1. I Go to Styles by Agatha Christie
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if he_came near me .''

" it might_be a' she,' '' I suggested .

" might . but murder's a violent crime . associate it more with a man .''

" not in a case of poisoning .'' Mrs Cavendish's clear voice startled me ."Dr .Bauerstein was saying yesterday that, owing to_the general ignorance of_the more uncommon poisons among_the medical profession, there were probably countless cases of poisoning quite unsuspected .''

" why, Mary, what a gruesome conversation ! '' cried Mrs Inglethorp ." it makes me feel as_if a goose were walking over my grave .Oh, there's Cynthia ! ''

a young girl in V .a. D . uniform ran lightly across the lawn .

" why, Cynthia, you_are late to- day . this_is Mr Hastings -- miss Murdoch .''

Cynthia Murdoch was a fresh- looking young creature, full of life and vigour . she tossed off her little V .a. D .cap, and I admired the great loose waves of her auburn hair, and_the smallness and whiteness of_the hand she held out to claim her tea . with dark eyes and eyelashes she would_have_been a beauty .

she flung herself down on_the ground beside John, and as I handed her a plate of sandwiches she smiled up at me .

" sit down here on_the grass, do . it's ever so_much nicer .''

I dropped down obediently .

" you work at Tadminster, don't you, miss Murdoch ? ''

she nodded .

" for_my sins .''

" do they bully you, then ? '' I asked, smiling .

" i_should like to_see them ! '' cried Cynthia with dignity .

" I_have got a cousin who_is nursing,'' I remarked ." and she_is terrified of 'Sisters' .''

"I don't wonder .Sisters are, you_know, Mr Hastings . they simp-ly are ! you've no idea ! but I'm not a nurse, thank heaven, I work in_the dispensary .''

" how_many people do_you poison ? '' I asked, smiling .

Cynthia smiled too .

"Oh, hundreds ! '' she said .

" Cynthia,'' called Mrs Inglethorp, " do_you_think you_could write a few notes for_me ? ''

" certainly, aunt Emily .''

she jumped up promptly, and something in her manner reminded me that her position was a dependent one, and_that Mrs Inglethorp, kind as she might_be in_the main, did_not allow her to forget it .

my hostess turned to_me .

"John will show you your room . supper is at half- past seven . we_have given up late dinner for some_time now . lady Tadminster, our member's wife -- she was_the late lord Abbotsbury's daughter -- does the same . she agrees with me that one must set an example of economy . we_are quite a war household; nothing is wasted here -- every scrap of waste paper, even, is saved and sent away in sacks .''

I expressed my appreciation, and John took me into_the house and up the broad staircase, which forked right and left half- way to different wings of_the building . my room was in_the left wing, and looked out over the park .

John left me, and a few_minutes later I_saw him from my window walking slowly across the grass arm in arm with Cynthia Murdoch .I heard Mrs Inglethorp call " Cynthia'' impatiently, and_the girl started and ran back to_the house . at_the same moment, a man stepped out from_the shadow of a tree and walked slowly in_the same direction . he looked about forty, very dark with a melancholy clean-shaven face . some violent emotion seemed to_be mastering him . he looked up at my window as he passed, and I recognized him, though he had changed much in_the fifteen years that had elapsed since we last met . it_was John's younger brother, Lawrence Cavendish .I wondered what it was_that had brought that singular expression to_his face .

then I dismissed him from my mind, and returned to_the contemplation of_my own affairs .

the evening passed pleasantly enough; and I dreamed that night of_that enigmatical woman, Mary Cavendish .

the next morning dawned bright and sunny, and i_was full of_the anticipation of a delightful visit .

I_did_not see Mrs Cavendish until lunch- time, when she volunteered to_take me for a walk, and we spent acharming afternoon roaming in_the woods, returning to_the house about five .

as_we entered the large hall, John beckoned us both into_the smoking- room . I_saw at once by his face that something disturbing had occurred . we followed him in, and he shut the door after us .

" look here, Mary, there's the deuce of a mess .Evie's had a row with Alfred Inglethorp, and she's off .''

"Evie ? off ? ''

John nodded gloomily .

" yes; you_see she went to_the mater, and -- Oh, here's Evie herself .''

miss Howard entered . her lips were set grimly together, and she carried a small suit- case . she looked excited and determined, and slightly on_the defensive .

" at any rate,'' she burst out, "I've spoken my mind ! ''

" my dear Evelyn,'' cried Mrs Cavendish, " this_can't be true ! ''

miss Howard nodded grimly .

" true enough ! afraid I_said some things to Emily she won't forget or forgive in a hurry .Don't mind if_they've only sunk in a bit . probably water off a duck's back, though . I_said right out: ' you're an old woman, Emily, and there's no fool like an old fool . the man's twenty years younger than you, and don't you fool yourself as_to what he married you for . money ! well, don't let him have too_much of it . farmer Raikes has got a very pretty young wife . just ask your Alfred how_much time he spends over there .' she was very angry . natural ! I went on, 'I'm going to warn you, whether you like it or not . that man would as soon murder you in your bed as look at you . he's a bad lot . you_can say what you like to_me, but remember what I've told you . he's a bad lot ! ' ''

" what did she say ? ''

miss Howard made an extremely expressive grimace .

" ' darling Alfred' -- ' dearest Alfred' -- ' wicked calumnies' -- ' wicked lies' -- ' wicked woman' -- to accuse her ' dear husband' ! the sooner I left her house the better . so I'm off .''

" but not now ? ''

" this minute ! ''

for a moment we sat and stared at her . finally John Cavendish, finding his persuasions of no avail, went off to look up the trains . his wife followed him, murmuring something about persuading Mrs Inglethorp to_think better of it .

as she left the room, miss Howard's face changed . she leant towards me eagerly .

" Mr Hastings, you're honest . I_can trust you ? ''

i_was a little startled . she laid her hand on my arm, and sank her voice to a whisper .

" look after her, Mr Hastings . my poor Emily . they're alot of sharks -- all of_them .Oh, I_know what I'm talking about . there isn't one_of_them that's not hard up and trying to_get money out of her .I've protected her as_much as I_could . now I'm out_of_the way, they'll impose upon her .''

" of_course, miss Howard,'' I_said, "I'll do everything I_can, but I'm sure you're excited and overwrought .''

she interrupted me by slowly shaking her forefinger .

" young man, trust me .I've lived in_the_world rather longer than you_have . all I ask_you is to_keep your eyes open . you'll see what I mean .''

the throb of_the motor came through_the open window, and miss Howard rose and moved to_the door .John's voice sounded outside . with her hand on_the handle, she turned her head over her shoulder, and beckoned to_me .

" above all, Mr Hastings, watch that devil -- her husband ! ''

there_was no time for more . miss Howard was swallowed up in an eager chorus of protests and good-byes . the Inglethorps did_not appear .

as_the motor drove away, Mrs Cavendish suddenly detached herself from_the group, and moved across the drive to_the lawn to meet a tall bearded man who had_been evidently making for_the house . the colour rose in her cheeks as she held out her hand to him .

" who is_that ? '' I asked sharply, for instinctively I distrusted the man .

" that's Dr .Bauerstein,'' said John shortly .

" and who_is Dr .Bauerstein ? ''

" he's staying in_the village doing a rest cure, after a bad nervous breakdown . he's a London specialist; a very clever man -- one_of_the greatest living experts on poisons, I believe .''

" and he's a great friend of Mary's,'' put in Cynthia, the irrepressible .

John Cavendish frowned and changed the subject .

" come for a stroll, Hastings . this has_been a most rotten business . she always had a rough tongue, but there_is no stauncher friend in England than Evelyn Howard .''

he_took the path through_the plantation, and we walked down to_the village through_the woods which bordered one side of_the estate .

as_we passed through one_of_the gates on_our way home again, a pretty young woman of gipsy type coming in_the opposite direction bowed and smiled .

" that's a pretty girl,'' I remarked appreciatively .

John's face hardened .

" that_is Mrs Raikes .''

" the one that miss Howard -- -- ''

" exactly,'' said John, with rather unnecessary abruptness .

i_thought of_the white-haired old lady in_the big house, and_that vivid wicked little face that had just smiled into ours, and a vague chill of foreboding crept over me .I brushed it aside .

"Styles is really a glorious old place,'' I_said to John .

he nodded rather gloomily .

" yes, it's a fine property . it'll be mine some day -- should_be mine now by rights, if_my father had only made a decent will . and then I shouldn't be so damned hard up as I_am now .''

" hard up, are_you ? ''

" my dear Hastings, I don't mind telling you that I'm at my wit's end for money .''

"Couldn't your brother help_you ? ''

" Lawrence ? he's gone through every penny he ever had, publishing rotten verses in fancy bindings . no, we're an impecunious lot . my mother's always been awfully good to_us, I_must say . that_is, up_to now . since her marriage, of_course -- -- '' he broke off, frowning .

for_the first time I_felt that, with Evelyn Howard, something indefinable had gone from_the atmosphere . her presence had spelt security . now that security was removed -- and_the air seemed rife with suspicion . the sinister face of Dr .Bauerstein recurred to_me unpleasantly .a vague suspicion of every_one and everything filled my mind . just for a moment I had a premonition of approaching evil .

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