Adders on the Heath

'I want to know exactly-and, please realise that I mean what I say-exactly how you spent your time on the day which culminated in your discovery of Mr Colnbrook's body in your tent and your subsequent report to the police.'

'Well, that's easy enough. When you're on your own you remember things ever so much better than when you're one of a party. Let's see, now. Yes.'

'Begin with breakfast,' said Dame Beatrice.

'Breakfast, yes. I got in to breakfast at the hotel at about nine o'clock. Is that near enough?'

'If it is as near as you can get.'

'Yes, well, it would have been just about then, because, you see, I had gone for a walk after I'd had a plunge in the stream. I don't know how far I went, but it would have been about seven miles, I think.'

Two hours' walking, then?'

'About that, I suppose. I stepped it out because, at that time in the morning, at this time of year, it's chilly.'

'Yes. And after breakfast?'

'I did what seems a silly thing now, but I didn't know at the time that I'd be asked to account for my actions. I went by train to New Milton and walked from there to a village where there's an interesting old manor house.'

'That sounds innocent enough.'

'Absolutely. The trouble is that I can't think of anybody who'll swear to my having been there.'

'I see. And then?'

'The manor house has been converted into flats, so I left and went to Milford-on-Sea, where I had lunch at an hotel.'

'Excellent. The waiter will be able to identify you.'

'Then I had a swim-very cold, of course!-and then I went into Lymington and bought some socks at one shop and some Wellington boots at another.'

'Better and better! So what is worrying you, Mr Richardson?'

'I don't really know. I feel as though I'm in a trap. I know the Superintendent suspects me.'

'He probably suspects the members of the Scylla and District club a good deal more strongly, let alone the relatives of the deceased. What did you do after you left Lymington?'

'Nothing much. I caught a bus to the level crossing in this village and walked back to the hotel. There I had dinner, as usual-'

'As usual?'

'Well, by that, I mean I'd dined there on the Thursday and Friday. This was the Saturday, when I'd been expecting Denis to show up, but, of course, I knew he wouldn't, because of the postcard I'd had.'

'Postcard? Ah, yes. You walked into the village and collected it on the Friday morning, I believe. Why did you not have your correspondence addressed to the hotel?'

'Well, it seemed rather a cheek, as I wasn't sleeping there.'

'Dear me! I had no idea that the rising generation entertained such scruples.'

'Everything was to be sent to the hotel once we were in residence, of course-that's to say, from last Saturday onwards. I didn't know, when I made the arrangement, that Denis couldn't come that week-end.'

'Quite. To how many people did you give the poste restante address?'

'To Denis himself, to my mother and to the people whose kid I'd been tutoring.'

'I see. To nobody else?'

'Nobody-but I did tell the Maidstons-my last employers, you know-that I was camping up on the heath.'

'You came to the New Forest last Thursday morning and pitched your tent. At what time?'

'Oh, a quarter to ten, near enough.'

'You left it, on Thursday, for how long?'

'I went back to the hotel at about twelve and got back to camp at about a quarter-past two, I think. I didn't stay in the tent. I bathed and then I explored a bit, and went back to the hotel for tea. I left again at about ten minutes to five, walked a few miles, got to the hotel for a latish dinner and then went back to camp to sleep.'

'It seems to me that anybody who was watching your movements might have had some chance to formulate a plan of action. The most likely person to have done so would have been a member of the hotel staff, don't you think?'

'Hopelessly unlikely, I would have said.'

Dame Beatrice nodded approval. Then she said, 'All the same, I suppose some members of the staff have their free day on a Thursday? What about your Friday?'

'Well, Friday was quite a bit different. I had breakfast at the hotel at about a quarter to nine, and then I walked into the village, collected Denis's postcard, bought cigarettes, fruit and some sweets, got back to the hotel in time for a drink before lunch and then, after lunch, I walked over the common and photographed some ponies and cattle and a couple of donkeys, I think. I suppose again I walked about seven miles altogether.'

'Another two hours, I imagine, so that you would have been away from your tent for, roughly, what length of time?'

'Roughly, for about three and a half hours plus an hour for lunch, plus the two hours' walking you've just mentioned.'

'In other words, once you had left your camp in the morning, you did not return to it for at least six to seven hours.'

'I suppose that's about right. At about a quarter to five I met a forester, not far from my camp, who showed me a badger's hole in the woods and I made up my mind to do a bit of badger-watching that night after dinner. So I did, but I had no luck with the badgers and got back to camp at about half-past eleven or so.'

'So your tent was again empty from-?'

'I don't know exactly. I cut out tea in favour of the walk and the forester, but, after dinner, that's to say, at about a quarter to eight, I went back to camp for a sweater and a torch, and so on.'

'And you saw nobody near your tent?'

'Not a soul. Of course, it was pretty dark then. All the way through, you see, there's very little proof that I spent my time in the way I say I did.'

'Oh, nonsense!' said Dame Beatrice cheerfully. 'You'd be surprised how many people observe what others do and where they go. The world is populated quite largely by Peeping Toms. Oh, your name is Tom! Dear, dear!'

'Do you think the Superintendent will charge me?'

'I think nothing is more unlikely. What do you know about hydrocyanic acid, apart from what was said at the inquest?'

'Wasn't it supplied to secret agents during the war in case they were afraid of being forced to give away information to the Nazis?'

'Anything else?'

'I did mention the stinks cupboard at Tuna House School.'

'I must have a word with the Headmaster.'

'Oily old brute!'

'That sounds as though his manners are above the average. But we appear to have arrived at an unique village.'

George pulled up.

'You named no particular destination, madam,' he said, 'and Mrs Gavin and Mr Denis were particularly anxious to visit Buckler's Hard. Shall I see whether I can obtain permission from the car-park attendant to take the car down the slope, madam?'

'No, no. We must not attempt to suborn an official who is on duty. Besides, I prefer to tour outlandish places on foot. One sees far more that way.'

'I don't know that the inhabitants would care to hear their village called outlandish, madam,' said George, with a respectful smile.

'But it is outlandish, in the very best sense of the word, George. You will observe that there is a vast expanse of water at the foot of the hill. How very fortunate we are to have struck a fine day for this excursion! Now Mrs Gavin will be able to show me a catamaran, I hope. She talks freely of twin hulls. You may meet us at Beaulieu, but I cannot say when. I believe we can walk to the abbey alongside the water. I see that Mrs Gavin and my grand-nephew have followed us here.'

CHAPTER SEVEN

BUCKLER'S HARD

'When will the steam be aweary of flowing

Under my eye?

When will the wind be aweary of blowing