The Case of William Smith

Chapter Twenty-one

Katharine went home feeling rather dazed. She walked all the way because she wanted to think, but the turmoil in her mind was too great. Her thoughts were dashed this way and that by tides of feeling over which she had no control. In the end it all came out to the same thing – she didn’t know what to do.

She went on walking. The air was soft and damp – one of those mild January days which easily turn to fog. She would have been glad of the sharp feel of frost on her face, or a keen wind to buffet her. There was only that mild, gentle air. If she went back to Miss Silver she did not know what might come of it. At the worst there might be publicity, disgrace, things that William would find it hard to forgive. If she held back she might be taking risks with his life.

She came to the flat to find him gone – a note where hers had been:

‘I thought I’d just go over the car. Mr. Tattlecombe said something about giving us Saturday afternoon.’

He came in late for tea, kissed her cheerfully, and went to wash. It wasn’t until he was helping himself to jam that he asked her where she had been. She had wondered whether he would ask, and what she was going to say. But when it happened she knew. She couldn’t lie to William, and she couldn’t shuffle. The answer was as simple as the question. She said,

‘I went to see Miss Silver.’

‘Miss Silver?’

‘Mr. Abbott’s friend – the one whose address he gave you.’

William put jam on his bread – a good deal of jam. Then he said,

‘Oh, her?’ Why did you do that?’

‘Because of what you told me.’

‘Do you mean about my being pushed?’

‘Yes.’

‘It was rum, wasn’t it? This is good jam. Where did you get it?’

‘It’s some I made last summer when I was down in the country.’

‘I thought it didn’t taste like grocer’s jam. Talking about things being rum, that is.’

‘What is?’ Her laugh shook a little. ‘You’re being incoherent. We were talking about jam.’

‘That’s what I meant – your making it last summer, and I didn’t even know that there was any you to make jam, and if I had known I wouldn’t have known you were making it for me, and you wouldn’t either. What were you doing in the country?’

‘I was staying with an aunt.’

‘Where?’

‘At Ledstow.’

He crinkled up his eyes.

‘Ought I to know where Ledstow is?’

‘It’s about seven miles from Ledlington.’

He nodded.

‘I’ve been down to Ledlington on business, just for the day. Rather a nice old market square, but a frightful statue in the middle of it – Sir Albert Something-or-other in marble trousers. What’s this Miss Silver person like?’

She changed colour.

‘Like an elderly governess.’

William passed up his cup.

‘That’s what she used to be. It doesn’t sound as if she’d be much good.’

She ought to have let that go. If she had, perhaps he wouldn’t have thought about any of it again. Something in her wouldn’t let it go. She said,

‘She’s impressive.’

‘How?’

‘Well, she is. She knows things. She knows what you’re telling her, and what you’re keeping back. I didn’t tell her everything, and she knew what I was keeping back.’

William helped himself to more jam.

‘Perhaps that chap Abbott told her. Darling, you’re not eating anything.’

‘I’m not hungry. No, he couldn’t – he didn’t know.’

‘Why aren’t you hungry?’

She smiled at him.

‘Just not.’

‘If he didn’t tell her, how did she know?’

‘She puts things together – things you don’t notice when you’re saying them – you don’t think they’re going to mean anything to anyone else. She puts them together, and she’s got something you didn’t mean to tell her.’

William cut himself another slice of bread.

‘What did you tell her, and what did she get out of it? Darling, you’re pale. What is it?’

‘Nothing. She knew about your being hit over the head. Frank Abbott told her.’

William looked interested.

‘Is that his name? Does she call him Frank?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Must have, or you wouldn’t have known it was his name. I wonder why he told her about me.’

‘He thought she would be interested.’

‘Did you tell her about my being jabbed in the back?’

‘Yes. William, I told her about Emily Salt – about her being queer in the head. I thought perhaps she could find out whether she was more than just queer, and – well, where she was when you were pushed.’

He shook his head.

‘It wouldn’t be any good. Suppose she was out posting a letter – it wouldn’t prove anything. What did Miss Silver say?’

Katharine coloured. The things Miss Silver had said came back vividly – ‘I think you know much more than you have told me’ – ‘Your husband has lost his memory, but you have not lost yours’ – ‘Go home and think about what I have said. ’… Go home and think – she couldn’t stop thinking. Her colour faded. She was pale again as she answered William’s question.

‘She said I hadn’t told her everything. She said she couldn’t take the case unless I did. She told me to go home and think whether I wanted her to take it or not.’

He looked at her and said,

‘What didn’t you tell her?’

She met his look with distress.

‘It isn’t easy. I thought it was fair to tell her about Emily Salt. I don’t know about other people – ’

‘What do you mean by other people?’

Her colour came again.

‘There might be somebody else – I don’t know – I want to be fair – ’

‘Someone who wanted me out of the way?’

‘There might be. I don’t even like to think about it.’

‘Why? I mean, why would anyone want to get rid of me? Unless it was a chap who was fond of you and thought it would be a bright idea to bump me off.’ There was half a laugh in his voice, but it went before the end. His fair brows came together in a frown. ‘Darling, that’s barmy.’

She said, ‘Someone pushed you.’

They sat looking at each other. Then he said slowly,

‘Something else happened this afternoon – at least I found it out this afternoon. I didn’t mean to tell you, but I think I’d better. You know I was going to go over the car. Well, I did, and the near front wheel was loose.’

She echoed the last word, ‘Loose – ’

‘Someone had loosened the studs. They were all right last time I had her out. Someone must have done it.’

‘William!’

He nodded.

‘It’s all right – you needn’t look like that. They all chaff me about the way I go over the car. All the parts being old, you’ve got to be careful. It’s as well I am, because that wheel would just about have got us out into the traffic before it went to glory. It didn’t, so it’s all right. But someone must have been at those studs – ’ He was frowning and intent. ‘Of course it would be easy enough. The place is open most of the time because of Harman keeping his ladders there. Anyone could have slipped in and done the trick.’

Thoughts came and went in Katharine’s mind. They turned into words.

‘Would Emily Salt know how to loosen a wheel?’

‘I shouldn’t think so – she doesn’t look as if she would.’

‘She might.’

William burst out laughing.

‘I should think she would be afraid the car would bite her!’ Then all at once he was serious. ‘I don’t see how it could be Emily. She’s been in bed with a cold ever since Mr. Tattlecombe came home, and the car was all right then. Don’t you remember, Mrs. Salt rang up on Tuesday and said she couldn’t come and see Mr. Tattlecombe because poor Emily was in bed with a temperature, and what a good thing he came home when he did – in case of his getting whatever it was.’

Katharine remembered. She took William’s cup and filled it mechanically.

‘So it couldn’t have been Emily Salt,’ he said.