but I listened to him. Scandal-wise we donât hear much in these parts.â
âWhat did he tell you?â
âA lot, really, up to the old manâs death. Then he never said another word. In fact he hasnât been in since. Seems Grossiter was rich and had never made a will. His only son died recently,so unless he did something about it these Neasts would get the lot. The old man had never seen them till he came over here to find out what he thought of them.â
âAnd what did he think?â
âNot much, we gathered. Now you tell me about this solicitor it all falls into place. Pretty ug, isnât it?â
âNot necessarily. Humby may turn up. His disappearance may be nothing to do with the Neasts or Grossiter.â
âExtraw, though. Coincidence-wise that would be absolutely incred to me.â
âDo you know the Neasts?â
âBy sight, of course. Havenât seen them to speak to since I was a boy. Old man sent me to Repton, then I was at the university for a couple of years.â
âOx or Camb?â asked Carolus, infected by the landlordâs habit of abbreviation.
âLondon, as a matter of fact. Then I bought this place about three years ago. But the Neasts never come here. In fact theyâre very little seen about. Invis, you might say. Never enter a pub. Do their own housework. Go to market over at Cashford every Monday. Otherwise keep to themselves.â
âThey must employ someone on their farm.â
âThey had two men. But thatâs another death weâve had. Old Harold Rudd died a few days before Grossiter. He was buried on the Saturday.â
âOh, and what did
he
die of?â
âOverwork, I should think. He was in the hospital two miles from here. Swanwick Hospital. He was about seventy. So death-wise weâve been pretty biz.â
âI didnât know anything about that. The Neasts have another man?â
âYes. Joel Stonegate. Has a cottage just down the road here. Looked after by his daughter.â
âDoes he come here?â
âNot often at lunchtime. But heâs in the public bar most evenings. The police went to see him the day before yesterday.â
âWhat for?â
âBecause heâs the only one who saw that chap in the car, so far as anyone knows. It appears that Stonegate felt ill that afternoon and left his work about four oâclock. As he was cycling down the Church Lane that leads from Monkâs Farm to the village he saw this car by the side of the road. He says the man in it was asleep. You can ask him about it tonight, if you like. Heâll talk about it for hours if you let him. Heâs told the police and the press, so Iâm sure heâll tell you. We donât get much happening round here sensation-wise.â
âYou said just now the Neasts go to market at Cashford on Mondays. Thatâs an unusual day for a market, isnât it?â
âTradish,â said the landlord. âCashford Marketâs been held on Monday for centuries, I believe. Yes, they usually go.â
âDo you know if they went that Monday?â
âI seem to remember Joel Stonegate saying so, but I canât be cert. Iâm not too hot, memory-wise. But you can ask him yourself this evening.â
âThanks. I will.â
âTake it youâre CID?â said the landlord.
Carolus reflected that this was the first time anyone had made that mistake.
âNo,â he said. âBut Iâve been asked by his partner to try to find Duncan Humby, the man who has disappeared. Thatâs what has brought me here.â
âSort of private investigator?â
âSomething like that. What can you do about some lunch?â
âWell, weâre pretty slack at this time of year. Iâm afraid thereâs not a fire in the Tudor Dining Hall. But food-wise weâre allright if you like to have it here by the fire. Fact the wife said
Marion Chesney, M.C. Beaton