max . “It is Cmas Eve, you know.”

    But I insisted. “tell ’s Margaret Lea, regarding Angelfield house and Miss March.”

    it said It o t it o tell me, ratantly, to go straight in.

    t very young at all.  turned up at ing money for Joood t to ors. For years o knoity of  Miss Marced t from s and tures on ter all t he knew.

    ‘Glad to meet you, Miss Lea.  can I do to help?“

    ‘I’ve come from Angelfield. From te. they’ve found a body.“

    ‘Oh. Oh, goodness!“

    ‘ill t to speak to Miss inter, do you suppose?“

    At my mention of tly to t  be overheard.

    ‘t to speak to ty as a matter of routine.“

    ‘I t so.“ I  only is s?“

    he nodded.

    ‘—but also, er is dying.“

    interrupt.

    ‘It ter, given y and tate of er’s  receive t too abruptly. S  from a stranger. And s be alone wion reaches her.“

    ‘ do you suggest?“

    ‘I can go back to Yorksoday. If I can get to tation in t o come to contact  they?“

    ‘Yes. But I can delay time for you to get to tation, if you like.“

    At t moment telep up.

    ‘Bones? I see… Sy, yes… An elderly person and in poor er, gravely ill… Some likeli bereavement… It migter… Given tances… I o knoruste… Indeed… By all means.“

    e on a pad and pus across to me. A name and a telephone number.

    ‘o telep to let and o, alk to , it can . t seems, are not recent. Noime is your train? e should be going.“

    Seeing t I , t-so-very-young Mr. Lomax drove in silence. Nevert