“If you knew the way he's been running after the girl, you wouldn't ask me that!” said Mrs. Midgeholme darkly.
“I daresay I wouldn't, but then, you see, I'm new to these parts.”
“Yes, that's exactly why I'm being perfectly frank with you. My husband says the least said the soonest mended, but there I disagree with him! It's one's duty to tell the police what one knows, and I know that never would Sampson Warrenby have consented to such a marriage. He forbade his niece to have anything to do with Mr. Ladislas, and if he's so much as guessed she was still seeing him behind his back—well, there would soon have been an end to that young man!”
“You think he'd have done the shooting instead?”
“No, I don't go as far as that, for though I've no doubt he'd have been capable of it, he was far too sly and clever to do anything like that. Mr. Ladislas would have found himself out of a job, and been obliged to leave the district. Don't ask me how Warrenby would have managed that! I only know he would. He was that kind of man. And of course Mr. Ladislas must have guessed he'd leave his money to his niece, even if he didn't know it for a fact, which he may have done. And he was actually seen turning into this lane that afternoon! If he didn't know Miss Warrenby was at the Haswells', all I can say is that I'm surprised. I won't put it any more strongly than that: just surprised! So there we have him, on the spot, with a motive, and, I ask you, what more do you want?”
“Well, just a few things!” said Hemingway apologetically. “Not but what I'm much obliged to you, and I'll bear all you've said in mind. Now, I wonder what Ultima Untidy has found to roll in?”
This ruse was successful. Mrs. Midgeholme, who, once clear of the garden, had set the Ultimas down, turned, and hurried with admonishing cries towards Untidy. The Chief Inspector swiftly joined his subordinates in the car, and said: “Step on it!”
Chapter Seven
The Sergeant, concerned, said: “I'm sorry we walked into Mrs. Midgeholme, sir, wasting your time like that! If I'd known, I'd have warned you about her.”
“You'd have been wasting your time to have done so,” said Harbottle, from the seat beside the police-driver. “The Chief likes talkers.”