An Advancement Of Learning by Reginald Hill

Author:Reginald Hill [Hill, Reginald]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 1971-08-15T07:00:00+00:00

Filling it in proved more difficult than it sounded, but not more difficult than Pascoe had come to expect. If getting hold of staff on a working day was difficult, getting hold of them on a Saturday morning proved almost impossible.

Landor was nowhere to be found. His wife, a pale skeletal woman, denied all knowledge of his whereabouts. She was only certain he would be back for lunch.

‘We have guests,’ she added defensively as though Pascoe were holding her certainty against her.

It’s all I’d hold, thought Pascoe.

Scotby, the main source of what little information he already had about the course of events on the nineteenth of December, had likewise disappeared.

He banged on the door of her room, then Disney’s, and finally Ellie’s.

‘Hi,’ she said. She was still in her dressing-gown. ‘Coffee?’

‘I’d better not,’ he said. She seemed to be expecting to be kissed so he obliged. The dressing-gown fell open.

‘I’m looking for Scotby. Or Disney,’ he said hurriedly, averting his eyes.

‘It takes all sorts to make a world,’ she answered, fastening her belt.

‘Any ideas?’

‘Well, Scotby’ll be down on the beach with a great lump of animality between her legs.’

‘What?’

‘Riding. She rides. Horses. It keeps her fit,’ said Ellie lighting a cigarette and coughing violently. ‘And it sweats out her refined little lust for Simeon.’

‘Landor? You’re joking!’

‘Please yourself. I’ve watched her. She’d love to get her saddle over him,’ said Ellie coarsely. ‘Anyway she makes do with Black Beauty every Saturday and Sunday morning. There’s a riding-school beyond the golf club.’

‘And Disney?’

‘Hair. Every Saturday. You didn’t think it could look as unkempt as that by nature? No, it’s a wash and set and a bit of capital titillation from the fingers of some epicene young man.’

‘Thanks a lot,’ said Pascoe gloomily.

‘You’re welcome. In fact,’ she added, dropping her voice to a husky whisper, ‘you’re very welcome.’

She laughed after him as he retreated back to Dalziel.

‘It’s no good,’ he said. ‘They’re all out of reach, those who might be some good to us.’

‘That’s all right,’ said Dalziel. ‘They’ll all be back. I just rang the chairman of the governors.’

‘Oh?’

‘You did say there was a governors’ meeting that day, didn’t you? It might be interesting to find out what it was about, when it ended, that sort of thing.’

‘And was it?’

‘I said it might be. He was out.’

‘Having his hair done or riding?’

‘Is it a dirty private joke?’ asked Dalziel. ‘No, he’s on his way here for lunch with Landor. There’s a cricket match this afternoon, college versus the locals. Landor’s bent on keeping up the appearance of normality. So we’ll see him then. And the others likely. Meanwhile …’

‘Yes, sir?’

‘You can catch up on your reading. This is what I got out of Roote last night. While you were busy.’

According to Franny’s statement, a small group of students, Anita Sewell among them, had gone down to the beach for a midnight bathing party. No, there hadn’t been anything odd or sinister going on. Witches’ dances? That was absurd. Mr Lapping must have

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