Jerry was working. He had a preoccupied air and stained fingers, but he found George a can of beer. He tried not to show how much he minded leaving his easel.

“I’d heard that you were still here,” he said. “Have you been able to do much ringing?”

“A bit. But that’s not why I’m still on the island.”

“You don’t think that Nick was the murderer?”

“No.”

“How can I help?”

“I wanted to ask you about some rumours. Have you heard any gossip about Paul Derbyshire?”

“I’ve heard rumours about everyone.”

“Please, Jerry. It might be important.”

“Pam was always rather cruel about him. She knew him before he was married. She was his receptionist before she had the children.”

“What did she say about the doctor?”

“That he made a fool of himself over a couple of the young female patients. Idealized them. Wrote poetry to them.”

“Did he take any of them out?”

“Oh, I don’t think so. That would have been quite normal. That was the point.”

“You’ve not heard anything recently?”

“Oh no. I think that Marjory keeps him on a very tight rein.”

“Had Pamela kept in touch with him, socially?”

“They didn’t have much in common, except the island, and the RSPB local members’ group, but Pamela used Paul and Marjory to babysit quite often, when the children were small. Sian and Edward are very fond of them. The Todds are a peculiar family and William’s parents are dead, so Paul and Marjory have become sort of replacement grandparents.”

“I gathered that it was something like that. Did Charlie ever talk about Paul or ever have a go at him, tease him?”

“Not specially.”

“Are you usually good at getting up in the morning?”

“What do you mean?”

“Could the murderer have taken a chance that you would oversleep? Do you often do it?”

“I’m not at my best in the mornings, but I’m usually reasonably punctual. I think I know why I slept in last weekend. I’ve had a lousy cold ever since. I may have had a bit of a temperature.”

“Can you get over to the island tomorrow?”

“I don’t know. I’m very busy. I’ve this plate to finish by the end of the month.”

His eyes were already straying back to his work. George knew that he was losing concentration.

“Do you know why Elizabeth Richards should be visiting William Marshall?”

He said it to shock, to regain Jerry’s attention.

“No,” Jerry said. “ I’m sure that there can be no personal involvement. William’s very respectable. Not Elizabeth’s type at all.”

“Will you come to the island tomorrow? I won’t need to trouble you again.”

Jerry laughed. “ Yes,” he said. “I’ll come.”

There was no excuse now not to go straight to the police station, but George drove slowly up the valley. I should have left all this to the police, he thought, not very seriously. Then there would be nothing to stop me walking through the woods, checking the warblers on the brambles down by the harbour. A bit of gentle birdwatching on a still autumn day is more suited to an elderly gentleman than this.