The Robthorne Mystery by John Rhode

Author:John Rhode
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Kestrel Books
Published: 2019-11-21T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XIII

Superintendent Nutbeam arrived in Milton Kirdmore as the church bells were ringing for morning service. His first call was at Dr. Dunville’s, and he was informed that the doctor was at home. “Hullo, Doctor, I’m glad to find you in,” he said. “I’m not keeping you from church, I hope?”

“A doctor can always find an excuse for not going to church in the morning,” replied Dunville. “Besides, when Sparkes told me that you were coming over, I rather expected that you would look in here.”

“Yes, I’d be glad of any information you can give me. Sparkes says it’s an accident, this time. But sudden death is getting uncommonly frequent in this parish, isn’t it?”

“Rather a curious accident, in its way. You’ll form your own opinion when you see the place.”

Something in the doctor’s voice caused Nutbeam to glance at him sharply. “I’m hoping to persuade you to show it to me,” he said. “But, first of all, who is the man?”

Dunville shrugged his shoulders. He did not seem to be in a very communicative mood. “I hardly knew him,” he replied. “All that I can tell you is that he bought a cottage here about six weeks ago, and started poultry farming in a small way. The cottage originally belonged to Holland Farm. But when the farm changed hands last year the new owner had no use for the cottage, and put it in the hands of an agent in Fallowbridge for sale. As for the man Marsh, I really know nothing about him. If you want details, you had better have a chat with Appleby, the parson, after church. He was by way of being a protegé of his.”

“I’ll certainly see Mr. Appleby. I gather that Marsh was killed by part of the cottage, what Sparkes describes as the back house, falling on him. Is that right?”

Dunville rose to his feet restlessly. “I don’t know,” he replied. “There will be a post-mortem, I suppose, and that will decide the cause of death. I’m told that he was found under the debris of his outhouse, but he had been moved into the cottage when I saw him. Look here, if you want me to go and see the place with you, suppose we get along.”

Nutbeam agreed, and they drove off. When they reached the cottage, they found Sparkes on guard, and the greater part of the population of Milton Kirdmore standing round.

Dunville smiled. “Appleby can’t have much of a congregation this morning,” he said. “I think I’d have a look at the ruins first, if I were you, before all the parish scrambles over them.”

Nutbeam followed him as he led the way. The doctor evidently had something at the back of his mind, and he was quite ready to take any hint that he might let drop. They stood for a moment gazing silently at the wreckage, and then Nutbeam spoke. “Pretty complete collapse,” he remarked. “I’ve never seen anything like it since the war.”

Dunville smiled rather grimly. “It’s one of the most extraordinary collapses I ever heard of,” he said.

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