The Squire stirred impatiently in his chair. “Yes, that's so. Don't know why he was so keen on being appointed: there's nothing much to it. However, he had a fancy for it, and as far as I was concerned he could have had it. Not worth worrying about.”
“Well, that's what it looks like to me,” confessed Hemingway. “Not that I know much about such matters. Mr. Drybeck wanted it too, I understand.”
“Oh, that's nonsense!” said the Squire irritably. “Drybeck's well-enough established here without wanting jobs like that to give him a standing! As I told him! However, I daresay he'd have got it in the end! There was a lot of opposition to Warrenby's candidature.”
“Well,” said Hemingway, stroking his chin, “I suppose he has got it, hasn't he, sir?—the way things have turned out.”
“What the devil do you mean by that?” demanded the Squire. “If you're suggesting that Thaddeus Drybeck—a man I've known all my life!—would murder Warrenby, or anyone else, just to get himself appointed to a job on a River Board—”
“Oh, no sir! I wasn't suggesting that!” said Hemingway. “Highly unlikely, I should think. I was just wondering what made you back Mr. Warrenby, if Mr. Drybeck wanted the post.”
“Quite improper for me to foist my own solicitor on to the Board!” barked the Squire. “What's more— Well, never mind!”
“But, Bernard, of course he minds!” interrupted his wife. “Mr. Drybeck is the family solicitor, Chief Inspector, but—well, he isn't quite as young as he was, and, alas, not nearly as competent as Mr. Warrenby was! Yes, Bernard, I know it's hideously disloyal of me to say so, but what is the use of making a mystery out of it!”
“No use talking about it at all,” said the Squire. “Got no possible bearing on the case.” He looked at Hemingway. “I take it you want to know where I went and what I did when I left The Cedars on Saturday?”
“Thank you, sir, I don't think I'll trouble you to go over that again,” replied Hemingway, causing both husband and wife to look at him in mingled surprise and doubt. “The evidence you gave to Sergeant Carsethorn seems quite clear. You went to cast an eye over that new plantation of yours. I was looking at it myself a little while back. Don't know much about forestry, but I see you've been doing a lot of felling.”