smallhobbit

A practical pullover for a great nephew soon to be six

Miss Marple surveyed the country hotel where she was spending a few days break, paid for by her nephew, Raymond.  He had suggested she might like to come up to London to take in a few shows and do some shopping.  His aunt had said she would like a few days quiet, still in the countryside, but where she could enjoy gentle walks and excellent afternoon tea, without having the complication of needing to take taxis or buses everywhere.

Select the pattern

One she had knitted several times before and which always gave good results

A quiet hotel, full of respectable people, where she could settle into an armchair in a corner of the lounge, and no-one would take any notice of her.

Collect the correct size needles and any other items which are required

Her knitting bag contained number 10 needles for the rib and number 8 needles for the main sections.  In addition was a row counter (so important to ensure front and back are the same), a tape measure (William was quite tall for his age so an extra inch in the body would be sensible), and a stitch holder so the neckband could be knitted on without difficulty.  There was also a pen so she could note the number of rows front and back and her little notebook, without which she never travelled.

At lunch Miss Marple had quietly noticed her fellow guests, and mentally allocated them to their counterparts in St Mary Mead.  Long experience of human nature had shown her where there might be problems, and also where the bickering was simply a couple’s way of communicating, in the same way that siblings may argue amongst themselves, but unite before an outsider.  Miss Marple was aware that siblings arguing could have other outcomes too, but this didn’t negate her observations.

Choose the yarn appropriate to the task

Green lovat in a hard-wearing wool mix, perfect to hide odd dirty marks and withstand the rough and tumble of the small boy wearing it.

After lunch Miss Marple took her seat in the lounge, where, since the weather had taken a turn for the worse, she planned to spend her afternoon.  She watched with great interest as the groups came and went, and the small domestic dramas began to play out as she had anticipated.

Take your time and enjoy your knitting

An excellent afternoon’s work, with the back rib completed and about an inch of the main back done.

Miss Marple had also overheard a considerable amount of confidences and enjoyed some excellent scones and jam with her afternoon tea.  When the sun came out she had taken a turn in the garden before going to change for dinner.

It was unfortunate that the colonel at the neighbouring table had been feeling unwell and had not come down to dinner.  It was even more unfortunate that his wife, on cutting short her own meal to go and check on him, had found him dead in the room, having been shot.

Inspector Slack had been called on to investigate the crime.  As soon as he spotted Miss Marple, he had said to his sergeant, “Go and find out what the old biddy knows.  It will save us no end of time.”

Sergeant Lake accordingly suggested to Miss Marple that they adjourn to the hotel library.  There he asked her, “Do you know who shot the colonel?”

“Well, I wouldn’t like to say I know, one can be mistaken, but it seems to me that it must be Mr Wilson.  He’s the colonel’s son by his first wife,” Miss Marple said.

“I thought the dead man was Colonel Arbuthnot?”

“Yes, the young man took his mother’s maiden name.  There was some unpleasantness I believe between father and son.”

“What about the first wife?”

“According to the current Mrs Arbuthnot, who I spoke to this afternoon, she died about twelve years ago, she had pneumonia and the stress on her body took its toll on her weak heart.  There was nothing suspicious and I believe her when she says that.”

“But you don’t believe her about something else?” Lake queried.

“Well, sergeant, she made a great play of being surprised at seeing Wilson at dinner, but I sensed she already knew he was here.”

“Do you think she suspected he had come to kill his father?  But I don’t see how he could have done it.  Mrs Arbuthnot had locked the door when she came down to dinner, so her husband wouldn’t be disturbed, and she had her key when she went up again after dinner.  There was a second key in the bedroom, which the colonel could use.  And the manager is adamant that no-one could get the hotel master key without his knowledge.”

“We only have her word that she locked the door when she came down.  She may have already given the key to Wilson, who could easily have slipped it back to her when he crossed the dining room.”

“But that would mean Mrs Arbuthnot was involved in her husband’s death.”  Lake looked confused.

“Who else could have slipped him something in his afternoon tea that would make him feel unwell?  I am sure they were both involved.”

Lake stood up.  “Thank you, Miss Marple.  I shall go and tell the Inspector and see what he thinks.”

Be proud of the finished garment

By the time Miss Marple went home she had reached the shoulder shaping for the back, which was most pleasing.

Inspector Slack had been inclined to disregard Miss Marple’s conjecture, but subsequent enquiries confirmed that she had indeed been correct.  If he had taken his own advice to heart it would have saved him quite a lot of work.  However, the arrests were made within a day, and no-one was aware of the part played by the quiet elderly lady who sat knitting in the corner.  She herself was gratified to have been of assistance.