Stone's Fall

'That depends on what you mean by unusually. Once John was finished with a book or a newspaper – or anything, really – he would just drop it on the ground. I very much doubt he would have noticed even if the room was never tidied up. He lived in this house to please me, and because he thought it was the sort of house a man of his standing should live in. It isn't, of course; had we lived in such a place we would have bought something very much bigger. But he really had no taste for ostentation. We have another house in Paris, which was bought solely for my benefit. He was utterly uninterested in expensive living, although he did like good food and wine. And the sea. He always wanted to live by the sea, but had never managed it. We had planned to buy a house on the coast somewhere. The trouble was we couldn't agree where. I wanted Biarritz, he wanted Dorset. Curiously, he was a very simple man. You would have liked him, had you given him a chance.'

This sentence was added on so gently I almost missed it. 'You think I wouldn't have done?'

'I think you assume all rich men of business must be cruel and greedy by nature. Some are, no doubt. But in my experience they are no better or worse in general than any other class of man.'

'How many people were in the house at the time of the fall?'

'No more than twelve. My husband and the servants.'

'Everyone but your husband was asleep?'

'I imagine so. Although I have no doubt that some of the servants misbehave themselves when they are not watched. As long as they do their jobs, I do not interest myself in such things.'

Another one of those comments which took me slightly unawares.

'Why do you ask?'

'Because, squalid little reporter with an eye for a story that I am, I still cannot rid myself of the idea that your husband did not fall. I have heard he had a terrible fear of heights. Is that correct?'

She smiled. 'Yes, it was. It was what made me fall in love with him.'

'I'm sorry?'

'We were walking over a bridge in Paris, and he suddenly turned pale, and grabbed hold of me. I thought he was making an advance, but in fact he was simply feeling dizzy. It was the first time I realised he had any frailties. But he needed to pretend, so he did kiss me, merely to cover up his weakness. I teased him without mercy until he confessed, and he was as shamefaced as a schoolboy.'

She had such a sweet smile as she remembered this that it was almost a pity to bring her reminiscence to an end, but I did find her memories inappropriate. So I continued on remorselessly.

'So would he have walked up and down by an open window?'

'Not usually. But he did love his cigars, and he knew I hate the smell of cigar smoke. He was prepared to take grave risks, when necessary.'

'Then let me ask you directly: would anyone want to murder your husband?'

'Absurd,' she said promptly. 'In his life he was the kindest of men. In his business he had a reputation for fairness. He had rivals, no doubt. But not enemies. He was an easy-going employer to the servants who, in any case, naturally referred to me first of all. Besides, even the most violent and detestable men generally die in their beds.'

'But you know nothing of his business affairs.'

'That is not entirely true. We talked a great deal. Although rarely about the details. I was not greatly interested, and he thought of me as a sort of antidote to work. He was not obsessed with his work. Methodical is a better term.'

I shook my head. 'I wish I could say our conversation today has helped me,' I commented, 'but it has made me the more confused. I do not think I am giving you very good value for money at the moment.'

'You have a long way to go,' she said. 'I do not despair of you yet. What else confuses you?'

'The same question that has always worried me. Why are you bothering? Why do you want me to look for this child?'

'I told you; to respect my husband's wishes.'

'And I am not convinced. After all, he did not respect his own wishes enough to make the task easy.'

'It is all I can offer you. Have you some further unfavourable interpretation?'

'Ah . . .'

'You might as well say. You have already accused me of being a murderess, and on the whole I think I took that fairly well.'

'Henderson told me that the will cannot be settled until this matter is cleared up. So you are dependent on the generosity of the executor until then.'

'Oh, I see,' she said. 'So rather than respecting John's wishes, I am selfishly looking after my own. Is that what you are saying?'

'Well . . .'

'In that case I would hardly have hidden the papers. Besides, I did not come to this marriage a pauper. I have more than enough money, even if I receive nothing from John at all. There is no motive or reason for you at all there. Do you understand?'

'I have offended you. I apologise.'

'I would rather you say these things, than think them in secret. And I suppose they are reasonable. We rich people are cruel and heartless, are we not? Not like ordinary people. Not like you.'

'As I say, I apologise.'