The Benevent Treasure

Chapter Twenty-six

Inspector Rock made his report to the Chief Constable.

‘On the face of it, sir, it doesn’t look like an accident. To start with – the position of the body, which is shown very clearly in the photographs. She couldn’t possibly have fallen in the position in which she was found, and the position in which she was found doesn’t account for the fractured skull. We ought to know a bit more after the post-mortem, but I think it’s clear enough that she didn’t just fall down those stairs. Miss Olivia Benevent is very bitter against Miss Sayle. She accuses her of murdering Miss Cara in order to succeed to the property.’

‘Does she succeed?’

‘Well, yes, she does. And it is obviously a very sore point. Mr. Derek Burdon informs me that the Miss Benevents’ grandfather came in for a lot of money from his mother, and he settled it, like the rest of the property, first on his son and his male heirs after him, and failing these on daughters and their descendants. The son had only the three daughters, Cara, Candida, and Olivia. If Cara had had children, everything would have gone to them – to the sons first, and then to the daughters in the order of their age. If she didn’t have children, everything went to the next sister, Candida. Miss Sayle is her grand-daughter and only surviving descendant, so she gets the lot.’

‘Miss Olivia Benevent doesn’t get anything?’

‘Some property in Retley and a life-rent of about five hundred a year.’

The Chief Constable had known the Miss Benevents in a distant social way for upwards of twenty years. He had never felt any urge to improve the acquaintance, but it enabled him to form a fairly accurate picture of Miss Olivia’s reactions to being cut out by a great-niece. He was a lively little man, efficient at his job, but with a taste for lighter relaxation than was afforded by the Miss Benevents’ circle. He rode to hounds, competed at point-to-points, and was in demand as a partner at local dances. Since he was under fifty, he considered that he could defer marrying for at least another five years. He raised his eyebrows.

‘A bit rough on Olivia. But murder! What’s the girl like?’

‘Two or three and twenty – nice-looking – quiet. Made a good clear statement, as you see. The maid, Anna, says Miss Cara was very fond of her – it’s in her statement. She says she fetched her because Miss Cara was crying and she thought it would comfort her to see Miss Sayle. Miss Sayle herself says she was very fond of her aunt.’

Major Warrender picked up the typed copy of Miss Olivia Benevent’s statement and frowned at it.

‘She says she spoke to Miss Sayle outside her sister’s door – let me see, that was the night of the Deanery party, wasn’t it? – something about not upsetting her – and that the girl said, “What does it matter when you are as old as that? She will die soon anyhow.” ’ He put the paper down again. ‘Doesn’t seem an awfully likely thing for a girl to say, somehow.’

‘No, sir.’

‘And the maid shilly shallies – doesn’t say she said it, doesn’t say she didn’t say it. Says she can’t say what was said. Looks to me as if she didn’t like to contradict Miss Olivia. And the girl says she was worried about Miss Cara and told Miss Olivia that she thought she was ill. The only thing they are all agreed about is that Miss Olivia struck Miss Sayle. A fairly odd thing to do unless there was something to account for it.’

‘The maid says Miss Olivia couldn’t bear to have anyone remark on Miss Cara not being well.’

Warrender nodded.

‘Eccentric old party,’ he said. ‘Autocrat. Bullied her sister by all accounts. Up against the niece because she couldn’t bully her, I shouldn’t wonder.’

‘She’s up against her all right. But Miss Sayle isn’t the only one she’s up against. You haven’t looked at the butler’s statement yet – Joseph Rossi. He is married to the maid Anna, by the way. He came in on rather an odd kind of scene yesterday morning. There was some sort of quarrel between Miss Olivia and the young fellow Derek Burdon whom they call their secretary. She had him into the study immediately after breakfast. Miss Cara was there too. Joseph says he had occasion to come in and see to the fire, but if you ask me, I should say he was eavesdropping. Anyhow he says he heard voices raised. He heard one of the ladies say, “Is this your gratitude?” and just as he was wondering whether he should go away and come back later, Miss Olivia screamed and Miss Cara cried out, “No – no!” He opened the door and saw Miss Cara lying on the floor with Derek Burdon standing over her, and Miss Olivia was saying, “You’ve killed her – you’ve killed her – you’ve killed her!” ’

‘What had he done?’

‘His account of it is that Miss Olivia wanted him and Miss Sayle to make a match of it, but they didn’t see it that way. They are very good friends, but Miss Sayle is engaged to somebody else, and so is he. He told Miss Olivia he was engaged, and that he was planning to get married and go into a garage business. She lost her temper, Miss Cara fainted, and Joseph came in. All quite straightforward, and much more likely than that there was any violence on Burdon’s part. It links up with Miss Olivia striking Miss Sayle, and with what Joseph says further on. Here – down at the bottom of the page.’

‘What – this bit?’

‘Yes, sir. It’s what happened this morning.’

Warrender read aloud: ‘ “I came into the hall, and saw Miss Cara lying at the foot of the stairs. Miss Sayle was down on her knees beside her and Mr. Derek was looking over her shoulder. My wife Anna was sitting on the bottom step. She was crying. Miss Olivia came down the stairs in her dressing-gown. When she got to the bottom she stood looking at Miss Cara, and she said, ‘Which of you killed her?’ ” ’ He broke off and said,

‘Rather given to jumping to conclusions, isn’t she? And a bit free with the temper. I suppose she didn’t push Miss Cara over herself?’

‘Well, sir, she had every reason not to, the property all going past her to Miss Sayle.’

Major Warrender nodded.

‘I suppose so. All the same, dishing out accusations of other people always seems a bit fishy to me.’

He went on reading Joseph’s statement.