Part 19 (1/2)
There was just a faint soft buzz as the inhabitants of Warmsley Vale craned their necks to look at the tall thin bitter-looking young man who craned their necks to look at the tall thin bitter-looking young man who stood defiantly facing the coroner. stood defiantly facing the coroner.
The preliminaries went rapidly. The coroner continued: ”You went to see the deceased on Sat.u.r.day evening?”
”Yes. I received a letter from him asking for a.s.sistance and stating he had known my sister's first husband in Africa.” had known my sister's first husband in Africa.”
”You have got that letter?”
”No, I don't keep letters.”
”You have heard the account given by Beatrice Lippincott of your conversation with the deceased. Is that a true account?” conversation with the deceased. Is that a true account?”
”Quite untrue. The deceased spoke of knowing my late brother-in-law, complained of his own bad luck and of having come down in the world, complained of his own bad luck and of having come down in the world, and begged for some financial a.s.sistance which, as is usual, he was and begged for some financial a.s.sistance which, as is usual, he was quite confident of being able to repay.” quite confident of being able to repay.”
”Did he tell you that Robert Underhay was still alive?”
David smiled: ”Certainly not. He said, 'If Robert were still alive I know he would help me.'” me.'”
”That is quite different from what Beatrice Lippincott tells us.”
”Eavesdroppers,” said David, ”usually hear only a portion of what goes on and frequently get the whole thing wrong owing to supplying the on and frequently get the whole thing wrong owing to supplying the missing details from their own fertile imaginations.” missing details from their own fertile imaginations.”
Beatrice flounced angrily and exclaimed, ”Well, I never -”
The coroner said repressively, ”Silence, please.”
”Now Mr Hunter, did you visit the deceased again on the night of Tuesday -” Tuesday -”
”No, I did not.”
”You have heard Mr Rowley Cloade say that the deceased expected a visitor?” visitor?”
”He may have expected a visitor. If so, I was not that visitor. I'd given him a fiver before. I thought that was quite enough for him. There was him a fiver before. I thought that was quite enough for him. There was no proof that he'd ever known Robert Underhay. My sister, since she no proof that he'd ever known Robert Underhay. My sister, since she inherited a large income from her husband, has been the target of inherited a large income from her husband, has been the target of every begging letter-writer and every sponger in the neighbourhood.” every begging letter-writer and every sponger in the neighbourhood.”
Quietly he let his eyes pa.s.s over the a.s.sembled Cloades.
”Mr Hunter, will you tell us where you were on the evening of Tuesday?” Tuesday?”
”Find out!”said David.
”Mr Hunter!” The coroner rapped the table. ”That is a most foolish and ill-advised thing to say.” ill-advised thing to say.”
”Why should I tell you where I was, and what I was doing? Time enough for that when you accuse me of murdering the man.” for that when you accuse me of murdering the man.”
”If you persist in that att.i.tude it may come to that sooner than you think. Do you recognise this, Mr Hunter?” think. Do you recognise this, Mr Hunter?”
Leaning forward, David took the gold cigarette lighter into his hand. His face was puzzled. Handing it back, he said slowly: ”Yes, it's mine.” His face was puzzled. Handing it back, he said slowly: ”Yes, it's mine.”
”When did you have it last?”
”I missed it -” He paused.
”Yes, Mr Hunter?” The coroner's voice was suave.
Gaythorne fidgeted, seemed about to speak. But David was too quick for him. for him.
”I had it last Friday - Friday morning. I don't remember seeing it since.”
Mr Gaythorne rose.
”With your permission, Mr Coroner. You visited the deceased Sat.u.r.day evening. Might you not have left the lighter there then?” evening. Might you not have left the lighter there then?”
”I might have, I suppose,” David said slowly. ”I certainly don't remember seeing it after Friday -” He added: ”Where was it found?” remember seeing it after Friday -” He added: ”Where was it found?”
The coroner said: ”We shall go into that later. You can stand down now, Mr Hunter.”
David moved slowly back to his seat.
He bent his head and whispered to Rosaleen Cloade.
”Major Porter.”
Hemming and hawing a little, Major Porter took the stand. He stood there, an erect soldierly figure, as though on parade. there, an erect soldierly figure, as though on parade.
Only the way he moistened his lips showed the intense nervousness from which he was suffering. from which he was suffering.
”You are George Douglas Porter, late Major of the Royal African Rifles?” Rifles?”
”Yes.”
”How well did you know Robert Underhay?”
In a parade-ground voice Major Porter barked out places and dates.
”You have viewed the body of the deceased?”
”Yes.”
”Can you identify that body?”
”Yes. It is the body of Robert Underhay.”
A buzz of excitement went round the court.
”You state that positively and without the least doubt?”
”I do.”