Lessons in Solving the Wrong Problem - Charlie Cochrane Page 0,20
daunted by her. “And the second conclusion?”
“Isn’t that obvious?” Jonty said, before Henry could answer. “That it was stolen, the thief taking advantage of the landslip to cover over their activities and meaning that any signs weren’t obvious. That would seem the most likely conclusion. Occam’s razor and all that.”
Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily. Orlando was a great believer in the principle.
Henry smiled. “On the face of it, that’s possible, Jonty, but consider this. The only people who knew about the treasure were the family and servants here, the authorities to whom it was reported and Herron. Everyone here was sworn to secrecy, precisely to avoid a premature theft by anyone who heard there was a king’s ransom in gold not far below the sward.”
“I have no doubt about that, but we both know how news can spread,” Jonty said, his charming smile softening the challenge in his words. “A casual word mentioned by the scullery maid to her beau when they’re walking out and very soon, if he’s less scrupulous about keeping that sort of promise and has talkative friends, half the county knows there’s gold on your land. Folk would strike while they still had the chance, storm or no storm.”
“While I accept that as possible, three things mitigate against it.” Henry counted them on his fingers. “One, the timescale was very short, unless the removal happened while we were dealing with my father’s death. Two, strangers wandering around the estate with digging equipment would surely have been spotted. Three, as I’ve already stated, only a handful of people knew exactly where on the estate it had been found. Richard, me and Mary, the nurse maid. And she swore that it had actually been halfway down the slope. No matter how much Richard pointed out that he could remember the place being nearer the hedgerow, she insisted that Edward had actually left the area allocated to him and dig elsewhere. So Richard, accepting there was a small possibility that some sort of gold fever had struck and confused him—as opposed to the possibility of his having gone loopy, which he would not accept—tried digging in the other place as well as the original. As I said, we found nothing.”
“There was a fourth person who knew,” Orlando pointed out. “Edward.”
“Yes, and he supported Richard’s view of where the treasure had been found. Edward was a remarkably bright and truthful child, even though he was young. He verified all the story, including the fact he was annoyed at having been made to stop digging.”
“Are you certain Edward was a trustworthy witness?” Jonty raised his hand, clearly wanting to reassure his hosts that he wasn’t casting aspersions. “I don’t doubt his probity, I only ask because I know how little boys hold their older brothers in high regard. I hero worshipped Clarence and Sheridan when I was four and if people had asked me about a similar situation, I’d have confirmed everything they said. I wouldn’t have been a reliable eyewitness, not least because I’d have probably persuaded myself into imagining what they said happened really had. Was there a dragon by the lake?” That was one of his better impressions of Mrs. Stewart’s voice. “Yes, Mama. A big green one with scales. It would never have crossed my mind that I was lying.”
“I take your point. He did back up Richard about the treasure trove, although admittedly he was less certain about where he’d found his coin and brooch. He said he thought they’d been in the same hole but wasn’t sure. Alas, after my father was killed, he refused to talk about the subject at all and none of us would have him pressed. He was closest to my father of the three of us boys and felt his loss very deeply.” Henry’s voice faltered, at which his wife stretched out her arm to pat his hand.
“Do you think we could fetch the box and show our guests the items concerned?”
“Of course, my dear. I’ll fetch it now.”
“No, let me.” Beatrice gave her husband a tender smile, then rose.
After she’d gone and they seated themselves again, their host said in a low voice, “Bless her. She knows how affected I get by anything to do with Edward. I find with time it has become easier to talk about him, but that box still has the power to unman me.”
Orlando recalled their host’s face when he pointed out to them a small-glass topped box in the hallway, as they