Poison in the Pen

CHAPTER 35

Miss Silver walked down across the Green between tea and the evening meal which the Manor still alluded to as dinner though the rest of Tilling Green was content to sup. Even in the war Miss Maggie had dined, in spite of being told to her face by Mettie Eccles that it was plain snobbery when it came to cutlets made with egg-powder or a sardine on toast. Miss Maggie had been a little perturbed by the imputation, but she continued to dine. She said Roger didn’t like changes, and she didn’t think Mrs. Glazier would like them either. To which Mettie replied that Maggie never did have a will of her own, and of course if you hadn’t, she supposed you just had to prop yourself with conventions. There was quite a tiff, but Miss Maggie’s obstinacy had prevailed. All this was now far in the past, but Miss Repton had recurred to it over the teacups that afternoon.

“Mettie has a very dominating character,” she finished up by saying. “She is so efficient, you know, and if you don’t do things her way, she tries to show you how. She means well, and I know it is wrong to get cross with her, but I am afraid I sometimes do. Only not now of course, because I am so very, very sorry for her. She and Roger and I were all really brought up together, and she truly loved him. Dear Eleanor was a good deal younger-Valentine’s mother, you know. Oh dear, it does seem such a long time ago.”

Miss Silver had begun upon the dark red wool she had bought at Ashleys’ to make a cardigan for her niece Ethel Burkett. It was to be a Christmas present. The first few rows made a line of rich colour upon the green plastic needles. She said in her kindest voice,

“You must have many happy memories.”

Miss Maggie wiped away a tear.

“Oh, yes, I have. But poor Mettie-do you know, I am feeling so concerned about her, all alone in that cottage, and though she has Renie Wayne next door, I don’t think-no, I really don’t think she would find her any help. Renie always has so many grievances of her own-she wouldn’t have time for anyone else’s troubles. I did ask Mettie if she would come up here, but she says she can’t whilst Scilla is in the house, and I’m afraid I don’t feel equal to going down to her-not just yet. Now I suppose you would not feel inclined-it would do her so much good to see you-”

Since an interview with Mettie Eccles was a thing which Miss Silver greatly desired, she made no demur, replying with perfect truthfulness that she would be very glad to go down to Holly Cottage if Miss Eccles would not think her visit an intrusion, adding, “She may not care to see me. I am, after all, a stranger, and she has had a great shock.”

“You have helped me so wonderfully.” Miss Maggie’s voice was full of gratitude. “You know, I am really anxious about Mettie, and I should be most grateful if you would go and see her. Valentine has already had too much strain, and I could make it all seem quite natural if you would just take her down a basket of James Grieves. Such a nice apple and she is so fond of them, but not a keeper so you can hardly ever buy them in the shops.”

Miss Silver was half way across the Green with the basket of James Grieves upon her arm, when Jason Leigh loomed up out of the deepening dusk. A little to her surprise he stopped, spoke her name, and said,

“I should very much like to have a talk with you, Miss Silver.”

From the equable tone of her reply no one would have guessed how unexpected this was.

“Why, certainly, Mr. Leigh.”

Without directly pursuing the subject he said,

“You are on your way to Willow Cottage?”

“I shall be going there to fetch a few more of my things, but at the moment I am taking a basket of fruit to Miss Eccles from Miss Repton.”

He stood before her on the path, blocking her way.

“Miss Silver, I think there is something that you ought to know. If you would turn and walk back with me to the edge of the Green and then allow me to walk with you as far as Holly Cottage, I think that would give me time to say what I want to, if you don’t mind walking slowly.”

Miss Silver turned and began to move back along the way by which she had come.

“What do you wish to say to me, Mr. Leigh?”

She had spoken to him before, because he had been often at the Manor in the last two days, but this was the first time that she had suspected him of having any interest in herself. She was not therefore prepared for his saying, “Well to begin with, I think I had better tell you that I know why you are here.”

She gave her slight prim cough and said,

“Indeed?”

With this small encouragement, he continued.

“You see, I know Frank Abbott. I happened to see him on my way through town. He thought I had better know how you were placed. To be quite candid, he’s got the wind up.”

She said on a note between reproof and affection,

“Frank is not always prepared to allow other people to take what he considers to be a risk.”

“Connie Brooke’s death rattled him, you know, and last night he rang me up in what you might call a flap.”

Miss Silver dissociated herself from this expression by saying, “He was apprehensive on my account?”

“He was.”

“There is no need, Mr. Leigh. I hope the whole matter will soon be cleared up, and for the time being I feel it right to remain with Miss Repton. But there was something you wished to tell me?”

“Yes there was-there is. Does the name of James Barton mean anything to you?”

“Certainly, Mr. Leigh. He lives in Gale’s Cottage next door to Miss Wayne. He is a woman-hater, a recluse. He has seven cats. They all have Bible names beginning with an A, and they accompany him on his nocturnal rambles.”

There was something like a laugh beside her in the dusk.

“You have him taped! I want to tell you that he has been a friend of mine ever since I was ten, that he is a strictly truthful and honest person, and that he is quite incapable of injuring man, woman, child or beast. And when I say this I am talking of what I know.”

“Yes, Mr. Leigh?”

Jason went on.

“I’ve just been seeing him. We were speaking about the anonymous letters and the three deaths associated with them.”

They had reached the edge of the Green and turned again. Lights shone in the cottages which faced them on the farther side. There was some wind blowing and it was very nearly dark. They seemed to be the only people abroad. Jason said,

“He told me something-I think it may be important. He refuses to go to the police with it. Your position in the matter-it isn’t official?”

“Not exactly. But I could not be a party to concealing anything which the police ought to know.”

“That is what I thought you would say. I told Barton as much myself. The whole thing is too serious, too dangerous, for anyone to go about withholding evidence. But-and this is why I am talking to you-this isn’t a matter for the Ledlington police station. It wants careful handling. In fact, to be perfectly frank, I am bringing it to you because you are in a position to take it to the Chief Constable. I told Barton that this was what I should do, and though he didn’t say so, I think it was a relief to his mind. He wouldn’t have told me what he did if he hadn’t expected me to do something about it.”

Miss Silver said in her quiet voice,

“And what did he tell you, Mr. Leigh?”