Anna, Where Are You? by Patricia Wentworth Page A

aloof. A florid and exuberant lady who calls herself Miranda—only that and nothing more—assured me that Anna had one of the gloomiest auras she had ever encountered, which, I imagine, was her way of saying the same thing. They seem to have taken a kindly interest. Rather a matey crowd. And they took it as a sign of grace when she drove over to Ledlington with the Craddocks and came back with a red hat. They thought the colour a little crude, but definitely a step in the direction of expressing joy, which the Miss Tremletts are tremendously keen about.”
    Miss Silver said,
    “Why did she buy a red hat?”
    “The Craddocks gave it to her. ‘Dear Mrs. Craddock, always so kind, so overburdened. And Mr. Craddock—’ I really can’t do justice to the spate of words about Craddock.”
    Miss Silver had a very thoughtful expression. She said,
    “Why did they give Miss Ball a red hat?”
    “A desire to spread sweetness and light.”
    “And why are you telling me about it?”
    He was watching her between narrowed lids.
    “Because it is proof positive that Anna went away. Both the Miss Tremletts saw her go by with Craddock. So did Miranda and Augustus, who were having a cosy little confab over their mutual fence. You remember he drove her to Dedham, where she took a London ticket. And she really did, because I went to Dedham, and the stationmaster remembers Craddock seeing her oft—a dark young woman in a red hat. He says she seemed a good deal upset, and Mr. Craddock told him she had been having trouble with her nerves and they were glad to be quit of her. So you see!”
    In a tone as firm as it was mild Miss Silver said,
    “I think I will go down to Deep End.”
    He sat up with a jerk.
    “As mother’s help to Mrs. Craddock?”
    “I think so.”
    “You will do nothing of the sort!”
    “Why should I not?”
    “Because it’s absurd—because I won’t have it! Because—”
    Miss Silver coughed gently.
    “And since when have you dictated my movements, Frank?”
    “You can’t do it without me! The Wire won’t let you have that box number.”
    He had the sensation of being looked through and through.
    “You are very heated, my dear Frank. What is behind it?”
    “There isn’t anything behind it. I just don’t want you to go there.”
    “And pray why not?”
    “It’s quite irrational—I just don’t want you to go.”
    After a moment she said in her temperate way,
    “Either there is nothing behind Anna Ball’s disappearance, or there is something which requires investigation. In the former case, I should take an early opportunity of terminating the engagement. In the latter, I have undertaken an obligation towards Thomasina Elliot and I shall endeavour to discharge it. You cannot prevent me from going to Deep End. You can merely withhold the assistance which would make my task easier and safer.”
    He threw out a hand.
    “All right—you win—you always do. But there’s something —I didn’t mean to tell you. On the face of it, it’s quite irrelevant, but—”
    “Yes, Frank?”
    “Eighteen months ago a young woman was found drowned between Deep End and Deeping. I told you the road flooded. Well, there’s a boggy bit of ground on either side of it. It was a very wet night, and the girl must have got off the road in the dark. There are some sizable pot-holes. She was found lying face downwards in one of them. Not the slightest indication of anything but a purely accidental death. She was mired up to her knees, and she had slipped and fallen forward into the pot-hole. You see, it’s all purely irrelevant.”
    Miss Silver’s needles clicked.
    “But she was employed by the Craddocks? Is that what you were trying not to say?”
    He gave her an exasperated look.
    “She came over by the day from Deeping. She had been doing it for some months. There was no suggestion of anything wrong. I didn’t think it would be fair to mention it.”
    “But you have mentioned it now.”
    He said in a shame-faced