system of rest cure with him. That will give me a chance of getting inside and studying the geography of the place.”
The doctor returned about half an hour later. Tommy gave him about five minutes, then he in turn marched up to the front door. But he too returned baffled.
“The doctor was engaged and couldn’t be disturbed. And he never sees journalists. Tuppence, you’re right. There’s something fishy about this place. It’s ideally situated—miles from anywhere. Any mortal thing could go on here, and no one would ever know.”
“Come on,” said Tuppence, with determination.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to climb over the wall and see if I can’t get up to the house quietly without being seen.”
“Right. I’m with you.”
The garden was somewhat overgrown, and afforded a multitude of cover. Tommy and Tuppence managed to reach the back of the house unobserved.
Here there was a wide terrace, with some crumbling steps leading down from it. In the middle some French windows opened onto the terrace, but they dared not step out into the open, and the windows where they were crouching were too high for them to be able to look in. It did not seem as though their reconnaissance would be much use when suddenly Tuppence tightened her grasp of Tommy’s arm.
Someone was speaking in the room close to them. The