Postern of Fate (Tommy & Tuppence 5)

'Oh well, of course I suppose it's a good thing nowadays.'

'I know. There are so many robberies about,' said Tuppence. 'Lots of our friends, you know, have had burglars. Some even who come in in broad daylight in the most extraordinary way. They set up ladders and take window-sashes out or pretend to be window-cleaners - oh, up to all kinds of tricks. So it's a good thing to let it be known that there's a fierce dog in the house, I think.'

'I think perhaps you're quite right.'

'Here is my husband,' said Tuppence. 'This is Miss Mullins, Tommy. Mrs Griffin very kindly told her that we wanted someone who could possibly do some gardening for us.'

'Would this be too heavy work for you perhaps, Miss Mullins?'

'Of course not,' said Miss Mullins in her deep voice. 'Oh, I can dig with anyone. You've got to dig the right way. It's not only trenching the sweet-peas, it's everything needs digging, needs manuring. The ground's got to be prepared. Makes all the difference.'

Hannibal continued to bark.

'I think, Tommy,' said Tuppence, 'you'd really better take Hannibal back to the house. He seems to be in rather a protective mood this morning.'

'All right,' said Tommy.

'Won't you come back to the house,' said Tuppence to Miss Mullins, 'and have something to drink? It's rather a hot morning and I think it would be a good thing, don't you? And we can discuss plans together perhaps.'

Hannibal was shut into the kitchen and Miss Mullins accepted a glass of sherry. A few suggestions were made, then Miss Mullins looked at her watch and said she must hurry back.

'I have an appointment,' she explained. 'I mustn't be late.' She bade them a somewhat hurried farewell and departed.

'She seems all right,' said Tuppence.

'I know,' said Tommy - 'But one can't ever be sure -'

'One could ask questions?' said Tuppence doubtfully.

'You must be tired going all round the garden. We must leave our expedition this afternoon for another day - you have been ordered to rest.'

Chapter 14

GARDEN CAMPAIGN

'You understand, Albert,' said Tommy.

He and Albert were together in the pantry where Albert was washing up the tea tray he had just brought down from Tuppence's bedroom.

'Yes, sir,' said Albert. 'I understand.'

'You know, I think you will get a bit of a warning - from Hannibal.'

'He's a good dog in some ways,' said Albert. 'Doesn't take to everyone, of course.'

'No,' said Tommy, 'that's not his job in life. Not one of those dogs who welcome in the burglars and wag their tails at the wrong person. Hannibal knows a few things. But I have made it quite clear to you, haven't I?'

'Yes. I don't know what I am to do if the missus - well, am I to do what the missus says or tell her what you said or -'

'I think you'll have to use a certain amount of diplomacy,' said Tommy. 'I'm making her stay in bed today. I'm leaving her in your charge more or less.'

Albert had just opened the front door to a youngish man in a tweed suit.

Albert looked up doubtfully at Tommy. The visitor stepped inside and advanced one step, a friendly smile on his face.

'Mr Beresford? I've heard you want a bit of help in your garden - just moved in here lately, haven't you? I noticed coming up the drive that it was getting rather overgrown. I did some work locally a couple of years ago - for a Mr Solomon - you may have heard of him.'

'Mr Solomon, yes, someone did mention him.'

'My name's Crispin, Angus Crispin. Perhaps we might take a look at what wants doing.'

'About time someone did something about the garden,' said Mr Crispin, as Tommy led him on a tour of the flower-beds and the vegetable garden.

'That's where they used to grow the spinach along this kitchen garden path here. Behind it were some frames. They used to grow melons too.'

'You seem to be very well aware of all this.'

'Well, one heard a lot you know of what had been everywhere in the old days. Old ladies tell you about the flower-beds and Alexander Parkinson told a lot of his pals about the foxglove leaves.'

'He must have been a rather remarkable boy.'

'Well, he had ideas and he was very keen on crime. He made a kind of code message out in one of Stevenson's books: The Black Arrow.'

'Rather a good one that, isn't it? I read it myself about five years ago. Before that I'd never got further than Kidnapped. When I was working for -' He hesitated.

'Mr Solomon?' suggested Tommy.

'Yes, yes, that's the name. I heard things. Heard things from old Isaac, I gather, unless I've heard the wrong rumours, I gather that old Isaac must have been, oh, getting on for a hundred and did some work for you here.'

'Yes,' said Tommy. 'For his age he was rather wonderful, really. He knew a lot of things he used to tell us, too. Things he couldn't have remembered himself.'

'No, but ho liked the gossip of the old days. Ho's got relations here still, you know, who have listened to his tales and checked up on his stories. I expect you've heard a good many things yourself.'

'So far,' said Tommy, 'everything seems to work out in lists of names. Names from the past but names, naturally, that don't mean anything to me. They can't.'

'All hearsay?'

'Mostly. My wife has listened to a lot of it and made some lists. I don't know whether any of them mean anything. I've got one list myself. It only came into my hands yesterday, as a matter of fact.'

'Oh. What's your list?'

'Census,' said Tommy. 'You know, there was a census on - I've got the date written down so I'll give it to you - and the people who were entered up that day because they spent the night here. There was a big party. A dinner-party.'

'So you know on a certain date - and perhaps quite an interesting date - who was here?'

'Yes,' said Tommy.

'It might be valuable. It might be quite significant. You've only just moved in here, haven't you?'

'Yes,' said Tommy, 'but it's possible we might just want to move out of here.'

'Don't you like it? It's a nice house, and this garden - well, this garden could be made very beautiful indeed. You've got some fine shrubs - wants a bit of clearing out, superfluous trees and bushes, flowering shrubs that haven't flowered lately and may never flower again by the look of them. Yes, I don't know why you'd want to go and move.'

'The associations with the past aren't terribly pleasant here,' said Tommy.

'The past,' said Mr Crisp in. 'How does the past tie up with the present?'

'One thinks it doesn't matter, it's all behind us. But there's always somebody left, you know. I don't mean walking about but somebody who comes alive when people tell you about her or him or it or them. You really would be prepared to do a bit of -'

'Bit of jobbing gardening for you? Yes, I would. It would interest me. It's rather a - well, it's rather a hobby of mine, gardening.'

'There was a Miss Mullins who came yesterday.'

'Mullins? Mullins? Is she a gardener?'

'I gather

something in that line. It was a Mrs - a Mrs Griffin, I think it was - who mentioned her to my wife and who sent her along to see us.'

'Did you fix up with her or not?'

'Not definitely,' said Tommy. 'As a matter of fact we've got a rather enthusiastic guard dog here. A Manchester Terrier.'

'Yes, they can be very enthusiastic at guarding. I suppose he thinks your wife is his business and he practically never lets her go anywhere alone. He's always there.'