‘Lewis Serrocold…’ said Miss Marple.

Chapter 22

I

Part of letter from Gina Hudd to her aunt Mrs Van Rydock:

— and so you see, darling Aunt Ruth, the whole thing has been just like a nightmare — especially the end of it. I’ve told you all about this funny man Edgar Lawson. He always was a complete rabbit — and when the Inspector began questioning him and breaking him down, he lost his nerve completely and scuttled like a rabbit. Just lost his nerve and ran — literally ran. Jumped out of the window and round the house and down the drive and then there was a policeman coming to head him off, and he swerved and ran full tilt for the lake. He leaped into a rotten old punt that’s mouldered there for years and pushed off. Quite a mad senseless thing to do, of course, but as I say he was just a panic-stricken rabbit. And then Lewis gave a great shout and said ‘That punt’s rotten,’ and raced off to the lake too. The punt went down and there was Edgar struggling in the water. He couldn’t swim. Lewis jumped in and swam out to him. He got to him but they were both in difficulty because they’d got among the reeds. One of the Inspector’s men went in with a rope round him but he got entangled too and they had to pull him in. Aunt Mildred said ‘They’ll drown — they’ll drown — they’ll both drown…’ in a silly sort of way, and Grandam just said ‘Yes.’ I can’t describe to you just how she made that one word sound. Just ‘YES’ and it went through you like — like a sword.

Am I being just silly and melodramatic? I suppose I am. But it did sound like that…

And then — when it was all over, and they’d got them out and tried artificial respiration (but it was no good), the Inspector came to us and said to Grandam: ‘I’m afraid, Mrs Serrocold, there’s no hope.’

Grandam said very quietly:

‘Thank you, Inspector.’

Then she looked at us all. Me longing to help but not knowing how, and Jolly, looking grim and tender and ready to minister as usual, and Stephen stretching out his hands, and funny old Miss Marple looking so sad, and tired, and even Wally looking upset. All so fond of her and wanting to do SOMETHING.

But Grandam just said ‘Mildred.’ And Aunt Mildred said ‘Mother.’ And they went away together into the house, Grandam looking so small and frail and leaning on Aunt Mildred. I never realized, until then, how fond of each other they were. It didn’t show much, you know, but it was there all the time.

Gina paused and sucked the end of her fountain pen. She resumed:

About me and Wally — we’re coming back to the States as soon as we can…

Chapter 23

I

‘What made you guess, Jane?’

Miss Marple took her time about replying. She looked thoughtfully at the other two — Carrie Louise thinner and frailer and yet curiously untouched — and the old man with the sweet smile and the thick white hair. Dr Galbraith, Bishop of Cromer.