‘I cannot remember whether I told her of it or not. I think most likely I did not, as I would not have expected her to be on holiday that day, and therefore my engagements would not concern her.’
‘I see.’ There was a pause, and then Mrs Schumann said,
‘One thing I do not understand. The doctor at the inquest says that my Karen died not later than at midday.’
‘I came to the same conclusion myself when I first saw the body. I would have put it even earlier than the doctor did, but, of course, it is not possible to make an exact estimate.’
‘But at what time in the morning, then, did she leave her flat?’
‘The police, no doubt, have worked that out, but their findings may not tally with the evidence of the two young women who lived there.’
‘You do not know this? – what the police have worked out?’
‘I have not asked.’
‘But, to arrive in those woods, only a few miles from where you live, she must have set out as soon as it was light. Why would she wish to start so early? She was a girl who loved her bed. Often and often she has said to me that she looked forward to Saturdays and Sundays because she had no need to get up early to go to school. As for the holidays, well, I would be half-way through my morning before she would come downstairs.’
There was another pause. Mrs Schumann gave the impression that she was waiting for a remark from Dame Beatrice, but, although the latter realised this, she remained silent, and it was Laura who spoke next.
‘As it was only an extra day, I expect Karen wanted to make the most of it,’ she said, ‘and perhaps there wasn’t much peace with the other two bustling about and getting ready to go off to Bournemouth.’
‘She had her own room. She could shut herself away from them,’ said Mrs Schumann. There was another pause, and then, in a brisk tone, she added, ‘And now, my good friends, you have come for a purpose. Is there any news?’
‘No, I am afraid not. Our purpose is to ask you to answer even more questions, if you will,’ Dame Beatrice replied.
‘But of course! Ask me anything you want. I will do anything which will help to find out this madman who has killed my Karen.’
‘A madman? Do you mean that literally, I wonder?’
‘I think so, yes. She was so kind, so peaceable – who but a madman would harm her? Ask your questions. I will answer everything.’
‘The first question I was going to ask will be irrelevant if your guess is correct and the guilty person is insane.’
‘Ask, all the same.’
‘Well, can you – have you thought of any possible explanation of the note which was found on the body?’
‘I see it always before my eyes. In Memoriam 325. So strange. But to me it means nothing at all.’
‘Nor to me. You were shown it, were you?’
‘By the kind Superintendent, yes. He asked, as you have done, for any explanation I could offer. Was my daughter born in March of nineteen twenty-five? I say no, how could she be when at death she was barely twenty-four? Had I relations who sent people to concentration camps, maybe? I am indignant. I say no, not possible. Have I copy of Tennyson’s poems? I say no. I ask why. and I learn that the title of a very long poem is In Memoriam by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. English lords are strangely named. Why not, I asked the kind Superintendent, Lord Alfred Tennyson? He does not know.’
Dame Beatrice explained the difference between Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Lord Alfred Tennyson and then asked, somewhat abruptly,
‘What did you think of your daughter’s engagement to Mr Edward James? – apart, I mean, from the difference in their ages?’
‘I thought only that it was likely to be a long one. I was sorry. I wanted Karen to marry soon, but I was afraid that, with Edward’s ambitions and his cold nature, she might have to wait until she was more than thirty, and then Edward would be more than fifty.’
‘Did she herself contemplate a long engagement?’
‘I hardly know. If I mentioned it she would change the subject and, after all, her engagement to Edward was by her choice, not mine.’
‘But, apart from the difference in their ages and the fact that it looked like being a long engagement, you saw no reason to disapprove of it?’
‘No. Why should I disapprove?’
‘Why, indeed? You mentioned your son the last time we talked to you. Did he approve of his sister’s engagement?’
‘Only to try to borrow money from Edward. As I told you, Otto is not a good boy.’
‘Does he come to see you between voyages? We heard that he is a merchant seaman.’
‘Sometimes he comes, more often not. He wastes his pay as soon as he lands and then – off again.’
‘Did the brother and sister get on well together?’
‘As I said before, Otto is not a good boy. However, I believe he was fond of Karen in his way.’
‘When I asked you what you thought of your daughter’s engagement, you did not sound particularly enthusiastic about it. Won’t you tell me what you really think of Mr James?’
‘I do not care for him much, but he was Karen’s choice, not mine. I have no reason to dislike him, but I think he is a cold man, calculating, ambitious – so unlike my dear husband.’
‘And yet, when we saw you last, I thought you compared the two. Mrs Schumann, I am about to ask you a difficult and perhaps a painful question.’
‘Nothing matters now.’
‘Well, you mentioned two quarrels between Mr James and your daughter. Have
