There was only one I knew who had a motive.

With Ezra out of the way, Isa was free. But he was not. He was married to me and while I lived he was not free. While , I lived . That was the thought that kept recurring. It was becoming like a nightmare.

I took out the purse and examined it.

“He had a red leather purse full of sovereigns. He used to fill it up every morning …” Isa had said something like that.

What was it that Joss aroused in me? Was it love? I wanted to protect him whatever he had done. I wanted to go to him and say: “I have found Ezra’s purse. You hid it in the orchard … not very cleverly. The ground was so parched it was obvious. We must get rid of it…”

But why should? he bury the purse in the orchard? Why had he not got rid of it somewhere in the Bush? It seemed like a panic-stricken action. Strangely enough I could believe he might be a murderer, but not that he would ever suffer panic.

He would say to me: “So you believe that of me. Why don’t you betray me? Why involve yourself?”

“Because I’m a fool,” I would say.

“I have the same feeling for you as you have for Isa Bannock.. perhaps now you understand.”

But I would say nothing of the sort. I did not know what to do and being in doubt I put the purse into a drawer and then was afraid that it might be discovered. It was the perfect clue which would lead to the murderer.

I must tell him. He would lie. He would say he hadn’t put it there.

But who else. Joss? I asked. Who else?

I spent a sleepless night and twice rose to look at the purse in the drawer to assure myself that it was there and I hadn’t dreamed the whole thing.

The next day Joss had left when I went down and I rode into the town with Jimson. We talked as we rode but I don’t remember what about. I could think of nothing but that red purse with the pieces of orchard earth staining it.

As soon as I returned to Peacocks I went straight up to my room and as I entered I knew that something had changed. One of the drawers was not properly shut and instinct told me that someone had been there looking for something. I went immediately to the drawer in which I had put the red purse. It was not there.

I sat down in a chair and thought of what this meant. Whoever had killed Ezra now knew that I had discovered the purse and taken it from its hiding place.

It was difficult to appear normal. I tried to think what would be the best line of action. I told myself that as soon as I saw Joss I should know because even he must be shaken by what had happened.

I went to the window and stood there looking out across the grounds to the arid Bush. I could just make out the calico tents on the fringe of the town. As I stood there I saw Mrs. Laud drive in with the buggy.

She often took it down to the town and brought back provisions which were carried into the house by the servants. She looked up and saw me, lifting her hand in acknowledgement.

I went to the hall. I felt an urgent need to get back to normality.

“Ifs very hot, isn’t it?” I said.

“My goodness, yes.”

“You should have taken Lilias with you.”

“I think she sees a little too much of Jeremy Dickson.”

“He’s a very pleasant young man. Why don’t you like him, Mrs. Laud?”

She didn't answer and pressed her lips tight together.

"You must be worn out,” I went on.

“Why don’t you have a cup of tea?”

“I thought I’d go to my room and make one. Would you care to join me, Mrs. Madden?” “Why, yes, I’d like to.”

We climbed to her room and she put the kettle on the spirit lamp. It was a very cosy little room with a bunch of dried leaves in a pot in the fireplace and on the polished table a runner of red plush. The chairs had tapestry seats and I was sure she had made them herself. In the corner was a what-not on which were displayed miniature pieces of china, and there was a cuckoo clock on the wall.

She watched my gaze.

“I brought these things out from England and when I came here Mr. Henniker let me furnish my own room. I appreciated that.”

That must have made it seem very homely. “

She made the tea. She seemed upset about something and I determined to find out what. It took my mind off that other terrifying matter.

“I hope this is to your taste, Mrs. Madden. Tea doesn’t taste right here to me. Not like home. They say it’s the water.”

"You were going to tell me about Mr. Dickson,” I prompted.

She looked at me in a startled fashion.

“Was I?”

"You . er . don’t like this friendship between him and Lilias? “

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say that.”

“How far would you go?”

“I’m being silly, I suppose. I wouldn’t want her to make a mistake. I suppose mothers do feel like that about their daughters."

” Has he done anything to upset you ? “

“Oh no… not him.”

“Someone else… then?”

She looked at me in a worried way and she reminded me of an animal caught in a trap.

“I have been in this house so long,” she said, which seemed to me straying from the point. There I was at my wits’ end . “

“I know, and Mr. Henniker offered you the post.”

“I brought my children up here. I was treated … as though I belonged.”

“Mr. Henniker was a wonderfully kind man."

” I couldn’t bear anything to go wrong in this house. I just don’t like what’s being said. “

“What was that?” I asked sharply.

She looked at me blankly then she said: “When you think back it’s hard to put your finger on it. It’s. implication … or something like that.”

“Who implied what?”

She looked over her shoulder as though she were seeking some way of escape.

“You’re the last one I should be saying this to.”

“Why? Does it concern me?”

“It’s a lot of lies … plain lies…”

“Now, Mrs. Laud, you have said too much to stop. Someone’s been telling lies about me, have they?”

“Oh no, not about you, Mrs. Madden. Everybody’s sorry for you.”

“Why are they sorry for me They say it’s a pity Mr. Henniker made that will. They say it’s forced things. Mrs. Bannock’s not liked in the town. She’s not liked at all.

Oh, Mr. Madden would be angry if he knew. I really mustn’t say any more. He’d turn me out. Perhaps I deserve it for talking to you like this. “

“I want to know what they’re saying.”

“If I tell you, will you promise to say nothing to him?”

To my husband, you mean? “

"Yes, please don’t tell him that I talked to you like this. He’d be so angry . Heaven knows where it would end. It’s only talk, that’s all, but it upsets me. I told them it was a lot of lies . but that doesn’t stop them. They wouldn’t say anything to you, of course.

You’re the last one they’d talk to. “

“Mrs. Laud, I want to know what this is all about.”

“It’s not exactly what was said. Ifs the looks … the nods … and ” Implications,” I said.

“What was it?”

The words came out in a rush. They said they’d always known how it was between them. Ezra put up with it for a long time because of his position in the Company. Then he wouldn’t have it. and that’s why he died. “

“No!” I cried fiercely, forgetting that it was exactly what I had thought myself.

“It’s impossible.”

They say she has the Green Flash, that he took it from its hiding place and gave it to her. “

“I never heard such nonsense,” I cried firmly.

Ts(o more did I, but it upsets me . and you just caught me at a bad moment. “

I’m glad you told me, Mrs. Laud. But let’s forget it, shall we?”

She hesitated.

“Well, I don’t believe it, of course, but I think . well I just think you ought to be on your guard …"

I stared at her and she bit her lip in embarrassment and went stammering on: ‘… on your guard against gossip.”

“Cuckoo, Cuckoo,” said the clock on the wall, and went on repeating his silly cry to denote the hour.

When I went into the town I imagined people watched me furtively.

They were sorry for me, asking themselves how much I knew. In a place like this everyone knew everyone else’s business. The notices asking for information about Ezra’s murder looked out at me from every post.

It was an uneasy town. The cosy theory was that Ezra had been shot by a bushranger who was now miles away, the only other alternative being that we had a murderer in our midst. Murderers had to have motives. I knew that the murderer was someone who came to Peacocks and was such a frequent visitor that no one would notice when he went into the orchard to bury a purse.

When I went into the offices Jeremy was waiting for me. He wanted to show me the finished product of that opal I had had such a feeling about.

“You can be proud to have your judgement proved correct,” he told me.

“Does it really mean I’m learning or was it just good luck?”

“It was pure hunch and that’s what we all wait for.” He said he would make tea and did so. I felt a great urge to talk to him about my discovery and my fears, for it occurred to me that he was one of the few people I could talk to; but I knew that would be unwise. I brought the subject round to the Green Flash.

“Have you heard the rumour that Ezra stole it and died as a result?” I asked.

“I never take any notice of rumours like that’ ” I suppose there’s just a possibility that it might be true. “

“In the first place Ezra was no thief. He would never have stolen anything.”

“His wife has a fine collection. Suppose he wanted to add the best of all to it.”