Taken At The Flood Part 18

"I'll do what you tell me, David."

"There's the girl! All you have to do, Rosaleen, is to stick to your story. Hold to it that the dead man is not your husband, Robert Underhay." Hold to it that the dead man is not your husband, Robert Underhay."

"They'll trap me into saying things I don't mean."

"No - they won't. It's all right, I tell you."

"No, it's wrong - it's been wrong all along. Taking money that doesn't belong to us. I lie awake nights thinking of it, David. Taking what belong to us. I lie awake nights thinking of it, David. Taking what doesn't belong to us. G.o.d is punishing us for our wickedness." doesn't belong to us. G.o.d is punishing us for our wickedness."

He looked at her, frowning. She was cracking - yes, definitely she was cracking. cracking.

There had always been that religious streak. Her conscience had never been quite stilled. Now, unless he was extremely lucky, she'd never been quite stilled. Now, unless he was extremely lucky, she'd break down completely. Well, there was only one thing to be done. break down completely. Well, there was only one thing to be done.

"Listen, Rosaleen," he said gently. "Do you want me to be hanged?"

Her eyes widened in horror.

"Oh, David, you wouldn't - they couldn't -"

"There's only one person who can hang me - that's you. If you once admit, by look or sign or word, that the dead man might be Underhay, admit, by look or sign or word, that the dead man might be Underhay, you put the rope round my neck! Do you understand that?" you put the rope round my neck! Do you understand that?"

Yes, that had got home. She gazed at him with wide, horrified eyes.

"I'm so stupid, David."

"No, you're not. In any case you haven't got to be clever. You'll have to swear solemnly that the dead man is not your husband. You can do swear solemnly that the dead man is not your husband. You can do that?" that?"

She nodded.

"Look stupid if you like. Look as if you don't understand quite what they're asking you. That will do no harm. But stand firm on the points they're asking you. That will do no harm. But stand firm on the points I've gone over with you. Gaythorne will look after you. He's a very able I've gone over with you. Gaythorne will look after you. He's a very able criminal lawyer - that's why I've got him. He'll be at the Inquest and criminal lawyer - that's why I've got him. He'll be at the Inquest and he'll protect you from any heckling. But even to him stick to your story. he'll protect you from any heckling. But even to him stick to your story. For G.o.d's sake don't try to be clever or think you can help me by some For G.o.d's sake don't try to be clever or think you can help me by some line of your own." line of your own."

"I'll do it, David. I'll do exactly what you tell me."

"Good girl. When it's all over we'll go away - to the South of France - to America. In the meantime, take care of your health. Don't lie awake at America. In the meantime, take care of your health. Don't lie awake at nights fretting and working yourself up. Take those sleeping things Dr nights fretting and working yourself up. Take those sleeping things Dr Cloade prescribed for you - bromide or something. Take one every Cloade prescribed for you - bromide or something. Take one every night, cheer up, and remember there's a good time coming! night, cheer up, and remember there's a good time coming!

"Now -" he looked at his watch. "It's time to go to the Inquest. It's called for eleven." called for eleven."

He looked round the long beautiful drawing-room. Beauty, comfort, wealth... wealth...

He'd enjoyed it all. A fine house. Furrowbank. Perhaps this was Good- bye... bye...

He'd got himself into a jam - that was certain. But even now he didn't regret. And for the future - well, he'd go on taking chances. "And we regret. And for the future - well, he'd go on taking chances. "And we must take the current when it serves or lose our ventures." He looked must take the current when it serves or lose our ventures." He looked at Rosaleen. She was watching him with large appealing eyes and at Rosaleen. She was watching him with large appealing eyes and intuitively he knew what she wanted. intuitively he knew what she wanted.

"I didn't kill him, Rosaleen," he said gently. "I swear it to you by every saint in your calendar!" saint in your calendar!"

Chapter 4.

The inquest was held in the Cornmarket.

The coroner, Mr Pebmarsh, was a small fussy man with gla.s.ses and a considerable sense of his own importance. considerable sense of his own importance.

Beside him sat the large bulk of Superintendent Spence. In an un.o.btrusive seat was a small foreign-looking man with a large black un.o.btrusive seat was a small foreign-looking man with a large black moustache. The Cloade family: the Jeremy Cloades, the Lionel moustache. The Cloade family: the Jeremy Cloades, the Lionel Cloades, Rowley Cloade, Mrs Marchmont and Lynn - they were all Cloades, Rowley Cloade, Mrs Marchmont and Lynn - they were all there. Major Porter sat by himself, fidgeting and ill at ease. David and there. Major Porter sat by himself, fidgeting and ill at ease. David and Rosaleen arrived last. They sat by themselves. Rosaleen arrived last. They sat by themselves.

The coroner cleared his throat and glancing round the jury of nine local worthies, started proceedings. local worthies, started proceedings.

Constable Peac.o.c.k...

Sergeant Vane...

Dr Lionel Cloade...

"You were attending a patient professionally at the Stag, when Gladys Aitkin came to you. What did she say?" Aitkin came to you. What did she say?"

"She informed me that the occupant of No. 5 was lying on the floor dead." dead."

"In consequence you went up to No. 5?"

"I did."

"Will you describe what you found there?"

Dr Cloade described. Body of a man... face downwards... head injuries... back of skull... fire-tongs. injuries... back of skull... fire-tongs.

"You were of opinion that the injuries were inflicted with the tongs in question?" question?"

"Some of them unquestionably were."

"And that several blows had been struck?"

"Yes. I did not make a detailed examination as I considered that the police should be called before the body was touched or its position police should be called before the body was touched or its position altered." altered."

"Very proper. The man was dead?"

"Yes. He had been dead for some hours."

"How long in your opinion had he been dead?"

"I should hesitate to be very definite about that. At least eleven hours - quite possibly thirteen or fourteen - let us say between 7.30 and 10.30 quite possibly thirteen or fourteen - let us say between 7.30 and 10.30 p.m. the preceding evening."

"Thank you, Dr Cloade."

Then came the police surgeon - giving a full and technical description of the wounds. There was an abrasion and swelling on the lower jaw of the wounds. There was an abrasion and swelling on the lower jaw and five or six blows had been struck on the base of the skull, some of and five or six blows had been struck on the base of the skull, some of which had been delivered after death. which had been delivered after death.

"It was an a.s.sault of great savagery?"

"Exactly."

"Would great strength have been needed to inflict these blows?"

"N-no, not exactly strength. The tongs, grasped by the pincers end, could be easily swung without much exertion. The heavy steel ball could be easily swung without much exertion. The heavy steel ball which forms the head of the tongs makes them a formidable weapon. which forms the head of the tongs makes them a formidable weapon. Quite a delicate person could have inflicted the injuries if, that is to Quite a delicate person could have inflicted the injuries if, that is to say, they were struck in a frenzy of excitement." say, they were struck in a frenzy of excitement."

"Thank you, Doctor."

Details as to the condition of the body followed - well nourished, healthy, age about forty-five. No signs of illness or disease - heart, healthy, age about forty-five. No signs of illness or disease - heart, lungs, etc., all good. lungs, etc., all good.

Beatrice Lippincott gave evidence of the arrival of deceased. He had registered as Enoch Arden, Cape Town. registered as Enoch Arden, Cape Town.

"Did deceased produce a ration book?"

"No, sir."

"Did you ask him for one?"

"Not at first. I did not know how long he was staying."

"But you did eventually ask him?"

"Yes, sir. He arrived on the Friday and on Sat.u.r.day I said if he was staying more than five days would he please let me have his ration staying more than five days would he please let me have his ration book." book."

"What did he say to that?"

"He said he would give it to me."

"But he did not actually do so?"

"No."

"He did not say that he had lost it? Or had not got one?"

"Oh, no. He just said, 'I'll look it out and bring it along.'"

"Miss Lippincott, did you, on the night of Sat.u.r.day, overhear a certain conversation?" conversation?"

With a good deal of elaborate explanation as to the necessity she was under of visiting No. 4, Beatrice Lippincott told her tale. The coroner under of visiting No. 4, Beatrice Lippincott told her tale. The coroner guided her astutely. guided her astutely.

"Thank you. Did you mention this conversation you had overheard to anybody?" anybody?"

"Yes, I told Mr Rowley Cloade."

"Why did you tell Mr Cloade?"

"I thought he ought to know." Beatrice flushed.

A tall thin man (Mr Claythorne) rose and asked permission to put a question. question.

"In the course of the conversation between the deceased and Mr David Hunter did the deceased at any time mention definitely that he himself Hunter did the deceased at any time mention definitely that he himself was Robert Underhay?" was Robert Underhay?"

"No - no - he didn't."

"In fact he spoke of 'Robert Underhay' as though Robert Underhay was quite another person?" quite another person?"

"Yes - yes, he did."

"Thank you, Mr Coroner, that was all I wanted to get clear."

Beatrice Lippincott stood down and Rowley Cloade was called.

He confirmed that Beatrice had repeated the story to him and then gave his account of his interview with the deceased. gave his account of his interview with the deceased.

"His last words to you were, 'I don't think you'll prove that without my cooperation?' 'That' - being the fact that Robert Underhay was still cooperation?' 'That' - being the fact that Robert Underhay was still alive." alive."

"That's what he said, yes. And he laughed."

"He laughed, did he? What did you take those words to mean?"

"Well - I just thought he was trying to get me to make him an offer, but afterwards I got thinking -" afterwards I got thinking -"

"Yes, Mr Cloade - but what you thought afterwards is hardly relevant. Shall we put it that as a result of that interview you set about trying to Shall we put it that as a result of that interview you set about trying to find some person who was acquainted with the late Robert Underhay? find some person who was acquainted with the late Robert Underhay?

And that, with certain help, you were successful."

Rowley nodded.

"That's right."

"What time was it when you left the deceased?"

"As nearly as I can tell it was five minutes to nine."

"What made you fix on that time?"

"As I went along the street I heard the nine o'clock chimes through an open window." open window."

"Did the deceased mention at what time he was expecting this client?"

"He said 'At any minute.'"

"He did not mention any name?"

"No."

"David Hunter!"