‘It’s practical and, in times like these, practicality is our watchword.’
She indicated a chair and Alice sat down. Hannah took the seat opposite her and poured the tea into cups of the most delicate porcelain. They sampled a first sandwich apiece. Alice had noticed the array of portraits on the walls, all of men in uniform. She was told that they were ancestors of Hannah’s husband. Evidently, his family had military connections that went back over a hundred years. One of his forbears had fought against the French with the Duke of Wellington. Alice was most interested in the portrait of Hannah’s husband. In the uniform of a brigadier-general, he looked tall, straight-backed and resolute with greying hair and a curling moustache. Hannah gazed at him with affection.
‘I’m a typical army wife,’ she said, reaching for another sandwich. ‘It’s been an ideal arrangement. We may be married but we don’t live in each other’s pockets. It’s important for a wife to have a degree of freedom to pursue her own interests. Remember that when you come to choose your own husband.’
‘I haven’t got to that stage yet, Hannah.’
‘It won’t be long before you do. You’re far too attractive to remain single for long. I’ve seen the way that men look at you.’ Her smile revealed a wicked streak. ‘They don’t look that way at Vera Dowling, poor girl. She’s as plain as a pikestaff.’
‘Vera has her virtues,’ said Alice in defence of her friend.
‘I’ll take your word for it. I’ve yet to detect any.’
‘She’s honest, hard-working and very loyal.’
‘Yes,’ said Hannah, becoming serious. ‘They’re estimable qualities and you’re right to point them out. I place great value on loyalty.’ She ate her sandwich then sipped her tea. ‘I can’t believe that you haven’t had at least
‘It’s true, I’m afraid.’
‘But you must have a sweetheart somewhere.’
Alice stopped herself just in time from admitting that there was a man in her life. If she’d done so, she knew that Hannah would keep probing until she had the details and Alice had promised Joe Keedy to tell nobody about their friendship.
‘No,’ she lied. ‘There’s nobody at the moment.’
Hannah changed the subject. ‘What do you think of the sandwiches?’
‘They’re delicious.’
‘Molly is wonderful at rustling up a spread like this. By way of thanks, perhaps you can do something for her.’
‘I don’t understand — unless she’d like me to help her with the washing-up.’
‘Heavens, no!’ said Hannah with a laugh. ‘I’d never let a guest do anything like that. It’s to do with your father. Molly’s been reading about those dreadful cases in the paper. When I told her that Inspector Marmion was in charge of them — and that his daughter was coming to tea here — she wanted to know if you could tell her anything about the two investigations.’
‘All I can tell her is that my father will solve both crimes in the end.’
‘You can say it to her yourself when she comes in to clear everything away.’
Over a second cup of tea, they discussed activities in the Women’s Emergency Corps. Hannah sounded her guest out about how she would feel if offered a promotion. Since it would entail a complete break from Vera and, in effect, cast her friend adrift, Alice was in two minds about it. Hannah suggested that she thought it over. When Molly came in to clear the table, Alice apologised for not being able to pass on any inside information about the crimes but she assured the cook that the investigations were in the best possible hands.
Adjourning to the living room, the two women sat either end of a long settee. Alice was impressed by the room’s sheer size, its elegant furniture and its tasteful decorations. There was a batch of framed photographs to be identified by Hannah, who had both a husband and two sons at the front. Her wedding photograph stood in the centre of the mantelpiece. She and her husband made a handsome couple. Time passed slowly and pleasantly by. Alice was enjoying herself so much that she didn’t realise that she’d been there for almost two hours. After quizzing her about her home life, Hannah rose to her feet and indicated the door with a gracious gesture.
‘Come on,’ she said, smiling to herself, ‘I’m sure you’ll want to tell Vera all about the house. Let me show you around.’
Alice got up from the settee. ‘Oh, thank you. That would be nice.’
‘We’ll start upstairs.’
Hannah led the way up the carpeted staircase and along the landing. There were five bedrooms on the first floor. Molly occupied one of the attic rooms. Alice was shown those used by the family. They finished in the main bedroom and she was amazed to see that it had an adjoining dressing room bigger than her own bedroom in the family house. Space and luxury were the defining features. The only time Alice had seen anything remotely like it was on a visit with her mother to Harrods when she simply gawped at the display in the bedding department.
Alice felt privileged to be shown around the house. Though it was the sort of place in which she could never aspire to live, she was grateful for the chance of a glimpse into the domain of the wealthy. Since she’d arrived there, she’d been happy and relaxed. The mood changed instantly.
‘You don’t have to go back to those squalid digs, you know,’ said Hannah, casually.
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘You’re very welcome to stay the night.’
Alice was all of six feet away from the other woman but she suddenly felt threatened. It was a disturbing sensation. Something was happening that was outside her experience and over which she had no control. It unsettled her. She’d arrived there as a guest but had the sense that she was now being wooed. Biting her lip, she did her best to hide her embarrassment.
‘I think I’d like to go now, if you don’t mind,’ she said.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The telephone call from the hospital prompted Harvey Marmion and Joe Keedy to leave Scotland Yard immediately. News had come that the patient had finally regained consciousness and was able to talk to a certain degree. On the drive there, Marmion schooled the sergeant not to expect too much.
‘This could be a wasted journey,’ he warned. ‘I doubt if he remembers anything at all about being knocked unconscious.’
‘You don’t need to tell me that, Harv. I was once knocked out while policing a riot, but, to this day, I can’t recall the moment someone hit me from behind with a scaffolding pole. All I remember is waking up with a splitting headache.’
‘The superintendent has ridiculously high hopes. He seems to think that Father Howells will be able to identify his attacker then provide enough information to unravel the murder for us as well.’
‘If only it was that easy,’ said Keedy with a hollow laugh. ‘When it comes to solving a crime, Chat is always looking for shortcuts. The only way to sort out these two cases is by hard work and patience.’
‘Who told you that?’
‘It was a sage by the name of Inspector Marmion.’
‘I didn’t realise that you actually listened to me.’
Keedy put a hand to his heart. ‘I treasure every word of wisdom.’
Marmion chuckled. ‘Our first call is at the hospital,’ he said. ‘We can then go on to speak to Eric Fussell. I’ll be most interested to hear what he was doing there when he claimed that he wasn’t a particular friend of Father Howells.’
Information about Fussell’s trip to the hospital had come from the detective who’d trailed him there. The librarian had asked after the curate at the reception desk, gone up to his room and been politely turned away. Even though he’d been told that they were there, he’d made no contact with the parents in the adjacent waiting room. Unable to see the patient, he’d left the building and returned to the library. When it had closed, he and his wife had gone home.
‘What do you think they say to each other?’ asked Keedy.
