“somewhere over St Austell way” when the kitchenmaid at a big house left to get married, which rather disposes of Margaret’s motive for murdering Mrs Leyden, I feel. The fact remains that if those roots were dug up after bedtime, which I guess is earlier rather than later in these parts, that digging up was not done by Sister Mag unless she and Mrs Antrobus were in collusion.’
‘It is a pointer, but not proof. Let us inspect the other gardens round and about, particularly those belonging to the members of the late Mrs Leyden’s family.’
A number of cottages and also Bluebell’s house had the monkshood, with its sinister, purple, secretive flowers in bloom in some part of the garden, but there was nowhere, in any of the gardens, which showed that the ground had been disturbed. Only one actual call was made by Dame Beatrice and at this one, since it was at Seawards, Bluebell answered the door.
‘I am beginning a series of enquiries,’ said Dame Beatrice, knowing that it would not be necessary to state the purpose and nature of these. ‘I have visited Mrs Antrobus. I wonder whether you can think of anybody else who could help?’
‘Oh, do come in and sit down.’
‘I will not stay. I have left my secretary in the car and we have had a fatiguing round looking for poison plants.’
‘You noticed that we have monkshood growing in the garden here?’
‘Yes, but the ground, I feel certain, has not been disturbed.’
‘No. We are not keen gardeners and, in any case, one takes care not to disturb plants which are in flower.’
‘Unless for some nefarious purpose.’
‘Did you reach any conclusions at the Antrobus cottage?’
‘No. I retain an open mind. Have you any idea whether the wolfsbane grows wild in these parts?’
‘My cousin, Rupert Bosse-Leyden, could tell you. Of course, if the wild variety was used, then the plants dug up in the Antrobus garden could just have been a blind, which is what I think they were. But do go and ask Rupert. Tell him I sent you. I’m sure he will be pleased to see you and answer any questions. I don’t think any of us are very happy about the arrest of that poor girl.’
‘You will pardon me, I hope, for expressing this so bluntly, but, apart from the members of Mrs Leyden’s family, can you possibly think of anybody who could have had an interest, financial or otherwise, in her death?’
‘She had no enemies, if that is what you mean. She lived very quietly and seldom went further from home than Truro or Falmouth. Most of her friends were either dead or had dropped out and I know of nobody who bore her a grudge.’
‘Except, possibly, this girl Margaret Denham.’
‘There was Mattie Lunn, perhaps, but she is so delighted with the gift of the horses that—’
‘Yes,’ said Dame Beatrice, as Bluebell paused. ‘Yes, but she did not know of the gift of the horses until after Mrs Leyden’s death, did she?—and she had exactly the same reason for feeling disgruntled as Margaret Denham had—that is, before Mrs Leyden died.’
‘How do you know about this? I don’t believe I have ever mentioned it to you.’
‘My chauffeur resides at the public house halfway up the road towards Veryan. Gossip there is rife and as both the Lunns appear to patronise the place nightly, the gossip, although probably biased, is also well-informed.’
‘I see. Well, that is the road you need if you go to see Rupert. Turn seawards at the second cross-roads and, if you see anybody, ask for the house called Campions. If you don’t see anybody, look out for a National Trust notice. There is sure to be one somewhere along the way.’
‘What do you expect to get from this Rupert?’ asked Laura, as their car skirted The Smugglers’ Inn and George changed gear for the hill.
‘I go in hope, rather than in expectation. At least we can ascertain whether he grows monkshood in his garden.’
George pulled up in the lane (not more than a track) which led past Campions and out to the coast and the cliff path. The dachshunds surrounded the gate and yelled madly until Diana came out to see who was there. She called off the crazy, welcoming chorus, shut it away and silenced it and then came back to the gate.
‘You can take your car through the woods,’ she said, ‘but after that it’s a case of walking if you want the cliff- top.’
‘We have reached journey’s end, I think,’ said Dame Beatrice, ‘if this is the house referred to by Mrs Leek as Campions.’
‘Oh, if Blue sent you, you had better come in,’ said Diana, ‘but if it’s Rupert you want to see—he is Blue’s relative, not me—I’m afraid he’s at his little office. He’s got to a part of his present book where research is necessary and there’s nothing in the house here to help him.’
‘I gathered from Mrs Leek that he is an authority on the wild flowers of the district.’
‘I wouldn’t call him an authority, but that’s what the book is about.’ She opened the gate. ‘But if you’ve come on a nature ramble, I’m afraid I can’t help you. I don’t know a bee-orchid from a cuckoo-pint.’
‘As members, respectively of the orders
‘Oh, for God’s sake, don’t mention funerals!’ said Diana, on a high note which she followed with apologetic laughter. ‘Sorry, but we’ve just had one in the family. Come in and have a drink or something.’
Laura, who had been prowling round the outside of the garden fence, came back to the open gate. Dame Beatrice turned to her. ‘How long can you give me?’ she asked.
