He spoke in the resigned voice of one forced to tolerate a weakness of which he disapproved, but Hemingway said cheerfully: “That's right, I do. You never know what they'll let fall. I picked up quite a lot from Mrs. Midgeholme.”
“You did, sir?” said the Sergeant, faintly incredulous.
“Certainly I did. Why, I didn't know one end of a Peke from another when I came to Thornden, and I could set up as a judge of them now, which will probably come in useful when I'm retired.”
The Sergeant chuckled. “She wins a lot of prizes with those dogs of hers,” he remarked. “That I will say.”
“Well, you have said it, so I can't stop you, but you don't need to say any more. I've got a very good memory, which means I don't have to be told things more than once in one afternoon,” said Hemingway unkindly. “Strictly speaking, it wasn't the Pekes I meant, either. Or that unnatural Pole. It was what she had to say about the Lindales that interested me.”
“Well, sir, but—just a bit of spite, wasn't it?”
“She doesn't like them, if that's what you mean, but I wouldn't call her spiteful. And I don't think she said anything about them that wasn't true. Or at any rate what she believes to be true. Of course, you can say that it's quite enough to make anyone nervy to have her bursting in on them, and I'm bound to agree that I should think up a lot of jobs to do myself if it happened to me. On the other hand, it isn't in human nature not to want to have a good gossip about a thing like this. Provided you know you're in the clear, that is. Anything known about these Lindales?”
“Why, no sir! I mean, there isn't any reason why we should know anything about them, barring what everyone knows. Seem to be quiet, respectable people, generally well-liked in the neighbourhood. They don't get about much, but I don't know that it's to be expected they would. Not with him having his hands full with the farm, and her with a baby, and only one daily woman to help her.”
“Fair enough,” agreed Hemingway. “And what do you make of them never having anyone to stay?”
“I don't know,” said the Sergeant slowly. “What do you make of it, sir?”