Mentally, Miss Marple shook her head.
What worried her was something more than that.
CHAPTER 5
Gently eluding her hostess the next morning, Miss Marple went out into the gardens. Their condition distressed her. They had once been an ambitiously set out achievement. Clumps of rhododendrons, smooth slopes of lawns, massed borders of herbaceous plants, clipped boxhedges surrounding a formal rose garden. Now all was largely derelict, the lawns raggedly mown, the borders full of weeds with tangled flowers struggling through them, the paths moss-covered and neglected.
The kitchen gardens, on the other hand, enclosed by red brick walls, were prosperous and well stocked. That, presumably, was because they had a utility value. So, also, a large portion of what had once been lawn and flower garden, was now fenced off and laid out in tennis courts and a bowling green.
Surveying the herbaceous border, Miss Marple clicked her tongue vexedly and pulled up a flourishing plant of groundsel.
As she stood with it in her hand, Edgar Lawson came into view. Seeing Miss Marple, he stopped and hesitated.
Miss Marple had no mind to let him escape. She called him briskly. When he came, she asked him if he knew where any gardening tools were kept.
Edgar said vaguely that there was a gardener some-where who would know.
‘It’s such a pity to see this border so neglected,’ twittered Miss Marple. ‘I’m so fond of gardens.’ And since it was not her intention that Edgar should go in search of any necessa’y implement she went on quickly: ‘It’s about all an old and useless woman can find to do.
Now I don’t suppose you ever bother your head about gardens, Mr Lawson. You have so much real and important work to do. Being in a responsible position here, with Mr Serrocold. You must find it all most interesting.’ He answered quickly, almost eagerly: ‘Yes – yes – it is interesting.’ ‘And you must be of the greatest assistance to Mr Serrocold.’ His face darkened.
‘I don’t know. I can’t be sure. It’s what’s behind it all ‘ He broke off. Miss Marple watched him thoughtfully.
A pathetic undersized young man in a neat dark suit. A young man that few people would look at twice, or remember if they did look.
There was a garden seat nearby and Miss Marple drifted towards it and sat. Edgar stood frowning in front of her.
‘I’m sure,’ said Miss Marple brightly, ‘that Mr Serrocold relies on you a great deal.’ ‘I don’t know,’ said Edgar. ‘I really don’t know.’ He frowned and almost absently sat down beside her. ‘I’m in a very difficult position.’ ‘Of course,’ said Miss Marple.
The young man Edgar sat staring in front of him.
‘This is all highly confidential,’ he said suddenly.
‘Of course,’ said Miss Marple.
‘If I had my rights ‘ ‘Yes?’
‘I might as well tell you… You won’t let it go any further I’m sure?’ ‘Oh no.’ She noticed he did not wait for her disclaimer.
‘My father – actually, my father is a very important man.’ This time there was no need to say anything. She had only to listen.
‘Nobody knows except Mr Serrocold. You see, it might prejudice my father’s position if the story got out.’ He turned to her. He smiled. A sad dignified smile. ‘You see, I’m Winston Churchill’s son.’ ‘Oh,’ said Miss Marple. ‘I see.’ And she did see. She remembered a rather sad story in St Mary Mead – and the way it had gone.
Edgar Lawson went on, and what he said had the familiarity of a stage scene.
‘There were reasons. My mother wasn’t free. Her own husband was in an asylum – there could be no divorce no question of marriage. I don’t really blame them. At least, I think I don’t… He’s done, always, everything he could. Discreetly, of course. And that’s where the trouble has arisen. He’s got enemies – and they’re against me, too.
They’ve managed to keep us apart. They watch me.
Wherever I go, they spy on me. And they make things go wrong for me.’ Miss Marple shook her head.
‘Dear, dear,’ she said.
‘In London I was studying to be a doctor. They tampered with my exams – they altered the answers.