‘There’s a reason,’ said Miss Crimp. ‘I don’t think the police believe that Eliza ever intended to leave the island.’
‘Why do you think that?’
‘The inspector looked at me in the most suspicious way. I’m sure he thinks I’ve told lies. And what do they want with cutting up my poor friend?’
‘They will want to establish, as far as possible, exactly when she died, and how death was caused. There are signs, you know. The body tells its own tale.’
‘What signs? What tale?’ Miss Crimp asked in agitated tones.
‘Well, I am a doctor of philosophy, not of medicine, so I can scarcely tell you. And I do not know how much difference it makes that the body has been in the sea. But the police have their routine. It is of no use for us to worry.’
‘And do you worry, Father?’ asked Margaret, later.
‘No, that is not the right word. I am deeply perturbed and sad, but worry does not enter into it. It is something of a comfort, in fact, that your poor aunt must have been dead before we ever set foot on the island.’
‘Why do you put it like that, Father?’
‘Well, my dear, her death appears to be somewhat of a mystery and, not to boggle at the truth, I believe I have certain expectations over and above those which are known to the rest of you.’
‘Oh, but, Father, nobody would ever suspect you—’
‘Of course not! Of course not! All the same, I am glad there can be no possible reason for doing so.’
chapter nine
Questions and Answers
Tell me where is fancy bred,
Or in the heart or in the head?
How begot, how nourishèd?
Reply, reply.’
William Shakespeare
« ^ »
Well, but, Father,’ said Margaret later on, ‘Seb and I didn’t even know Aunt Eliza and we like it here. Couldn’t we stay? It’s a bit hard on Miss Crimp, after she made room for us when we weren’t even booked in, if all three of us just walk out on her.’
‘Well, yes, there is something in that, I suppose,’ said Marius heavily. Although he had not seen his sister for more than twenty years, he was shocked by her death and the manner of it and wanted only to leave the island and return to his quiet existence and his caustic but practical spouse. ‘I suppose there is no reason why you two should not stay if you wish to do so, but I shall go on this afternoon’s boat. I must attend the inquest, I suppose, for the look of the thing, if for no other reason, and there is nothing for me here now, so, when I go, I shall not, I imagine, need to return. The interment will be in the family grave, of course, but there is no need for either of you two or your mother to attend the funeral.’
‘And then there’s the will,’ said Sebastian to his sister, after they had returned to their chalet. ‘Personally, I think The Tutor is starry-eyed if he thinks that, after all those years of separation and the row with Boobie, Aunt Eliza has left him anything.’ .?
‘To do him justice, Seb, I don’t believe he’s given a thought to that side of things, although, of course…“ She remembered her father’s remarks on the subject.
‘Oh, well, he will. After all, what was the idea behind this expedition? Of course at present he’s suffering from horror, but he’ll come to and begin taking notice as soon as the funeral is over. One wouldn’t blame him. His generation are like that. Always, after the pious snuffle, the eye to the main chance.’
‘I shouldn’t think there would be a “main chance” with Miss Crimp in possession of the place. She has a calculating and fishy eye.’
‘Well, what are we going to do with ourselves this afternoon?’
‘There’s not so very much of it left. Seb, why have you changed your mind about wanting to stay here? The last I heard was that we would have exhausted the island in another day or two. Why did you tell me to tackle The Tutor and beg him to let us stay?’
‘Ah!’ said Sebastian, investing the word with deep meaning.
‘Oh, come on!’
‘Wait until he’s cleared off back to the mainland, then I might tell you. Meanwhile, I have two thoughts about this afternoon. One is that I want to have another word with Ransome about witchcraft. That business of the headstones and the rope ladder was rather intriguing. The other is that I want to see a man about a boat.’
‘You’re not thinking of going round to those rocks where they picked up—where they found her—are you? Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea at all. The men with Dimbleton had an awful job, and they know the coast and you don’t. Besides, the police inspector may still be around and he won’t want you messing about down there.’
‘Why not? He can’t prevent me from doing a spot of deep-sea fishing, and I shan’t be in charge of the boat. That will be J. Dimbleton’s job.’
‘Oh, well, then, I’ll come with you if he’ll let you hire from him. Seb, do you think Aunt Eliza ever went to the mainland?’
‘Difficult to believe that she did, but, if not, why not? I’m sure La Crimp thought she’d gone.’
‘But it was such a peculiar thing of her not to be here on the day she knew we were coming.’
‘You think Crimp was lying, then? And why do you think our booking wasn’t registered?’
‘I don’t know what to think, but I’ll tell you what, Seb. I’ve a good mind to pump our chambermaid. She seems a simple soul and all the servants are bound to be full of chatter about Aunt Eliza’s death.’
‘There’s another tiny point which occurs to me. We were told that the farmer chap — Ransome’s father — and his wife chartered Dimbleton’s boat to go across for their shopping. Of course, if it happened to come cheaper than the regular mainland run, well and good, but do you really think it would?’
‘Ransome would know. We’ll ask him. We don’t have to mention the farmer. We can make the enquiry, all innocent-like, when we mention we want to hire the boat for ourselves.’
A pass-key turned in the lock of the chalet door and the chambermaid came in. She stopped short when she saw that the occupants were at home.
‘Oh, sorry, sir,’ she said. ‘I’ve been given the afternoon off, so I just come in to turn down the beds.’
‘And you are as welcome as the flowers in May,’ said Sebastian. ‘Tell me, though, for I am a neophyte in these matters, what is the reason for the ritual?’
‘The what, sir?’
‘This turning down of beds. What’s the object of it?’
‘We just haves to do it, sir. It’s laid down.’
‘I thought Friday was your afternoon off,’ said Margaret. ‘Why has it been changed to today?’
‘In the ordinary way, yes, tomorrow, miss, but it’s been changed because of the upset.’
‘Mrs Chayleigh’s death?’ asked Sebastian.
‘That’s right, sir. We might be wanted tomorrow to answer questions, so Miss Crimp give me and Walter, as should be having our half-day tomorrow, she give us today instead.’
‘By questions, do you mean questions from the police,’ asked Sebastian.
‘That’s right, sir. “Answer up prompt and truthful,” Miss Crimp says, “and, if you don’t know, don’t hang about and waste the inspector’s time. Just say you don’t know. And what on earth they think you can know has me beat,” she says.’
‘And do you know anything?’
‘Not to say know, sir, not nothing I don’t, but if they was to ask me did I see her get on the boat, well, I did not, sir, and nobody’s going to make me say as I did.’