'Oh, I don't think so. I gather we are going to a place called – now wait a minute, what was it called? Stirling St Mary. Something like that. And it does not seem to be very far away. There's an interesting church to see on the way and a castle. In the afternoon there is a quite pleasant garden, not too many acres, but some special flowers. I feel sure that after this very nice rest that I have had here, I shall be quite all right. I understand now that I would have been very tired if I had had these two days of climbing up cliffsides and all the rest of it.'
'Well, you must rest this afternoon, so as to be fresh for tomorrow,' said Mrs Glynne, as they went into the house. 'Miss Marple has been to visit the church,' said Mrs Glynne to Clotilde.
'I'm afraid there is not very much to see,' said Clotilde. 'Victorian glass of a most hideous kind, I think myself. No expense spared. I'm afraid my uncle was partly to blame. He was very pleased with those rather crude reds and blues.'
'Very crude. Very vulgar, I always think,' said Lavinia Glynne.
Miss Marple settled down after lunch to have a nap, and she did not join her hostesses until nearly dinner time. After dinner a good deal of chat went on until it was bedtime. Miss Marple set the tone in remembrances… Remembrances of her own youth, her early days, places she had visited, travels or tours she had made, occasional people she had known.
She went to bed tired, with a sense of failure. She had learned nothing more, possibly because there was nothing more to learn. A fishing expedition where the fish did not rise possibly because there were no fish there. Or it could be that she did not know the right bait to use?
Chapter 11
Miss Marple's tea was brought at seven-thirty the following morning so as to allow her plenty of time to get up and pack her few belongings. She was just closing her small suitcase when there was a rather hurried tap on the door and Clotilde came in, looking upset.
'Oh dear, Miss Marple, there is a young man downstairs who has called to see you. Emlyn Price. He is on the tour with you and they sent him here.'
'Of course, I remember him. Yes. Quite young?'
'Oh yes. Very modern-looking, and a lot of hair and all that, but he has really come to – well, to break some bad news to you. There has been, I am sorry to say, an accident.'
'An accident?' Miss Marple stared. 'You mean – to the coach? There has been an accident on the road? Someone has been hurt?'
'No. No, it was not the coach. There was no trouble there. It was in the course of the expedition yesterday afternoon. There was a great deal of wind you may remember, though I don't think that had anything to do with it. People strayed about a bit, I think. There is a regular path, but you can also climb up and go across the downs. Both ways lead to the Memorial Tower on the top of Bonaventure where they were all making for. People got separated a bit and I suppose, really, there was no one actually guiding them or looking after them which, perhaps, there ought to have been. People aren't very sure-footed always and the slope overhanging the gorge is very steep. There was a bad fall of stones or rocks which came crashing down the hillside and knocked someone out on the path below.'
'Oh dear,' said Miss Marple, 'I am sorry. I am most terribly sorry. Who was it who was hurt?'
'A Miss Temple or Tenderdon, I understand.'
'Elizabeth Temple,' said Miss Marple. 'Oh dear, I am sorry. I talked to her a good deal. I sat in the next seat to her on the coach. She is, I believe, a retired schoolmistress, a very well known one.'
'Of course,' said Clotilde, 'I know her quite well. She was Headmistress of Fallowfield, quite a famous school. I'd no idea she was on this tour. She retired as Headmistress, I think a year or two ago, and there is a new, rather young Headmistress there now with rather advanced progressive ideas. But Miss Temple is not very old, really, she's about sixty, I should think, and very active, fond of climbing and walking and all the rest of it. This really seems most unfortunate. I hope she's not badly hurt. I haven't heard any details yet.'
'This is quite ready now,' said Miss Marple, snapping down the lid of her suitcase. 'I will come down at once and see Mr Price.'
Clotilde seized the suitcase.
'Let me. I can carry this perfectly. Come down with me, and be careful of the stairs.'
Miss Marple came down. Emlyn Price was waiting for her. His hair was looking even wilder than usual and he was wearing a splendid array of fancy boots and a leather jerkin and brilliant emerald green trousers.
'Such an unfortunate business,' he said, seizing Miss Marple's hand. 'I thought I'd come along myself and – well, break it to you about the accident. I expect Miss Bradbury-Scott has told you. It's Miss Temple. You know. The school dame. I don't know quite what she was doing or what happened, but some stones, or rather boulders, rolled down from above. It's rather a precipitous slope and it knocked her out and they had to take her off to hospital with concussion last night. I gather she's rather bad. Anyway, the tour for today is cancelled and we are stopping on here tonight.'
'Oh dear,' said Miss Marple, 'I am sorry. I'm very sorry.'
'I think they've decided not to go on today because they really have to wait and see what the medical report is, so we are proposing to spend one more night here at the Golden Boar and to rearrange the tour a little, so that perhaps we shall miss out altogether going to Grangmering which we were going to do tomorrow, and which is not very interesting really, or so they say. Mrs Sandbourne has gone off early to the hospital to see how things are this morning. She's going to join us at the Golden Boar for coffee at 11 o'clock. I thought perhaps you'd like to come along and hear the latest news.'
'I'll certainly come along with you,' said Miss Marple. 'Of course. At once.'
She turned to say goodbye to Clotilde and Mrs Glynne who had joined her.
'I must thank you so much,' she said. 'You have been so kind and it has been so delightful to have these two nights here. I feel so rested and everything. Most unfortunate this has occurred.'
'If you would like to spend another night,' said Mrs Glynne, 'I am sure -' She looked at Clotilde.
It occurred to Miss Marple, who had as sharp a sideways glance as anyone could desire, that Clotilde had a slightly disapproving look. She almost shook her head, though it was such a small movement that it was hardly noticeable. But she was, Miss Marple thought, hushing down the suggestion that Mrs Glynne was making.
'… although of course I expect it would be nicer for you to be with the others and to -'
'Oh yes, I think it would be better,' said Miss Marple. 'I shall know then what the plans are and what to do about things, and perhaps I could be of help in some way. One never knows. So thank you again very much. It will not be difficult, I expect, to get a room at the Golden Boar.' She looked at Emlyn, who said reassuringly,
'That'll be all right. Several rooms have been vacated today. They won't be full at all. Mrs Sandbourne, I think, has booked for all the party to stay there tonight, and tomorrow we shall see – well, we shall see how this all goes on.'
Good-byes were said again and thanks.
Emlyn Price took Miss Marple's belongings and started out at a good striding pace.
'It's really only just round the corner, and then the first street to the left,' he said.
'Yes, I passed it yesterday, I think. Poor Miss Temple. I do hope she's not badly hurt.'
'I think she is rather,' said Emlyn Price. 'Of course, you know what doctors are, and hospital people. They say the same 'We must not give up hope.' There's no local hospital, they had to take her to Carristown which is about eight miles away. Anyway, Mrs Sandbourne will be back with the news by the time we've fixed you up at the hotel.'
They got there to find the tour assembled in the coffee room and coffee and morning buns and pastries were being served. Mr and Mrs Butler were talking at the moment.
'Oh, it's just too, too tragic this happening,' said Mrs Butler. 'Just too upsetting, isn't it? Just when we were all so happy and enjoying everything so much. Poor Miss Temple. And I always thought she was very sure-footed. But there, you know, you never can tell, can you, Henry?'
