"The Widow" Bertha

Mrs. Ward sent her daughter, Anna Ward, to an aristocratic girls' school.

Between coachmen and street thieves, no one in the whole of London can keep a secret. Even after her husband died, Mrs. Ward lived in a reclusive life and almost disappeared from high society. Arrived at Anna's school address near London.

After thinking about it, she decided to go there in person as Miss Marple.

Today, Mrs. Fisher's "Women's and Children's Health" magazine is doing well. The third issue of the magazine has been printed, and word of mouth has spread in the upper class. As one of the patrons, "Miss Marple" has always been her name. Hanging in the magazine, so it can be regarded as a little famous in the related industry.

This time Miss Marple came to visit the school as a potential investor.

"We don't have many students, and the quality of education is the most important thing," the school's receptionist said eloquently. "There are also strict requirements for the number of students. Not everyone can come to school here, miss."

"I can tell."

Bertha's eyes skipped over a few young girls aged fourteen or fifteen. Just by looking at the way they walked, they were completely different from the students at Mrs. Fisher's side.

Most of them were born in noble families, so they are naturally different from the children of petty bourgeois families.

"Can you take me to the student dormitory?" Bertha asked after thinking about it.

"Of course, this way please."

And as Bertha expected, she saw the target of her visit near the dormitory area.

Today was the time when the students came home from vacation, and Bertha saw Anna Ward who had just walked out of the room at a glance.

The young girl turned around and showed surprise when she met Bertha's beautiful face: "Miss Marple."

Bertha raised a smile: "Miss Ward."

"This……"

The school receptionist asked in surprise, "Do you know each other, Miss?"

In Bertha's memory, Mrs. Ward had a lot of headaches for her naughty daughter. She didn't like to learn the piano, had a bad relationship with her tutor, and even treated each other violently.

In theory, the girl who did this kind of behavior should be a brat, but the little girl standing in front of Bertha has nothing to do with the spoiled young lady.

Maybe her father's death had made her grow up, or maybe the governess who was the liaison to the Truth Society was really not likable.

In short, upon hearing what the teacher said, Miss Ward nodded generously, and took the initiative to explain: "Miss Marple knew my mother."

What a snappy little girl!

And it seems that Mrs. Ward did not impose the grievances of the previous generation on her daughter.

"Can I talk to Miss Ward, ma'am?" Bertha turned to look at the school reception.

"of course."

Apparently, the school is very confident in the level of its own school. It is not afraid of Bertha asking about the school's injustice, and directly gave Bertha and Anna Ward time to talk.

Miss Ward is also very bright.

When the teacher left, she looked up at Bertha, and said crisply, "Our place is very good, Miss Marple. The teaching ladies are very responsible, and the relationship between the students is also very good."

Bertha: "..."

You know her father was hanged.

There is such a family member of a criminal who has not been bullied in the environment of the girls' school, which can fully prove that the management of the girls' school is indeed strict and that Miss Ward's natal background is strong enough.

Bertha didn't know much about politics, but so indirectly, it was no wonder Mycroft asked himself to go again.

"Then I can rest assured," Bertha said with a smile, "at least I will invest in the future, and the money will not be wasted."

"Are you going to invest in our school, Miss?"

"I do have the idea."

Miss Ward's expression lit up suddenly.

Young children always enjoy talking to adults about grown-up topics, which makes them feel equal.Bertha seemed to be chatting, but she was talking about investing in the school with Miss Ward, which undoubtedly excited the young girl: "Thank you, Miss Marple, I promise you will not regret it."

"Just trust you once."

After Bertha finished speaking, she seemed to change the subject casually: "Is your mother okay? I haven't seen her for a long time."

During this period of time, Bertha has been busy with gang affairs, so naturally she hasn't seen Mrs. Ward for a long time.But to Miss Ward, it automatically understood another meaning: "Mother, she...doesn't want to show up in social situations for the time being, please understand her, miss."

"I'm very sorry."

"it does not matter."

Miss Ward shook her head: "Actually, I don't think my life has changed much."

Nothing changed from what?Naturally, when I was still with my father.

She didn't seem very sad, but after Bertha thought about it, Mrs. Ward was basically a widow's parenting, and with the addition of that terrible tutor, it was normal for her daughter to have no feelings for her father.

It seems that this Miss Anna Ward, like her mother, looks like a lady, but in fact she has a lot of ideas.

"then you--"

"Anna?"

Bertha wanted to ask something else, but her words were interrupted by a voice behind her.

She turned her gaze away at the same time as Miss Ward, and met Mrs. Ward's gaze.

At that moment Bertha distinctly saw Mrs. Ward's breathing stop.

It turned out that she came to pick up her daughter in person, which was unexpected!You must know that Bertha came here this time to get close to Miss Anna Ward!

It had been so long since the last time we met, when Mrs. Ward hated Bertha so much that she would rush to slap her at the police station door, and the situation was not much better now.

Mrs. Ward's whole body tensed up. She didn't lose her composure to the point of attacking. She just held her skirt forward and pulled her daughter over stiffly, blocking Miss Anna Ward with her body. : "What are you doing here?"

Bertha raised her eyebrows: "Investment."

Mrs. Ward's vigilant voice almost shifted: "There are so many schools in the world, why this one? What do you mean?"

Bertha: "..."

Well, she has already been regarded by the other party as a villain who is planning to murder his daughter.

"Are you sure you want me to speak in front of Miss Ward, madam?" Bertha said lightly.

"..."

Mrs. Ward took a deep breath.

She turned to look at Miss Ward, and said nothing in a low voice.The young girl seemed perplexed by the relationship between her mother and Bertha, but she didn't ask any further questions. She just whispered "Yes" to her mother, then turned and left with her book in her arms.

Mrs. Ward definitely didn't come alone, she probably sent her daughter back to the carriage to wait.

It was not until Miss Ward left that her mother looked at Bertha again.

The gentle and generous noble lady, like a lioness facing a challenge, showed full fighting spirit: "What do you want, Miss Marple?"

Now that she was determined to be a bad person, Bertha didn't bother to explain.

She simply asked indifferently: "It seems that I should be the one to ask you what you want to do, Mrs. Ward? You are a lady, what the hell are you doing in the Whitechapel area?"

Mrs. Ward fell silent.

After a moment, Mrs. Ward responded: "I don't know what you're talking about."

Bertha: "Really? Don't forget that I'm a private detective, ma'am. There have been two murders in the Whitechapel area, and you hired someone to make trouble. Now the street gangs over there remember you!"

Mrs. Ward's face changed slightly when a threatening sentence landed.

Although Mrs. Ward, a nobleman, is naturally not afraid of street gangs, she doesn't want to cause trouble, especially the local hooligans.

And every sentence of Miss Marple's words hinted that it was her own troubles that led to a murder!

She wanted nothing more than to make the people Miss Marple knew uncomfortable.Mrs. Ward only knew that Mycroft Holmes sent her husband and other minions to prison on the front foot, and even the gangs related to the drug trial case in the slums were taken away on the back foot.

Then the new forces that have taken over the gang must be related to some extent, it is very simple.

"How...how did you know?" asked Mrs. Ward in a low voice.

Of course it's because you took it out on Mrs Thames, and Mrs Thames is me.

Bertha merely smiled.

It was obviously just a polite smile, but in Mrs. Ward's view, it seemed that Miss Marple had already mastered everything.

"It's easy for you to get rid of them." Bertha didn't answer Mrs. Ward's question.

But she understood.

Mrs. Ward was silent for a moment, and then laughed as if mocking herself: "I see, Mr. Holmes asked you to come, didn't he? He can help settle the trouble."

Bertha sighed: "It's easy to talk to a wise man."

Mrs. Ward: "What does he want me to do?"

Bertha: "He hopes that your father will come forward to assist in the future."

In fact, Bertha didn't know how capable Mrs. Ward's family was - but since Mycroft could ask to take sides, it was probably quite influential.

He can come to the door by himself, but when he comes to negotiate, Mycroft has to go there with sincerity.

And Mrs. Ward herself made trouble first, so this detour saved a lot of manpower and material resources from the spy chief.Mycroft had always been shrewd in this respect.

As for Mrs. Ward?She is the widow of a cabinet minister, and she has more contact with political affairs than Bertha, and is more sensitive than her.

So hearing Bertha's words, she just tightened the corners of her mouth, and didn't speak for a long time.

"Mrs. Ward," said Bertha in a soft voice, "Even if you and I cannot be friends, I will not harm you."

Her original intention was to ease the rigid atmosphere facing the relative, but she did not expect that her rare gentle and kind words made the dignified and generous lady in front of her suddenly change her face.

"How dare you say such things to me," Mrs. Ward said with her eyes wide open in disbelief, "Stop being hypocritical here!"

For some reason, Mrs. Ward's bottom line was touched, and Bertha raised her eyebrows: "If you don't want to hear this sentence, I apologize to you."

"enough!"

The more Bertha withdrew, the angrier Mrs. Warder became.Her pale face was flushed with anger, and Mrs. Ward even clenched her skirt tightly. She took a deep breath: "I really—I really hate you, Bertha Marple ! Why are you so annoying?!"

All right, you'll be happy.

Facing Mrs. Ward's questioning, Bertha turned her head indifferently.

It was the third time that Mrs. Ward was irritated.

"I hate you so much," she said angrily, "I hate that you always have ideas and don't care about others, which makes me feel like a helpless waste in front of you! A smirk can easily convince people, why?!"

Bertha said nothing.

Mrs. Ward did not expect Bertha to speak either. She seemed to have finally found an outlet for her anger that had been pent up for a long time, and even lost the demeanor that a high-class lady should have.

"I hate you even more for having your own business and earning your own respect. Why should I work so hard to be a good daughter, a good wife and a good mother, and will always be the best and most enviable one among my peers, Why should I try to maintain this decent face for the rest of my life, but not as happy as you, a woman from the countryside who is your lover?!"

Bertha: "..."

For a moment Bertha didn't even know whether she should be offended by the other party's anger, or be glad that Mrs. Ward recognized herself in such a self-deprecating manner.

Her mood was very complicated: No matter how much she thought about it, Bertha would never have imagined that Mrs. Ward would be jealous of herself!

"You said that," Bertha twitched the corners of her mouth, "I also want to live a leisurely life where I don't have to worry about food and clothing, amusing my children and raising a dog."

"You won't."

Mrs. Ward said angrily: "People like you can make yourself sick!"

Bertha: "..." She was right.

"But now you have the opportunity to do what you want," Bertha said helplessly. "Without a husband, who else can restrain you?"

"of course."

Hearing this, Mrs. Ward finally found her own manners.

She calmed down after taking a few deep breaths. She took a deep look at Bertha and said coldly: "I will persuade my father to assist Mr. Holmes, but Marple, I didn't do it because you threatened me." , but because it’s an opportunity for me to come back.”

"Then I bless you." Bertha said indifferently.

"You've got the answer you want, let's go," Mrs. Ward gave Bertha a sideways glance, "I will ask my father to send an invitation letter to Mr. Holmes."

What else could Bertha say?

Until Mycroft got the invitation to attend the party with Bertha, she still felt dumbfounded.

Bertha held Mycroft's arm, and as soon as she entered Sir Gray's mansion, she saw the noisy and lively salon scene: the magnificent hall was luxurious and classic, and the men and women in beautiful clothes were decent and romantic. Mrs. Ward's natal family not only had Status, and quite rich, invited a band, not to mention, even a popular soprano to sing on the spot.

Britain is a country with very closed classes, and the gap between one level and one level is definitely not as simple as money.Even if Bertha had a dowry of [-] pounds, and even a land of more than ten streets, she would definitely not be able to hold such a party and invite such a famous soprano.

That's it……

"Mrs. Ward says she's jealous of me," Bertha laughed, "that I'm of a lower birth than she is, or that I have to work and support my family?"

"Don't say that, ma'am."

Mycroft said seriously: "Some things cannot be measured by what is in front of us—Sir Grey!"

Meeting the grizzled host of the party, Mr. Mycroft Holmes immediately put on his impeccable smile.

"Long time no see," he said. "Let me introduce you, Bertha, this is Sir John Gray, sir, this is—"

"Miss Marple, Amelie's friend," Sir Gray continued, "I have known you for a long time, miss. Amelie has mentioned you to me many times."

"Each to each other, ser."

Bertha put on a bright smile: "It is my honor to be able to miss Amelie."

In fact, this was the first time Bertha had learned of Mrs. Ward's name.Amelie Gray, sounds a whole lot better than Mrs. So-and-so, doesn't it?

No matter how lively the salon was, the two gentlemen in front of them knew each other well: the party was held to facilitate the meeting between the two, and everyone else was just a foil.

But Sir Gray was not one to be in a hurry.

"You young people, enjoy the salon," he said with a smile, "and then we can talk about other things. Miss Marple, I would like to say sorry to you on behalf of Amelie. She is not feeling well today, so she rested early If you want, you can ask the housekeeper to take you to meet her later."

That was what it meant to wait until later to ask Bertha to get out of the way, and ser and Mycroft to talk about business.

"I will," said Bertha cheerfully, "and I hope she is well."

"I wish you all the best of luck tonight."

After Sir Gray nodded and left to entertain the others, Mycroft stared at the tall and slender figure of the old gentleman, and said without hesitation, "No matter how expensive a cage made of gold is, it's not as expensive as the vast cage. The sky is precious. Isn’t it a matter of course that the caged bird envies the free goshawk.”

The allusion, of course, was Mrs. Ward's envy of Bertha.

She turned her head with great interest, and looked at Mycroft beside her: "Compare me to a goshawk, then what are you, Mike? Are you a falconer?"

"Definitely not, ma'am."

Bertha teased, but Holmes' eldest son got a serious look.

Mycroft corrected him solemnly: "You and I are equals, dear, and..."

"and?"

"A creature like an eagle has always been monogamous."

What a monogamous couple.

Not only complimented others, but also said love words incidentally, but Mycroft still looked like he was thinking like this from the bottom of his heart, which really made Bertha's heart elated.

"I'll take it seriously, Mike," she laughed.

"Of course it's true."

After the harmless flirting was over, other gentlemen and ladies would naturally come forward to socialize.

Some Bertha had met before, some had not, and they came from different fields, and their manners were completely different.But Bertha was still quick to identify what the guests had in common.

"They are not simple characters," Bertha sighed during the social break, "Amelie's family is really powerful."

"That's where the name is called."

Mycroft couldn't help laughing: "I'm afraid Mrs. Ward will be angry again if she hears it."

Bertha said harshly: "I know, otherwise it would be boring? But I really didn't expect it."

"I didn't expect that Sir Ward, who was hanged, didn't look so capable," Mycroft guessed her thoughts without Bertha needing to say more, "but his wife is quite powerful? If not, Sir Ward wouldn't have climbed so fast."

No wonder.

Marrying a good wife is also considered capable.

It's just a pity that such an excellent lady as Mrs. Ward should be confined in such a small world.

Bertha has never been sympathetic, she really felt that after Sir Ward's death, Amelie Gray could be regarded as "regained freedom".

"Then it seems that Sir Gray may not be an easy talker."

"That's why I ask you for help, Bertha," sighed Mycroft. "If it wasn't for Mrs. Ward, I'd have to bleed a lot, and I may not be able to ask Sir Gray."

"Do you have the confidence to convince him?"

"I can't live up to the stepping stone you gave me."

That is to have confidence.

Bertha is also confident, is there anything in this world that Holmes wants to do but can't?Therefore, she thought about the future with confidence: "After you win over Sir Gray, when do you plan to make a move to the Truth Society?"

"Wait for the truth to learn to do it first."

Mycroft replied in a low voice: "Your brother's prediction is right, my dear. If you want to openly attack the Thames Office, the Truth Society must use official power. This is a loophole."

Whether it's bribery, threats, or simply having an undercover agent in the army or Scotland Yard, once a move is made, it will definitely be exposed.If you seize this opportunity, you will naturally be able to root out all the forces of the Truth Society hiding in London.

only……

Bertha's smile gradually subsided.

"But what did you think of?" Mycroft asked sharply.

It just occurred to Bertha that Mycroft Holmes's plan was all the more clear.

The man beside her allowed her to hold her arm, and the two of them were intimate, describing their affection.Whether it's the status of the current lover or the status of husband and wife of the "Smiths", their cooperation has never made any mistakes.

Kissed, laid in a bed, even flirted with.

but--

Can use the step of the Institute of Truth to attack the Times Office, wouldn't the majestic Sherlock Holmes see the opponent's moves more thoroughly?

He has always been a person who sits in front of the chessboard, predicts the end before the game starts, and is sure to win beautifully.The calculation was so clear that Bertha felt that this guy might have anticipated every move of the chess game.

So where is the earliest step?

"No, nothing."

She withdrew her gaze and responded nonchalantly: "It's all about thinking about the firm's problems. In this case, I have to urge Lambert Byrne."

Maybe Mycroft noticed it, maybe he didn't, the gentleman smiled gently: "It's up to you, ma'am."

Yes.

Anyway, it's up to her.

Send Miss Jane Eyre away safely first, and then Bertha has nothing to fear.