death of a delft blue
pageant of murder
the croaking raven
skeleton island
three quick and five dead
dance to your daddy
gory dew
lament for leto
a hearse on may-day
the murder of busy lizzie
First published in Great Britain by Michael Joseph Ltd 52 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3EF
march 1974
second impression may 1975
© 1974 by Gladys Mitchell
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Copyright owner
isbn 0 7181 1193 1
Set in ten on twelve point Times by Thomson Press (India) Ltd, and printed in Great Britain by Hollen Street
Press on paper supplied by P. F. Bingham Ltd and bound by James Burn at Esher, Surrey.
To
Jehane, with love
I wait for thee in thine own garden.
I tune the lute for thee.
Edward Carpenter
chapter
1
On your Marks
^ »
Of course, we have to be on Christian name terms here,” said the Warden.
“
“It promotes confidence and mutual esteem between students and staff.”
“I see, sir.”
“Gassie, my dear fellow.”
“I beg your pardon, sir?”
“Not ‘sir’, but ‘Gassie’.”
Hamish remembered that the Warden’s name was Gascoigne Medlar.
“I beg your pardon, sir. I did not understand,” he said. “By the way, is it true, sir, that entry to the College—to Joynings—is restricted to people who show aptitude for athletics and swimming?”
“And gymnastics, of course. Well, roughly, yes. It is so much easier to keep such types out of mischief, you see. Now, as to your own name…”
“Yes, sir?”
“Perhaps you will not take it amiss if I suggest that Hamish is a little unusual so far south of the Border.”
“I am not sure that it is so very usual north of it either, sir.”
“Well, not to beat about the bush—it is not my habit to creep all round a subject—could we perhaps call you James while you are with us?”
“Certainly, sir, if that will ease my stay.”
“Right. Fine. Well, now, James, I hope you realise that this place is not altogether what one is accustomed to think of as a college, not even in the way some of our great public schools use the term.”
