'Hm. Yes - you may have something there. Who was it - Dr Watts - who wrote a hymn beginning, "Dogs delight to bark and bite, It is their nature to." - What is he, an Alsatian?'

  'No, he's a Manchester Terrier.'

  'Ah, an old English Black and Tan, not as big as a Dobermann pinscher but the kind of dog that knows his stuff.'

  Chapter 13

  VISIT FROM MISS MULLINS

  Tuppence, walking along the garden path, was accosted by Albert coming down at a quick pace from the house.

  'Lady waiting to see you,' he said.

  'Lady? Oh, who is it?'

  'Miss Mullins, she says she is. Recommended by one of the ladies in the village to call on you.'

  'Oh, of course,' said Tuppence. 'About the garden, isn't it?'

  'Yes, she said something about the garden.'

  'I think you'd better bring her out here,' said Tuppence.

  'Yes, madam,' said Albert, falling into his rôle of experienced butler.

  He went back to the house and returned a few moments later bringing with him a tall masculine-looking woman in tweed trousers and a Fair Isle pullover.

  'Chilly wind this morning,' she said.

  Her voice was deep and slightly hoarse.

  'I'm Iris Mullins. Mrs Griffin suggested I should come along and see you. Wanting some help in the garden. Is that it?'

  'Good morning,' said Tuppence, shaking hands. 'I'm very pleased to see you. Yes, we do want some help in the garden.'

  'Only just moved in, haven't you?'

  'Well, it feels almost like years,' said Tuppence, 'because we've only just got all the workmen out.'

  'Ah yes,' said Miss Mullins, giving a deep hoarse chuckle. 'Know what it is to have workmen in the house. But you're quite right to come in yourself and not leave it to them. Nothing gets finished until the owner's moved in and even then you usually have to get them back again to finish something they've forgotten about. Nice garden you've got here but it's been let go a bit, hasn't it?'

  'Yes, I'm afraid the last people who lived here didn't care much about how the garden looked.'

  'People called Jones or something like that, weren't they? Don't think I actually know them. Most of my time here, you know, I've lived on the other side, the moor side, of the town. Two houses there I go to regularly. One, two days a week and the other one, one day. Actually, one day isn't enough, not to keep it right. You had old Isaac working here, didn't you? Nice old boy. Sad he had to get himself done in by some of this violent guerrilla material that's always going about bashing someone. The inquest was about a week ago, wasn't it? I hear they haven't found out who did it yet. Go about in little groups they do, and mug people. Nasty lot. Very often the younger they are, the nastier they are. That's a nice magnolia you've got there. Soulangeana, isn't it? Much the best to have. People always want the more exotic kinds but it's better to stick to old friends when it's magnolias in my opinion.'

  'It's really been more the vegetables that we're thinking about.'

  'Yes, you want to build up a good working kitchen garden, don't you? There doesn't seem to have been much attention paid before. People lose their spirit and think it's better really to buy their vegetables, and not try and grow them.'

  'I'd always want to grow new potatoes and peas,' said Tuppence, 'and I think French beans too, because you then can have them all young.'

  'That's right. You might as well add runner beans. Most gardeners are so proud of their runner beans that they like them a foot and a half in length. They think that's a fine bean. Always takes a prize at a local show. But you're quite right, you know. Young vegetables are the things that you really enjoy eating.'

  Albert appeared suddenly.

  'Mrs Redcliffe on the telephone, madam,' he said. 'Wanted to know if you could lunch tomorrow.'

  'Tell her I'm very sorry,' said Tuppence. 'I'm afraid we may have to go to London tomorrow. Oh - wait a minute, Albert. Just wait while I write a word or two.'

  She pulled out a small pad from her bag, wrote a few words on it and handed it to Albert.

  'Tell Mr Beresford.,' she said. 'Tell him Miss Mullins is here and we're in the garden. I forgot to do what he asked me to do, give him the name and address of the person he is writing to. I've written it here -'

  'Certainly, madam,' said Albert, and disappeared.

  Tuppence returned to the vegetable conversation.

  'I expect you're very bus
y,' she said, 'as you are working three days already.'

  'Yes, and as I said it's rather the other side of the town. I live the other side of the town. I've got a small cottage there.'

  At that moment Tommy arrived from the house. Hannibal was with him, running round in large circles. Hannibal reached Tuppence first. He stopped still for a moment, spread out his paws, and then rushed at Miss Mullins with a fierce array of barking. She took a step or two back in some alarm.

  'This is our terrible dog,' said Tuppence. 'He doesn't really bite, you know. At least very seldom. It's usually only the postman he likes to bite.'

  'All dogs bite postmen, or try to,' said Miss Mullins.

  'He's a very good guard dog,' said Tuppence. 'He's a Manchester Terrier, you know, and they are good guard dogs. He protects the house in a wonderful way. He won't let anyone near it or come inside and he looks after me very carefully. He evidently regards me as his principal charge in life.'

  'Oh well, of course I suppose it's a good thing nowadays.'

  'I know. There are so many robberies about,' said Tuppence. 'Lots of our friends, you know, have had burglars. Some even who come in in broad daylight in the most extraordinary way. They set up ladders and take window-sashes out or pretend to be window-cleaners - oh, up to all kinds of tricks. So it's a good thing to let it be known that there's a fierce dog in the house, I think.'

  'I think perhaps you're quite right.'

  'Here is my husband,' said Tuppence. 'This is Miss Mullins, Tommy. Mrs Griffin very kindly told her that we wanted someone who could possibly do some gardening for us.'

  'Would this be too heavy work for you perhaps, Miss Mullins?'

  'Of course not,' said Miss Mullins in her deep voice. 'Oh, I can dig with anyone. You've got to dig the right way. It's not only trenching the sweet-peas, it's everything needs digging, needs manuring. The ground's got to be prepared. Makes all the difference.'

  Hannibal continued to bark.

  'I think, Tommy,' said Tuppence, 'you'd really better take Hannibal back to the house. He seems to be in rather a protective mood this morning.'

  'All right,' said Tommy.

  'Won't you come back to the house,' said Tuppence to Miss Mullins, 'and have something to drink? It's rather a hot morning and I think it would be a good thing, don't you? And we can discuss plans together perhaps.'

  Hannibal was shut into the kitchen and Miss Mullins accepted a glass of sherry. A few suggestions were made, then Miss Mullins looked at her watch and said she must hurry back.

  'I have an appointment,' she explained. 'I mustn't be late.' She bade them a somewhat hurried farewell and departed.

  'She seems all right,' said Tuppence.

  'I know,' said Tommy - 'But one can't ever be sure -'

  'One could ask questions?' said Tuppence doubtfully.

  'You must be tired going all round the garden. We must leave our expedition this afternoon for another day - you have been ordered to rest.'

  Chapter 14

  GARDEN CAMPAIGN

  'You understand, Albert,' said Tommy.

  He and Albert were together in the pantry where Albert was washing up the tea tray he had just brought down from Tuppence's bedroom.

  'Yes, sir,' said Albert. 'I understand.'

  'You know, I think you will get a bit of a warning - from Hannibal.'

  'He's a good dog in some ways,' said Albert. 'Doesn't take to everyone, of course.'

  'No,' said Tommy, 'that's not his job in life. Not one of those dogs who welcome in the burglars and wag their tails at the wrong person. Hannibal knows a few things. But I have made it quite clear to you, haven't I?'

  'Yes. I don't know what I am to do if the missus - well, am I to do what the missus says or tell her what you said or -'

  'I think you'll have to use a certain amount of diplomacy,' said Tommy. 'I'm making her stay in bed today. I'm leaving her in your charge more or less.'

  Albert had just opened the front door to a youngish man in a tweed suit.

  Albert looked up doubtfully at Tommy. The visitor stepped inside and advanced one step, a friendly smile on his face.

  'Mr Beresford? I've heard you want a bit of help in your garden - just moved in here lately, haven't you? I noticed coming up the drive that it was getting rather overgrown. I did some work locally a couple of years ago - for a Mr Solomon - you may have heard of him.'

  'Mr Solomon, yes, someone did mention him.'

  'My name's Crispin, Angus Crispin. Perhaps we might take a look at what wants doing.'

  'About time someone did something about the garden,' said Mr Crispin, as Tommy led him on a tour of the flower-beds and the vegetable garden.

  'That's where they used to grow the spinach along this kitchen garden path here. Behind it were some frames. They used to grow melons too.'

  'You seem to be very well aware of all this.'

  'Well, one heard a lot you know of what had been everywhere in the old days. Old ladies tell you about the flower-beds and Alexander Parkinson told a lot of his pals about the foxglove leaves.'

  'He must have been a rather remarkable boy.'

  'Well, he had ideas and he was very keen on crime. He made a kind of code message out in one of Stevenson's books: The Black Arrow.'

  'Rather a good one that, isn't it? I read it myself about five years ago. Before that I'd never got further than Kidnapped. When I was working for -' He hesitated.

  'Mr Solomon?' suggested Tommy.

  'Yes, yes, that's the name. I heard things. Heard things from old Isaac, I gather, unless I've heard the wrong rumours, I gather that old Isaac must have been, oh, getting on for a hundred and did some work for you here.'

  'Yes,' said Tommy. 'For his age he was rather wonderful, really. He knew a lot of things he used to tell us, too. Things he couldn't have remembered himself.'

  'No, but ho liked the gossip of the old days. Ho's got relations here still, you know, who have listened to his tales and checked up on his stories. I expect you've heard a good many things yourself.'

  'So far,' said Tommy, 'everything seems to work out in lists of names. Names from the past but names, naturally, that don't mean anything to me. They can't.'

  'All hearsay?'

  'Mostly. My wife has listened to a lot of it and made some lists. I don't know whether any of them mean anything. I've got one list myself. It only came into my hands yesterday, as a matter of fact.'

  'Oh. What's your list?'

  'Census,' said Tommy. 'You know, there was a census on - I've got the date written down so I'll give it to you - and the people who were entered up that day because they spent the night here. There was a big party. A dinner-party.'

  'So you know on a certain date - and perhaps quite an interesting date - who was here?'

  'Yes,' said Tommy.

  'It might be valuable. It might be quite significant. You've only just moved in here, haven't you?'

  'Yes,' said Tommy, 'but it's possible we might just want to move out of here.'

  'Don't you like it? It's a nice house, and this garden - well, this garden could be made very beautiful indeed. You've got some fine shrubs - wants a bit of clearing out, superfluous trees and bushes, flowering shrubs that haven't flowered lately and may never flower again by the look of them. Yes, I don't know why you'd want to go and move.'

  'The associations with the past aren't terribly pleasant here,' said Tommy.

  'The past,' said Mr Crisp in. 'How does the past tie up with the present?'

  'One thinks it doesn't matter, it's all behind us. But there's always somebody left, you know. I don't mean walking about but somebody who comes alive when people tell you about her or him or it or them. You really would be prepared to do a bit of -'

  'Bit of jobbing gardening for you? Yes, I would. It would interest me. It's rather a - well, it's rather a hobby of mine, gardening.'

  'There was a Miss Mullins who came yesterday.'

  'Mullins? Mullins? Is she a gardener?'

  'I gather
something in that line. It was a Mrs - a Mrs Griffin, I think it was - who mentioned her to my wife and who sent her along to see us.'

  'Did you fix up with her or not?'

  'Not definitely,' said Tommy. 'As a matter of fact we've got a rather enthusiastic guard dog here. A Manchester Terrier.'

  'Yes, they can be very enthusiastic at guarding. I suppose he thinks your wife is his business and he practically never lets her go anywhere alone. He's always there.'