You see, Sir Henry, it seems to me that there's a great possibility of this crime being the kind of crime that never does get solved.
Like the Brighton trunk murders. But if that happens it will be absolutely disastrous for the Bantrys.
Colonel Bantry, like nearly all retired military men, is really abnormally sensitive. He reacts very quickly to public opinion.
He won't notice it for some time, and then it will begin to go home to him.
A slight here, and a snub there, and invitations that are refused, and excuses that are made, and then, little by little, it will dawn upon him, and he'll retire into his shell and get terribly morbid and miserable."
"Let me be sure I understand you rightly, Miss Marple. You mean that, because the body was found in his house, people will think that he had something to do with it?"
"Of course they will!
I've no doubt they're saying so already.
They'll say so more and more.
And people will cold-shoulder the Bantrys and avoid them. That's why the truth has got to be found out and why I was willing to come here with Mrs Bantry. An open accusation is one thing and quite easy for a soldier to meet. He's indignant and he has a chance of fighting. But this other whispering business will break him, will break them both.
So, you see, Sir Henry, we've got to find out the truth."
Sir Henry said, "Any ideas as to why the body should have been found in his house?
There must be an explanation of that. Some connection."
"Oh, of course."
"The girl was last seen here about twenty minutes to eleven. By midnight, according to the medical evidence, she was dead.
Gossington's about twenty miles from here.
Good road for sixteen of those miles, until one turns off the main road. A powerful car could do it in well under half an hour. Practically any car could average thirty-five.
But why anyone should either kill her here and take her body out to Gossington or should take her out to Gossington and strangle her there, I don't know."
"Of course you don't, because it didn't happen."
"Do you mean that she was strangled by some fellow who took her out in a car, and he then decided to push her into the first likely house in the neighbourhood?"
"I don't think anything of the kind.
I think there was a very careful plan made.
What happened was that the plan went wrong."
Sir Henry stared at her. "Why did the plan go wrong?"
Miss Marple said rather apologetically,
"Such curious things happen, don't they?
If I were to say that this particular plan went wrong because human beings are so much more vulnerable and sensitive than anyone thinks, it wouldn't sound sensible, would it?
But that's what I believe and -" She broke off. "Here's Mrs Bantry now."
Chapter 23
Mrs Bantry was with Adelaide Jefferson.
The former came up to Sir Henry and exclaimed,
"You!"
"I, myself." He took both her hands and pressed them warmly. "I can't tell you how distressed I am at all this, Mrs B." Mrs Bantry said mechanically, "Don't call me Mrs B!" and went on,
"Arthur isn't here. He's taking it all rather seriously.
Miss Marple and I have come here to sleuth.
Do you know Mrs Jefferson?"
"Yes, of course." He shook hands. Adelaide Jefferson said, "Have you seen my father-in-law?" "Yes. I have." "I'm glad. We're anxious about him. It was a terrible shock" Mrs Bantry said,
"Let's go out on the terrace and have drinks and talk about it all."
The four of them went out and joined Mark Gaskell, who was sitting at the extreme end of the terrace by himself.
After a few desultory remarks and the arrival of the drinks, Mrs Bantry plunged straight into the subject with her usual zest for direct action.
"We can talk about it, can't we?" she said. "I mean we're all old friends except Miss Marple, and she knows all about crime. And she wants to help."
Mark Gaskell looked at Miss Marple in a somewhat puzzled fashion. He said doubtfully,
"Do you... er... write detective stories?"
The most unlikely people, he knew, wrote detective stories. And Miss Marple, in her old-fashioned spinster's clothes, looked a singularly unlikely person. "Oh, no, I'm not clever enough for that."
"She's wonderful," said Mrs Bantry impatiently. "I can't explain now, but she is...
Now, Addie, I want to know all about things.
What was she really like, this girl?"
"Well -" Adelaide Jefferson paused, glanced across at Mark and half laughed. She said,
"You're so direct." "Did you like her?" "No, of course I didn't."
"What was she really like?"