The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

October 12, 1912

An unseen man (revealed in Chapter 3 to be Archie Christie) whispers to Agatha that she should “lose [her] dance card” (11) as she attends a ball. While she finds this rude, she’s also curious and attempts to identify the speaker. She muses about meeting her “Fate,” or the man she’ll eventually marry. A blond man is staring at her and, after he speaks with the orchestra, approaches Agatha and reiterates his order to lose her card. He’s arranged for a modern song to play—one that would displease their hosts—because he overheard Agatha wish for modern music. Agatha is flattered; nobody has ever made a gesture like this for her, including Reggie Lucy, a man with whom she has an unofficial agreement to marry, even though she regards him as a brother. Agatha agrees to a dance.

December 4, 1926

Archie admires the elegance and order of the breakfast table of his friends the Jameses, resentful that his own home isn’t as nice. Sam James and his wife, Madge, insist on toasting Archie. (This toast is revealed in Chapter 32 to be a celebration of Archie’s engagement to Nancy Neele). At first, Archie demurs but gives in when he sees that Nancy (who is revealed in Chapter 18 to be Archie’s mistress) is embarrassed by the attention. A servant interrupts with a call for Archie, which surprises him as he kept his whereabouts secret. Charlotte Fisher, a governess and secretary in his employ, is calling to tell him that the police have arrived at Archie’s home, Styles. Archie’s wife, Agatha, is missing.

October 12, 1912

Agatha finds the modern dance shockingly intimate, particularly since her partner watches her intently. He calls her pretty, which she finds very forward but secretly likes, and instead of growing affronted she comments on a mutual acquaintance. Agatha thinks that the man’s failure to mention this acquaintance earlier indicates that he isn’t from a “good family.” Her partner becomes moody when Agatha compliments their mutual friend. As they dance, he says he is a pilot, which impresses Agatha. He emphasizes he flies not for the thrill, but because he thinks war is coming. He asks to dance with her again, and since Agatha knows this breach of decorum will get her in trouble with her mother, she asks for a favor in return: his name. He introduces himself as Lieutenant Archibald Christie.

December 4, 1926

Back in the breakfast room, Archie lies and says the phone call was about his mother, who is ill but not seriously so. As they plan for Nancy to remain with the Jameses and Archie to call if he can’t return for dinner, the servant knocks again. A police officer is at the door. Archie is more concerned with being caught in the lie than with what the police officer has to say. As he follows the police officer’s orders to return to Styles, he considers fleeing, but decides against it.

When he arrives home, Archie wonders how to get control of the situation. He marches inside his house, but the many officers inside don’t notice him. He seizes this opportunity to gather information and sees a piece of his wife’s distinctive stationery below the empty letter tray. He takes the letter into his office, reads it, and then burns it (making it clear that Archie was the mysterious figure carrying out these actions referenced in “The Beginning”), thinking that he is being trapped in a scheme of Agatha’s.

October 19, 1912

Agatha hurries home from playing badminton with a friend at the news that an unidentified man is waiting for her, despite her mother’s hints that he should leave. Agatha doesn’t want to go home—she’s having a nice time—but she doesn’t want to leave her mother, with whom she’s very close, with someone who is clearly annoying her. Agatha suspects the visitor to be an uninteresting naval man who she’d spoken with at a party. When she arrives home, she smooths her hair slightly, not to impress the man, but because her mother would want her to.

Archie is the visitor. Agatha’s mother, whom she calls “Mummy,” is cool to him, which surprises Agatha and embarrasses Archie. They take a walk on the grounds and when Agatha makes a joke about trusting Archie with the secrets of the garden, he expresses a wish to be trusted with all her secrets. Agatha is taken aback by his intensity.

Archie is impressed with the grounds and Agatha thinks of how, despite their grand home, which is called Ashfield, she and her mother have a small income. They discuss Agatha’s preference for art over sport, which led her to schooling in France. Writing is her passion, though she knows it will come second to marriage. Archie describes moving about as a child, and Agatha invites him to share her gardens as his “special place.” Though she feels guilt over her commitment to Reggie, Agatha thinks she wants to see more of this strange man.

December 4, 1926

Archie is caught coming out of his office, but he covers with bluster, demanding to know what the police are doing in his house, instead of searching for Agatha. Archie is introduced to Deputy Chief Constable Kenward, the officer in charge, who strikes Archie as suspicious and clever underneath his friendly façade. Archie wonders why an officer with such a high rank has been assigned to the case. Kenward is unimpressed by Archie’s bluster, so Archie changes tactics, apologizing. Kenward offers an implicit warning against another outburst and the room quiets uncomfortably.

Kenward has questions for Archie, so they return to Archie’s study. Archie is torn between appreciating the privacy and worrying that Kenward will find a scrap of the recently burned letter in the hearth. Archie cautiously answers Kenward’s questions, worrying about what the staff may have reported. He discloses that he had last seen his wife the morning prior and says he doesn’t remember their discussion clearly. Kenward asks about Archie and Agatha’s weekend plans, which causes Archie to worry Kenward knows more than he is saying. He answers vaguely, then snaps at him when Kenward presses for details, which Archie immediately regrets.

A young police officer enters, announcing “a development,” but neither he nor Kenward reveal anything to Archie. In the hallway outside his office, Archie encounters Charlotte, who reports that Rosalind, Archie’s daughter, is asking for him. Archie plans to visit Rosalind later. Charlotte then asks if he saw the letter. Archie asks Charlotte if she mentioned the letter to the police, grabbing her arm hard. She hasn’t. Archie apologizes and when Charlotte asks if she should keep the letter secret, he suggests that it would be better to let the police focus on important things and insists the letter can shed no light on Agatha’s whereabouts.

November 19, 1912

Agatha sits with her sister (also named Madge, not to be confused with Madge James at whose house Archie and Nancy were being toasted in Chapter 2). Madge has heard from their mother that Agatha has a “new beau,” even though she’s still engaged to Reggie. Agatha wonders if this “chat” is the reason for her sister’s impromptu visit. She reminds Madge, whose approval Agatha craves, of her informal agreement with Reggie, which includes his permission to see other men while he completed two years of military service in Hong Kong. Agatha has happily done so but feels a bit of guilt over it now that Archie is in the picture, which she doesn’t reveal to Madge. Agatha insists she isn’t “seeing” Archie, that he’s merely become part of “her set,” but she doesn’t believe the words even as she says them. Madge counters that Archie is part of these events at Agatha’s invitation. They quarrel, Madge reminding Agatha that they don’t know Archie’s family, and Agatha insisting Archie is not her beau, until their mother intercedes.

The conversation shifts to reading and writing. Argument forgotten, they discuss mystery novels they’ve both enjoyed. Agatha expresses interest in writing a detective story, but Madge doubts Agatha can do it. Madge has tried and found it too difficult, implying that if she can’t, her little sister certainly won’t be able to. Agatha’s mother encourages her, but Madge laughs at the idea. Agatha takes this as a challenge and becomes determined to write an unsolvable mystery.

December 4, 1926

In his study, Archie tries to calm himself. Charlotte knocks and enters with Rosalind. Archie loves his seven-year-old daughter despite not having wanted children—though most of what he loves about her is her resemblance to himself. Archie admires that she seems curious instead of weepy at the disquiet in their home.

Rosalind asks why the police are in the house and Archie attempts to tell the truth without alarming her. He says that likely Agatha changed her plans and forgot to tell anyone and has merely gone off somewhere to write. Rosalind is satisfied by this. Archie thinks about how he will “never, ever let his child go” (35).

December 31, 1912

Mummy, who still makes comments indicating her dislike of Archie, asks if Agatha and Archie are really just social acquaintances, as they’re meeting for New Year’s Eve. Mummy laments that Archie isn’t even picking Agatha up, and Agatha finds herself making excuses. Agatha thinks that, unlike Madge, she wants to marry for love. She contrasts her disinterest in reading Reggie’s recent letters with her constant thoughts of Archie.

Archie is moody at the party, frustrating Agatha. He has received his Royal Flying Corps orders and will leave in two days. Agatha thrills at the idea that his moodiness is due to his dread at being separated from her. Agatha says she will miss him, and Archie says that she “simply must” marry him. Reluctantly, Agatha tells him about her engagement to Reggie, but Archie is unconcerned, saying she must break it off. She tries to make excuses, but he cuts her off; if she’d loved Reggie as much as Archie loves her, he argued, she wouldn’t have waited. Agatha wavers but, flattered by Archie’s intensity, ultimately agrees to marry him.