doing any really useful work. We have him just once a week to keep things tidied up. We can’t afford more.”
Tommy winked at Tuppence to indicate that she was to keep Monica with her, and he himself stepped across to where the gardener was working. He spoke a few pleasant words to the old man, asked him if he had been there in the old lady’s time, and then said casually:
“You buried a box for her once, didn’t you?”
“No, sir, I never buried naught for her. What should she want to bury a box for?”
Tommy shook his head. He strolled back to the house frowning. It was to be hoped that a study of the old lady’s papers would yield some clue—otherwise the problem was a hard one to solve. The house itself was old fashioned, but not old enough to contain a secret room or passage.