“But he didn’t see her, did he? Not this time or when she was here a couple of weeks ago. Mr. Chandler-Powell and Sister Holland saw to that. I don’t believe they were friends, Mr. Boyton and Miss Gradwyn. That was probably him trying to make himself look important. But it’s odd about the freezer. It isn’t even in his cottage, but he seemed sort of fascinated with it. Do you remember, Dean, all those questions he asked when he was last here and came to borrow some butter? He never paid it back.”

Concealing her interest and taking care to avoid Benton’s eyes, Kate said, “When was that?”

Dean glanced at his wife. “The night Miss Gradwyn first arrived. Tuesday the twenty-seventh, wasn’t it? Guests are expected to bring their own food and then they either shop locally or eat out. I always leave milk in the fridge, and tea, coffee and sugar, but that’s all unless they order provisions in advance and then Mog shops for them. Mr. Boyton rang to say that he had forgotten to bring butter and could I let him have a packet. He said he’d come over for it, but I wasn’t keen to have him poking about the kitchen, so I said I’d take it. It was six-thirty and the cottage looked as if he’d just arrived. His gear was dumped on the kitchen floor. He asked if Miss Gradwyn had arrived and when could he see her, but I said I couldn’t discuss anything to do with a patient and he’d better speak to Sister or Mr. Chandler-Powell. And then, casual-like, he began asking about the freezer—how long had it been next door, was it still working, did Miss Westhall use it? I told him that it was old and useless and no one used it. I said Miss Westhall had asked Mog to get rid of it but he said it wasn’t his job. It was for the council to take it away and Miss Cressett or Miss Westhall had better ring them. I don’t think anyone did. Then he stopped asking questions. He offered me a beer but I didn’t want to drink with him—I haven’t the time anyway—so I left and came back to the Manor.”

Kate said, “But the freezer was next door in Stone Cottage. How did he know about it? It must have been dark by the time he arrived.”

“I suppose he’d seen it on a previous visit. He must have been in Stone Cottage at some time, at least after the old man died. He used to make a lot of the Westhalls being cousins. Or he could have snooped round when Miss Westhall wasn’t there. People round here don’t bother much about locking their doors.”