They Do It With Mirrors by Agatha Christie Read Free Book Online Page B

concerned. The child was always spoilt and indulged in every way. There was absolutely no need to take her away from Italy in the first place.”
    â€œHer father raised no objection, I understand?”
    â€œOh San Severiano! You know what Italians are. Nothing matters to them but money. He married Pippa for her money, of course.”
    â€œDear me. I always understood he was very devoted to her and was quite inconsolable at her death.”
    â€œHe pretended to be, no doubt. Why Mother ever countenanced her marrying a foreigner, I can’t imagine. Just the usual American pleasure in a title, I suppose.”
    Miss Marple said mildly:
    â€œI have always thought that dear Carrie Louise was almost too unworldly in her attitude to life.”
    â€œOh I know. I’ve no patience with it. Mother’s fads and whims and idealistic projects. You’ve no idea, Aunt Jane, of all that it hasmeant. I can speak with knowledge, of course. I was brought up in the middle of it all.”
    It was with a very faint shock that Miss Marple heard herself addressed as Aunt Jane. And yet that had been the convention of those times. Her Christmas presents to Carrie Louise’s children were always labelled “With love from Aunt Jane” and as “Aunt Jane” they thought of her, when they thought of her at all. Which was not, Miss Marple supposed, very often.
    She looked thoughtfully at the middle-aged woman sitting beside her. At the pursed tight mouth, the deep lines from the nose down, the hands tightly pressed together.
    She said gently:
    â€œYou must have had—a difficult childhood.”
    Mildred Strete turned eager grateful eyes to her.
    â€œOh I’m so glad that somebody appreciates that. People don’t really know what children go through. Pippa, you see, was the pretty one. She was older than I was, too. It was always she who got all the attention. Both Father and Mother encouraged her to push herself forward—not that she needed any encouragement—to show off. I was always the quiet one. I was shy—Pippa didn’t know what shyness was. A child can suffer a great deal, Aunt Jane.”
    â€œI know that,” said Miss Marple.
    â€œâ€˜Mildred’s so stupid’—that’s what Pippa used to say. But I was younger than she was. Naturally I couldn’t be expected to keep up with her in lessons. And it’s very unfair on a child when her sister is always put in front of her.
    â€œâ€˜What a lovely little girl,’ people used to say to Mamma. They never noticed me. And it was Pippa that Papa used to joke and play with. Someone ought to have seen how hard it was on me. All thenotice and attention going to her. I wasn’t old enough to realise that it’s character that matters.”
    Her lips trembled, then hardened again.
    â€œAnd it was unfair—really unfair—I was their own child. Pippa was only adopted. I was the daughter of the house. She was—nobody.”
    â€œProbably they were extra indulgent to her on that account,” said Miss Marple.
    â€œThey liked her best,” said Mildred Strete. And added: “A child whose own parents didn’t want her—or more probably illegitimate.”
    She went on:
    â€œIt’s come out in Gina. There’s bad blood there. Blood will tell. Lewis can have what theories he likes about environment. Bad blood does tell. Look at Gina.”
    â€œGina is a very lovely girl,” said Miss Marple.
    â€œHardly in behaviour,” said Mrs. Strete. “Everyone but Mother notices how she is carrying on with Stephen Restarick. Quite disgusting, I call it. Admittedly she made a very unfortunate marriage, but marriage is marriage and one should be prepared to abide by it. After all, she chose to marry that dreadful young man.”
    â€œIs he so dreadful?”
    â€œOh dear, Aunt Jane! He really looks to me quite like a gangster. And so surly and rude. He hardly