‘I’d like to see that woman’s marriage certificate,’ said Mrs Bradley. ‘If she is put down as the wife of Mr William Fullalove we’ve quite a lot to think about, and so have the police and the lawyers.’

‘You mean …?’ asked Deborah.

‘Mrs William Fullalove isn’t Bill’s wife but Tiny’s,’ said Mrs Bradley. ‘I heard from Jon that Bill’s real name was Clarence. I’ve a good mind to go to Farmer Daventry and find out whether he’s seen the marriage certificate, and, if so, what is on it. You see, if we’re right, it would be just as easy, when once her claim is substantiated, for Tiny Fullalove to share the five thousand pounds’ insurance with his wife as to inherit it directly! In fact, from his point of view, if Bill’s death was no accident, it would be much the safest way to get hold of the money.’

‘Oh, dear!’ said Deborah. ‘It’s all horrible and all interesting.’

‘That’s due to the devil,’ said Sally, who had joined them whilst the men walked on ahead. ‘The trouble about horrors is that they are interesting. Deb, Jon is looking round anxiously. I think he is afraid you’re getting tired.’

‘No, that Aunt Adela is,’ retorted Deborah. Mrs Bradley cackled.

‘Nonsense, child,’ she said. ‘He never thinks of anybody else when you are one of the party, and quite right, too. I like young husbands to be obsessed with their wives’ charms. Far too many of them are not. It may be rather hard on the wife to be an object of worship, but to an observer it is undoubtedly fascinating. The exalted primitive theory that the primary deity is a woman …’

Deborah made a face at her, tripped over a tree-root and would have fallen but for Mrs Bradley’s iron-fingered grip on her elbow.

After lunch Deborah had to go into Cheltenham and Sally went with her. Jonathan went out with the limping Tiny Fullalove to look at the pigs. Mrs Bradley went up to her room to write letters, Mansell went out to co-opt labour for his dig, and Obury sought out Ed Brown. He observed to the others that he had taken a great fancy to Ed because of his knowledge of the countryside and the strange attraction he had for animals. He proposed to accompany Ed on his afternoon round.

Jonathan was not at all certain that this programme would appeal to Ed, or to Farmer Daventry who employed him, but he supposed that the day would end with beer for two at the village pub, and he trusted that this would compensate Ed for any boredom or embarrassment which he might suffer during the afternoon. As for Farmer Daventry, he probably had the wit to leave a good carter alone.