‘Then the fact that the sender of the letter asked for it to be forwarded may have significance.’
‘Exactly, ma’am. It certainly must have come from somebody who knew the ways of the school.’
‘I suppose Mrs Castle made no mention to the other two of what was in the letter?’
‘No, it seems she didn’t.’
‘Well, when you find Mrs Schumann, Superintendent, ask her whether Mrs Castle wanted to buy an Irish wolfhound or a clumber spaniel.’
‘That ought to shake her,’ said Laura, when Phillips had gone. ‘If she’s guilty, that is.’
‘Somebody was guilty of shutting up that savage dog, knowing that it would fly at the first intruder, and that the intruder would be either you or Hamish, or, possibly, myself,’ said Dame Beatrice drily.
‘You mean that Mrs Schumann has been keeping watch on us, and knew we fed the dogs?’
‘It seems likely. Of course, we cannot be sure.’
‘When they find her, I wonder which charge they’ll prefer?’
‘They will charge her with the murder of her husband, and Edward James will be called as a witness for the prosecution.’
‘I don’t envy him. He’s had a pretty rough deal all along, unless he’s as guilty as she is, and that is something which now, even at this stage, I can’t believe, and you never have believed it, have you? Incidentally, why should she want to set that dog on us? Just a bit of bloody-mindedness, do you suppose?’
‘It is difficult to think of any rational explanation, certainly, but, as we have good cause to suspect, Mrs Schumann is not a particularly rational woman.’
(6)
On the following morning Laura telephoned her husband. Maisry and Phillips had wasted no time, but by the time they reached the encampment the gipsies had gone, leaving the usual unlovely tokens of their sojourn. They were soon followed up, but Mrs Schumann was not with them and they refused to admit that she had ever sought their help.
Gavin came down to the Stone House, having decided to persuade his wife and Dame Beatrice to leave it and to stay in Kensington until Mrs Schumann had been apprehended.
‘I’m taking Hamish back with me, anyway,’ he said, ‘and if you’re going to have a baby, you’re coming, too. Dame B. must please herself what she does, of course, but if my advice is asked I suggest that she joins us. I don’t like the sound of this savage dog episode. The woman must realise that she’s in for bad trouble and is out for her revenge and is reckless as to how she brings it about. These murders were obviously the work of a totally unbalanced person, and, in my opinion, her brain has now gone completely over the border and she is no longer responsible for her actions.’
‘Take Laura and Hamish to London, by all means,’ said Dame Beatrice, ‘but my place is here. If we do – and we shall – track down this wretched creature, I shall be needed.’
‘To certify her?’ asked Laura. Dame Beatrice did not reply. ‘Anyway, if you stay, I stay. I’m not going to leave you here alone.’
‘I shall not be alone. There are four other people, two of them men, in the house, and, if you feel anxious about me, I will ask Superintendent Phillips to make this house his headquarters while the search for Mrs Schumann goes on.’
‘Will you really? Is that a promise?’
‘If it will make you happier, yes, it is.’
‘That’s that, then,’ said Gavin, greatly relieved, for he had occasionally experienced his wife’s obstinate moods where Dame Beatrice was concerned. ‘We’ll push off tomorrow morning, if Laura can get the packing done today.’
At ten that evening he took Laura to bed, leaving Dame Beatrice to her notes and to the fourth chapter of a book she was preparing for publication. When Gavin was in London, Laura occupied a room next to that of her employer, but when Gavin stayed at the Stone House, he and his wife had a much larger room in another wing. Thus they were too far from the scene of her operations to hear Dame Beatrice leave her room at just before midnight and slip out of the house by a side door.
Forewarned, George had driven the car some distance down the road while the family and Dame Beatrice were at dinner, so that the sound of his driving it off so late at night conveyed nothing to Laura, half-asleep in her husband’s arms, nor to Gavin, holding her close, nor to Hamish, fast asleep in the room next-door to theirs.
‘Pull up well away from the cottage, George,’ said Dame Beatrice. ‘I am pretty sure she is there.’
‘Then I will do myself the honour to accompany you, madam. Is she likely to be armed?’
‘I think not. Accompany me, if you feel you must, but remain silent and invisible unless or until it is obvious that I need assistance. Indeed, it may be as well to have a witness to any conversation I may have with Mrs Schumann.’
‘Have you your little gun, madam?’
‘Yes, but I shall not use it against a woman.’
‘Wouldn’t hurt to let her know you’ve got it, madam.’
‘If it proves necessary, I will take your advice.’ They drove for the rest of the way in silence until Dame Beatrice said, ‘About here, I should think, George’. George pulled up the car and handed her out. Then he followed her through a wicket gate and across the paddock where the dogs were let out for exercise. As they entered the long, untidy garden the dogs from their sheds near the cottage door set up a loud barking. ‘So the animals are re-housed,’ she remarked. ‘Their noise should wake Mrs Schumann if she is asleep.’
This proved to be the case. As the two approached the back door of the cottage a bedroom window was opened and Mrs Schumann’s voice
