CHAPTER 14 Third Visitor

Superintendent¹ Battle arrived at Wallingford about six o'clock. It was his intention to learn as much as he could from innocent local gossip before interviewing Miss Anne Meredith. It was not difficult to glean² such information as there was. Without committing himself definitely to any statement, the superintendent nevertheless gave several different impressions of his rank and calling in life. At least two people would have said confidently that he was a London builder come down to see about a new wing to be added to the cottage, from another you would have learned that he was one of these weekenders wanting to take a furnished cottage," and two more would have said they knew positively³, and for a fact, that he was the representative of a hardcourt tennis firm. The information that the superintendent gathered was entirely⁴ favourable⁵. "Wendon Cottage? Yes, that's right--on the Marlbury Road. You can't miss it. Yes, two young ladies. Miss Dawes and Miss Meredith. Very nice young ladies,. too. The quiet kind. "Here for years? Oh, no, not that long. Just over two years. September quarter they came in. Mr. Pickersgill they bought it from. Never used it much, he didn't, after his wife died." Superintendent Battle's informant had never heard they came from Northumberland. London, he thought they came from. Popular in the neighbourhood, though some people were old-fashioned and didn't think two young ladies ought to be living alone. But very quiet, they were. None of this cocktail-drinking week-end lot. Miss Rhoda, she was the dashing one. Miss Meredith was the quiet one. Yes, it was Miss Dawes what paid the bills. She was the one had got the money. The superintendent's researches at last led him inevitably⁶ to Mrs. Astwell--- who "did" for the ladies at Wendon Cottage. Mrs. Astwell was a loquacious⁷ lady. "Well, no, sir. I hardly think they'd want to sell. Not so soon. They only got in two years ago. I've done for them from the beginning, yes, sir. Eight o'clock till twelve, those are my hours. Very nice, lively young ladies, always ready for a joke or a bit of fun. Not stuck-up at all.""Well, of course, I couldn't say ffit's the same Miss Dawes you knew, sir--the same family, I mean. It's my fancy her home's in Devonshire. She gets the cream sent her now and again, and says it reminds her of home; so I think it must be.

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