‘Over by the window.’

‘Near the door to the library?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did you yourself leave the Hall at all?’

‘Leave? With all the excitement? Of course not.’

Gina sounded scandalized by the idea.

‘Where were the others sitting?’

‘Mostly round the fireplace, I think. Aunt Mildred was knitting and so was Aunt Jane — Miss Marple, I mean — Grandam was just sitting.’

‘And Mr Stephen Restarick?’

‘Stephen? He was playing the piano to begin with. I don’t know where he went later.’

‘And Miss Bellever?’

‘Fussing about, as usual. She practically never sits down. She was looking for keys or something.’

She said suddenly:

‘What’s all this about Grandam’s tonic? Did the chemist make a mistake in making it up or something?’

‘Why should you think that?’

‘Because the bottle’s disappeared, and Jolly’s been fussing round madly looking for it, in no end of a stew. Alex told her the police had taken it away. Did you?’

Instead of replying to the question, Inspector Curry said:

‘Miss Bellever was upset, you say?’

‘Oh! Jolly always fusses,’ said Gina carelessly. ‘She likes fussing. Sometimes I wonder how Grandam can stand it.’

‘Just one last question, Mrs Hudd. You’ve no ideas yourself as to who killed Christian Gulbrandsen and why?’

‘One of the queers did it, I should think. The thug ones are really quite sensible. I mean they only cosh people so as to rob a till or get money or jewellery — not just for fun. But one of the queers — you know, what they call mentally maladjusted — might do it for fun, don’t you think? Because I can’t see what other reason there could be for killing Uncle Christian except fun, do you? At least I don’t mean fun, exactly — but — ’

‘You can’t think of a motive?’

‘Yes, that’s what I mean,’ said Gina gratefully. ‘He wasn’t robbed or anything, was he?’

‘But you know, Mrs Hudd, the College buildings were locked and barred. Nobody could get out from there without a pass.’

‘Don’t you believe it,’ Gina laughed merrily. ‘Those boys could get out from anywhere! They’ve taught me a lot of tricks.’

‘She’s a lively one,’ said Lake when Gina had departed. ‘First time I’ve seen her close to. Lovely figure, hasn’t she. Sort of a foreign figure, if you know what I mean.’

Inspector Curry threw him a cold glance. Sergeant Lake said hastily that she was a merry one. ‘Seems to have enjoyed it all, as you might say.’

‘Whether Stephen Restarick is right or not about her marriage breaking up, I notice that she went out of her way to mention that Walter Hudd was back in the Great Hall before that shot was heard.’

‘Which, according to everyone else, isn’t so?’

‘Exactly.’

‘She didn’t mention Miss Bellever leaving the Hall to look for keys, either.’

‘No,’ said the Inspector thoughtfully, ‘she didn’t…’

Chapter 14

I

Mrs Strete fitted into the library very much better than Gina Hudd had done. There was nothing exotic about Mrs Strete. She wore black with an onyx brooch, and she wore a hairnet over carefully arranged grey hair.