Nemesis - Agatha Christie [53]
‘And why was that felt to be necessary?’
‘I don’t know. There are two possibilities. I’m not sure that I like one of them very much.’
‘I don’t know,’ said Professor Wanstead, ‘that I like it very much either.’
They were both silent for a minute or two, and then Professor Wanstead said —
‘I don’t like what happened to Elizabeth Temple. You’ve talked to her during this trip?’
‘Yes, I have. When she’s better I’d like to talk to her again — she could tell me — us — things about the girl who was murdered. She spoke to me of this girl — who had been at her school, who had been going to marry Mr Rafiel’s son — but didn’t marry him. Instead she died. I asked how or why she died — and she answered with the word “Love”. I took it as meaning a suicide — but it was murder. Murder through jealousy would fit. Another man. Some other man we’ve got to find. Miss Temple may be able to tell us who he was.’
‘No other sinister possibilities?’
‘I think, really, it is casual information we need. I see no reason to believe that there is any sinister suggestion in any of the coach passengers — or any sinister suggestion about the people living in The Old Manor House. But one of those three sisters may have known or remembered something that the girl or Michael once said. Clotilde used to take the girl abroad. Therefore, she may know of something that occurred on some foreign trip perhaps. Something that the girl said or mentioned or did on some trip. Some man that the girl met. Something which has nothing to do with The Old Manor House here. It is difficult because only by talking, by casual information, can you get any clue. The second sister, Mrs Glynne, married fairly early, has spent time, I gather, in India and in Africa. She may have heard of something through her husband, or through her husband’s relations, through various things that are unconnected with The Old Manor House here although she has visited it from time to time. She knew the murdered girl presumably, but I should think she knew her much less well than the other two. But that does not mean that she may not know some significant facts about the girl. The third sister is more scatty, more localized, does not seem to have known the girl as well. But still, she too may have information about possible lovers — or boy-friends — seen the girl with an unknown man. That’s her, by the way, passing the hotel now.’
Miss Marple, however occupied by her tête-à-tête, had not relinquished the habits of a lifetime. A public thoroughfare was always to her an observation post. All the passers-by, either loitering or hurrying, had been noticed automatically.
‘Anthea Bradbury-Scott — the one with the big parcel. She’s going to the post office, I suppose. It’s just round the corner, isn’t it?’
‘Looks a bit daft to me,’ said Professor Wanstead, ‘all that floating hair — grey hair too — a kind of Ophelia of fifty.’
‘I thought of Ophelia too, when I first saw her. Oh dear, I wish I knew what I ought to do next. Stay here at the Golden Boar for a day or two, or go on with the coach tour. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. If you stick your fingers in it long enough, you ought to come up with something — even if one does get pricked in the process.’
Chapter 13
Black and Red Check
I
Mrs Sandbourne returned just as the party was sitting down to lunch. Her news was not good. Miss Temple was still unconscious. She certainly could not be moved for several days.
Having given the bulletin, Mrs Sandbourne turned the conversation to practical matters. She produced suitable timetables of trains for those who wished to return to London and proposed suitable plans for the resumption of the tour on the morrow or the next day. She had a list of suitable short expeditions in the near neighbourhood for this afternoon — small groups in hired cars.
Professor Wanstead drew Miss Marple aside as they went out of the dining-room —
‘You may want to rest this afternoon. If not, I will call for you here in an hour’s time.