‘They had? When? I understood that Mr Serrocold only returned home just before dinner.’ ‘That’s quite true, but he walked up through the park, and Mr Gulbrandsen went out to meet him and they walked up and down the terrace together.’ ‘Who else knows this?’ ‘I shouldn’t think anybody else,’ said Miss Marple.
‘Unless, of course, Mr Serrocold told Mrs Serrocold. I just happened to be looking out of my window – at some birds.’ ‘Birds?’ ‘Birds,’ Miss Marple added after a moment or two: ‘I thought, perhaps, they might be siskins.’ Inspector Curry was uninterested in siskins.
‘You didn’t,’ he said delicately, ‘happen to – er overhear anything of what they said?’ Innocent china blue eyes met his.
‘Only fragments, I’m afraid,’ said Miss Marple gently.
‘And those fragments?’ Miss Marple was silent for a moment, then she said: ‘I do not know the actual subject of their conversation, but their immediate concern was to keep whatever it was from the knowledge of Mrs Serrocold. To spare her – that was how Mr Gulbrandsen put it, and Mr Serrocold said, “I agree that it is she who must be considered.” They also mentioned a “big responsibility” and that they should, perhaps, “take outside advice.”‘ She paused.
‘I think you know, you had better ask Mr Serrocold himself about all this.’ ‘We shall do so, m’am. Now there is nothing else that struck you as unusual this evening?’ Miss Marple considered.
‘It was all so unusual if you know what I mean ‘ ‘Quite so. Quite so.’ Something flickered into Miss Marple’s memory.
‘There was one rather unusual incident. Mr Serrocold stopped Mrs Serrocold from taking her medicine. Miss Bellever was quite put out about it.’ She smiled in a deprecating fashion.
‘But that, of course, is such a little thing…’ ‘Yes, of course. Well, thank you, Miss Marple.’ As Miss Marple went out of the room, Sergeant Lake said: ‘She’s old, but she’s sharp…’
CHAPTER 10
Lewis Serrocold came into the office and immediately the whole focus of the room shifted. He turned to close the door behind him, and in doing so he created an atmosphere of privacy. He walked over and sat down, not in the chair Miss Marple had just vacated, but in his own chair behind the desk. Miss Bellever had settled Inspec-tor Curry in a chair drawn up to one side of the desk, as though unconsciously she had reserved Lewis Serro-cold’s chair against his coming.
When he had sat down, Lewis Serrocold looked at the two police officers thoughtfully. His face looked drawn and tired. It was the face of a man who was passing through a severe ordeal, and it surprised Inspector Curry a little because, though Christian Gulbrandsen’s death must undeniably have been a shock to Lewis Serrocold, yet Gulbrandsen had not been a close friend or relation, only a rather remote connection by marriage.
In an odd way, the tables seemed to have been turned.
It did not seem as though Lewis Serrocold had come into the room to answer police questioning. It seemed rather that Lewis Serrocold had arrived to preside over a court of inquiry. It irritated Inspector Curry a little.
He said briskly:
‘Now, Mr Serrocold -‘
Lewis Serrocold still seemed lost in thought. He said with a sigh: ‘How difficult it is to know the right thing to do.’ Inspector Curry said: ‘I think we will be the judges of that, Mr Serrocold.
Now about Mr Gulbrandsen, he arrived unexpectedly, I understand?’ ‘Quite unexpectedly.’ ‘You did not know he was coming.’ ‘I had not the least idea of it.’ ‘And you have no idea of why he came?’ Lewis Serrocold said quietly: ‘Oh yes, I know why he came. He told me.’ ‘When?’ ‘I walked up from the station. He was watching from the house and came out to meet me. It was then that he explained what had brought him here.’ ‘Business connected with the Gulbrandsen Institute, I suppose?’ ‘Oh no, it was nothing to do with the Gulbrandsen Institute.’ ‘Miss Bellever seemed to think it was.’ ‘Naturally. That would be the assumption. Gulbrandsen did nothing to correct that impression. Neither did I.’ ‘Why, Mr Serrocold?’ Lewis Serrocold said slowly: ‘Because it seemed to both of us important that no hint should arise as to the real purpose of his visit.’ ‘What was the real purpose?’ Lewis Serrocold was silent for a minute or two. He sighed.