Page 63 of Corpse in the Canal

“Of course,” Owens said stiffly.

“No, I mean excessively so. She is obviously a good and Christian lady, but I have occasionally seen such admirable qualities turn overly harsh and judgmental until nothing is good enough for them.”

Owens met her gaze. “You mean is it a mania?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean.”

The doctor beat gently on the desk with the feather end of a pen. “I wouldn’t have said so, no.”

Interesting wording, Constance thought.

“I don’t suppose you were anywhere near Channing House last Thursday?” Solomon asked.

“No, and I didn’t see Percy,” said the doctor, who clearly knew what they had been asking other people.

“Did you see Mrs. Harvey?” Solomon asked more bluntly.

“I didn’t see either of them that day.”

“Did you see anyone at all on the road to Channing House?”

“I wasn’t on that road. I was visiting the sick in town on Thursday. I do so most Thursdays.”

Constance judged that it was time to go, and began to rise.

“Tell me,” Solomon said gently, “have you ever treated anyone for gunshot wounds?”

Owens stared. “No. Apart from a poor gamekeeper who got peppered with buckshot during a bizarre shooting party accident. And that was five years ago.”

“Was Percy there?”

“I really don’t recall. Possibly.”

“Whose party was it?”

For a moment it seemed the doctor would not answer. “Everett’s,” he said at last.

*

“You think someone tried to shoot Percy before?” Constance asked as they walked toward the Duke’s Arms for tea with David.

“It crossed my mind suddenly.”

“But it doesn’t seem to have been Percy who was hit at Everett’s shooting party,” she objected.

“That doesn’t mean the shooter wasn’t aiming for him. I think we should inquire further.”

And five years ago certainly exonerated Adelaide from that crime, if there was one.

“Owens didn’t seem very sure,” Solomon said, “about Mrs. Harvey’s possible mania.”

“Because he really isn’t sure or because he doesn’t want to tell us?”

“I don’t know. But I think we have to also investigate a little closer to Percy’s home than we have been.”

*

Just as on their return to the house yesterday, Harvey met them in the front hall. “Ah, there you are! You missed tea.”