Agatha Christie
hopeless--prejudiced, narrow-minded. If only
she'd let herself, she'd see how fine Betty is."
"And Betty?"
He sighed.
"Betty's being damned difficult! If she'd just
conform a bit--I mean leave off the lipstick for a
day--it might make all the difference. She seems
to go out of her way to be--well--modern--when
Mother's about."
Mr. Parker Pyne smiled.
"Betty and Mother are two of the dearest
people in the world, I should have thought they
would have taken to each other like hot cakes."
"You have a lot to learn, young man,'.' said Mr.
Parker Pyne.
"I wish you'd come along and see Betty and
have a good talk about it all."
Mr. Parker Pyne accepted the invitation read-ily.
Betty and her sister and her husband lived in a
small dilapidated villa a little way back from the
sea. Their life was of a refreshing simplicity. Their
furniture comprised three chairs, a table and beds.
There was a cupboard in the wall that held the
bare requirements of cups and plates. Hans was an
excitable young man with wild blond hair that
stood up all over his head. He spoke very odd
English with incredible rapidity, walking up and
down as he did so. Stella, his wife, was small and
fair. Betty Gregg had red hair and freckles and a