‘There is only one serious business connected with this house—the abuela’s death. Has she come about that?’ She looked challengingly at the visitor.
‘Not about the death; about the manner of it,’ said Dame Beatrice. ‘There is no need to ask whether monkshood grows on this estate.’
‘No, but it gets washed up on the sands below this estate,’ said Maria.
Fiona said sharply: ‘There can be no connection. Besides, we don’t even know that what you saw was monkshood. It had been in the sea. It could be anything. Even if it is monkshood, it could have come from anywhere. There is nothing to connect it with that house or your mother’s death.’
‘So that’s what the silence and gloom at lunchtime were about!’ said Antonia. She looked from one to the other of the protagonists and then fixed her somewhat protuberant eyes on Dame Beatrice. ‘I wonder whether Maria’s plants had roots attached to them?’
‘No, they had not,’ said Maria, ‘and that is the whole point and that is why, whether Fiona liked it or not, I telephoned the police. The plants may be a clue. I don’t know how the tides run in these parts, but the police ought to find out. Unfortunately, having made their arrest, they do not seem interested in any evidence which may turn up.’
‘Did you leave the plants where you found them?’ asked
Dame Beatrice.
‘No, I did not. The next high tide might have carried them away.’
‘Probably the best thing which could have happened,’ said Fiona. ‘You should leave well alone, not turn it to evil.’
‘I happen to regard it as a crime to destroy evidence,’ said Maria. ‘If the police refuse to examine it, that is their business. One of Diana’s puppies got drowned and was washed up here, I remember.’
Fiona made a gesture as though she could have struck her.
‘Rupert didn’t poison madre,’ she said chokingly. Maria raised her eyebrows and turned away.
Chapter 14
Family Matters
« ^ »
‘Do you attach any importance to this flotsam?’asked Laura.
‘And jetsam, of course,’ said Dame Beatrice. ‘As it could have been thrown into the sea anywhere between Nare Head and Dodman Point, I think its value as evidence is negligible.’
‘Yet Maria Porthcawl was angry with Fiona Bute for objecting to her telling the police about it. Why was that, do you suppose?’
‘I think both believe that the murder was committed by one of the family and I would not be surprised if they think they know which one. In fact, I think they all, including Miss Aysgarth, have their suspicions, and these are not fastened upon the girl who is now in custody. Whether they have all hit upon the same person I cannot say. Their diverse characters and interests render it unlikely.’
‘So that’s not much help, although I think they ought to speak out and say what they suspect.’
‘How did you enjoy your afternoon?’ asked Dame Beatrice, ignoring this comment.
‘Hugely, but I’ve nothing to show for it.’
‘No wild monkshood?’
‘Devil an inflorescence, so where do we go from here?’
‘It came out, during the course of conversation, that not only is Miss Aysgarth meeting her young man tomorrow, but she is meeting him in London and proposes to remain in the metropolis to continue her study of voice production. A word with Miss Bute, who walked with me over to the car, elicited the address of the hostel at which Miss Aysgarth is staying until a suitable flat can be found for her. I left a message with Miss Bute to the effect that George would be prepared to drive Miss Aysgarth to London if she would care to present herself at nine o’clock at the public house where he is staying. I did not add that I should be making one of the party. It is a very long way from here to London and, as I intend to make a straight run through, there should be plenty of time on the journey for me to find out from Miss Aysgarth all that I want to know.’
‘And that, roughly speaking?’
‘Is her own and the family history, so far as she knows both. What we lack in this case is background knowledge. I am hoping that Miss Aysgarth can supply it.’
‘Can?—or will?’
Dame Beatrice, grinning like an alligator, replied that Time would show. She rose at eight on the following morning, breakfasted while Laura was swimming in the cove, and rang up the public house for George to bring round the car. Antonia was already waiting to be picked up when it got back to the public house and they set off for Exeter as the clock in the bar moved round to nine.
‘Luxury!’ said Antonia, settling herself against the upholstery. ‘Even the Headlands car is not as good as this one, although I don’t often use ours. I go on horseback when I pay visits. I was beginning to think I’d have to sit in front with your driver if I’d had to travel alone. It’s beneath my dignity as an up and coming prima donna to sit with the hired help, as the Americans call it—a much pleasanter term than “servant”, don’t you think—but I can’t bear not talking to somebody when I’m travelling. Have you really got to go to London, or do you want to pump me?’
‘Your perspicacity is only exceeded by your musical talent.’
‘What do you know about my musical talent?’
‘You have just made allusion to it and in the highest terms.’
‘Well, yes, I intend to get to the top. So you want some information, do you? Well, if it’s about the abuela’s death, I don’t have any. I may have my ideas, but there’s no proof.’
‘Is it one of your ideas that the police have arrested the right person?’
‘That fool? Don’t make me laugh. Mags Denham couldn’t have thought out how to kill the abuela if she’d worked at it for ten years. She followed me into that kitchenmaid’s job, you know, and I had to show her the ropes (under Mrs Plack’s eye, of course) before I was dusted off and admitted to the drawing-room, so I know what a moron Mags is. We never got on, not at school and not while I was overseeing her work. Then, of course, she blotted her copybook by giving me lip and had to go.’
‘You informed upon her?’
‘Well, I wasn’t going to stand for cheek from the likes of her. Why should I?’
‘Did you feel remorse when she lost her employment?’
‘I was as sick as mud. I only wanted her to get a good telling-off. I never dreamed of her getting the sack. We working girls don’t go doing that sort of thing to each other.’
Dame Beatrice regarded this as too general a statement to be wholly admissible, but she did not challenge it and for some time nothing more was said as the car went on to Exeter, where the party had lunch.
‘Does he sit down with us?’ whispered Antonia, as George, who had carried a small suitcase into the hotel, appeared in the bar wearing a neat suit and a quiet tie.
‘You will probably find his table-manners superior to our own,’ Dame Beatrice murmured in response, as George came towards them. In the car once more and moving nicely along the A30, Antonia, fortified by the lunchtime drinks from which George had abstained, became loquacious.
‘I suppose you might call mine a success story,’ she said complacently.
‘No doubt,’ Dame Beatrice agreed. ‘Did you find any of Mrs Leyden’s relatives critical when she took you out of the kitchen?’
‘Well, Fiona didn’t take to the idea. Never has. Always finding me little jobs to do to keep me in my place. You know the sort of thing. Trips up and downstairs for little, unnecessary things and errands that Mattie or Redruth Lunn could have done. Anything to remind me of my origins and, of course, I had to muck in. The abuela favoured me quite a bit, but she doted on Fiona and would never side with me against her, although she didn’t like the friendship between her and Maria. Thought they were putting their heads together and trying to steal her power.’