POSTERN OF FATE Agatha Christie

'I think he's up there with the master.'
But at that moment Hannibal made his appearance. Having barked
with the ferocious fury he considered necessary for a good guard dog,
he had correctly assumed that it was his beloved mistress who had
returned and not someone who had come to steal the teaspoons or to
assault his master and mistress. He came wriggling down the stairs,
his pink tongue hanging out, his tail wagging.
'Ah,' said Tuppence, 'pleased to see your mother?'
Hannibal said he was very pleased to see his mother. He leapt upon
her with such force that he nearly knocked her to the ground.
'Gently,' said Tuppence, 'gently. You don't want to kill me, do you?'
Hannibal made it clear that the only thing he wanted to do was to eat
her because he loved her so much.
'Where's Master? Where's Father? Is he upstairs?'
Hannibal understood. He ran up a flight, turned his head over his
shoulder and waited for Tuppence to join him.
'Well, I never,' said Tuppence as, slightly out of breath, she entered the
book-room, to see Tommy astride a pair of steps, taking books in and
out. 'Whatever are you doing? I thought you were going to take
Hannibal for a walk.'
'We have been for a walk,' said Tommy. 'We went to the churchyard.'