He did well .sx He got in touch with the woman Pete was passing off as his mother .sx Starmouth managed to win her confidence .sx It seems that she was an honest enough woman , only her mind wasn't as clear as it could have been .sx She showed him photographs .sx He found out that the name of her house- Grand Greve- was taken from a bay in one of the Channel Islands .sx One of the small ones .sx Sark , that's it .sx The Caxtons used to have their holidays there .sx Starmouth went there .sx He dug out some people who remembered the family .sx In the end he pieced it all together .sx The Caxtons had two boys- Michael and Derek .sx Pete first met them at school .sx It was a good school I sent him to , one of the best .sx He was a boarder .sx He could always turn on the charm when it suited him .sx The whole family came to like him .sx The real Michael- he was the same age as my son- died of pleurisy when he was eighteen .sx Soon after that Pete staged his drowning .sx He was always a smooth liar .sx He invented some plausible story or other and threw himself on the Caxtons' generosity .sx They accepted him as a kind of substitute for the boy they had lost .sx Outside the family he began to pass himself off as Michael Caxton .sx The father was well-off and easy-going .sx He was easy meat for Pete .sx He sponged off him until he died just after the war .sx Then Pete had to look around for some other security .sx He found it- Dackson's Wharf , and Dackson's daughter .sx Mrs. Caxton's other boy , Derek , had been killed in the war .sx After her husband died her brain began to fade .sx At times she thought Pete was really her own son .sx Other times she remembered that both Michael and Derek were dead .sx She couldn't work it out .sx She was heading for a complete breakdown , Starmouth said .sx Then Starmouth found out that Pete was engaged to Geraldine Dackson .sx ( Up to this point Jesty had told his story in a flat , though jerky , monotone .sx Now he grew more and more agitated .sx ) The time for my revenge was just round the corner .sx I told Starmouth to keep on watching Pete .sx Last Monday evening- a week ago to-day .sx God , only a week !sx - he came to me .sx He had seen my son and another girl in intimacy .sx ( Jesty's voice became shrill ; his body began to twitch and jerk .sx ) My chance had come at last .sx I had to take it .sx I was going to smash him as he had twice tried to smash me .sx ( His eyes , wild and frightened , were fixed on Tong .sx Tong guessed that they did not see him .sx ) I told Starmouth to go at once and report exactly what he had seen to Dackson and his daughter .sx He did as he was told .sx ( There was a thin trickle of moisture at the corner of Jesty's lips , but his speech was parched and unsteady .sx ) I thought that Dackson would ruin my son .sx I did not think he would kill him .sx I swear that I did not want Dackson to kill my son .sx I wasn't at the wharf at any time on Wednesday .sx That is the truth , so help me God .sx " 2 .sx Carol Carstairs , interviewed by Passon and Tong for the second time , began by agreeing that she could have been mistaken about the precise minute of Dackson's visit the previous Wednesday , and ended by admitting that he was in fact at least half an hour late for his appointment with her .sx " There it is , " Passon commented afterwards .sx " She is a business woman .sx No doubt he paid her well for stretching the truth a bit .sx She was his second alibi , of course .sx The first was the television set- and a daughter loyal enough , or distressed enough , to lie for him .sx " " I'm more sorry for Geraldine than anyone , " Tong said .sx " Unless it's Ella Marsham .sx " " When you think it over , Harry , it's difficult to imagine any visitor to the wharf other than Dackson himself persuading Caxton to step out on to the quay on such a bleak night .sx Caxton could hardly fail to obey his employer- and prospective father-in-law .sx " " Pete Jesty , alias Michael Caxton , " Tong said .sx " Think we would have got the truth from his father if it hadn't been for old Sam Toberson ?sx " " Who knows ?sx At least Sam was one of the factors the commander didn't bargain for .sx " " Another was the body fetching up on the mooring-hook- practically where it started from .sx " " And you finding out about the spy at the Marshams' , " Passon said .sx " Just a stroke of luck , sir , " Tong said .sx " Luck or not , Harry , it was the real turning-point for us .sx Must be true what they say .sx 'Tong can't go wrong !sx ' " Coming from Long Dick this was praise indeed .sx Tong laughed happily .sx " I'm a good dart-player too , " he said .sx 3 .sx The long brutal winter ended at last .sx The plane trees in Southwark Park were wrapped in a delicate mist of bursting buds ; mild sunlight played with the grey face of the river ; the railway embankment along Railside Terrace was thinly carpeted with upshooting leaves of new weeds and grass ; and a revolution had come to the Toberson household .sx When Nick returned home he found that his mother was seriously ill .sx She had pneumonia .sx The sight of her youngest son , the doctor said , was the only thing that saved her ; it gave her the strength she needed to fight for life .sx Soon she was out of danger , but the doctor told Dan that she would have to remain in bed for some time and that thereafter it was essential that she should not have to exert herself .sx Dan , not knowing which way to turn , took a desperate course .sx He wrote to Rose beseeching her to help .sx The First Flower made a prompt appearance on the scene , bringing the baby with her .sx She announced happily that her husband , with the help of the eldest daughter , would be able to manage very well , and that there was no reason why she shouldn't stay at Railside Terrace indefinitely .sx With Grace helpless Rose set up her own autocracy .sx Her squeaking , querulous accents were heard without intermission .sx They rose over the baby's interminable howling and were directed at everyone in equal measure .sx She was a poor and unpunctual cook .sx Normally indolent , she was now and again seized with unpredictable bouts of energy in the grip of which she swept through the house with a fury that disarranged everything and left a trail of havoc behind .sx Only the old man's room was too much for her .sx Once she put her head round the door , and Sam shouted :sx " You get right out of this , Rose .sx You leave me in peace .sx " Rose took one breath of the stagnant air .sx " You- you polecat !sx " she screeched , and retreated without argument .sx Her re@2gime , hated alike by all the men , produced one extraordinary result .sx One day Fred met Nick at the front door as they were both about to enter the house .sx Fred grasped his brother's elbow .sx " Nick , I can't stomach this much longer .sx " " Nor me .sx What's the answer ?sx Mum's picking up , but she'll never be her old self again .sx " " That First Flower's driving me nuts , " Fred said .sx " I'm going to put a stop to it .sx " " What with- arsenic ?sx " Fred fixed his small eyes on his brother , beckoned him to stand closer , and whispered into his ear the most unexpected words Nick had ever heard .sx " I'm going to get myself married , " Fred said .sx The next day he brought home a woman in her middle thirties and took her straight to his mother's bedside .sx " Mum , this is Maggie .sx I'm going to marry her , and I'd like her to come and live with us .sx " Maggie was plump and plain with a pleasing smile , a placid nature , and a slow-moving but methodical mind .sx For twenty years she had worked in the bottling-store at the brewery , and Grace heard with astonishment that Fred had known her on and off for nearly as long .sx Grace , well aware of the turbulence that Rose was creating , was as anxious as the rest of the family to find an alternative solution .sx She took to Maggie at once ; and at once began working on the problem of how to accommodate Fred and a bride within the limited space available .sx As always , old Sam was the stumbling-block .sx It was the same dilemma she had to face when there was a prospect , now vanished for ever , of Nick marrying Ella Marsham .sx It was Nick who found the answer .sx " Only one thing for it , Mum , " he said , sitting on the edge of the bed and holding one of her hands in his .sx " Let Fred and Mag have the two upstairs rooms between them .sx Sam will have to come out of his kennel .sx The two of us will sleep in the front room downstairs .sx " " You won't ever shift him .sx " Nick patted her .sx " We'll manage .sx Just you take it easy .sx We'll sort it out .sx " Nick went at once to his grandfather , and found him buried in his bed with his head barely visible upon the pillow .sx Sam spent much of his time in bed these days .sx He argued that it was the only place where he could be safe from Rose .sx " See here , Sam , " Nick began .sx " You know Fred's getting spliced .sx " " Gone soft in the head , " Sam said .sx " Same as I've always said , women rule the roost and no man's safe from 'em .sx Ought to be a better way of doing things .sx Take trees .sx " He rattled on very happily .sx " Trees have got the right idea .sx A tree's got more sense than some people think .sx A tree don't have to worry .sx Just stays put right where it was born .sx " " Sorry , Sam , you're no tree , and you've got to shift from this room .sx " The old man was so incensed that after a good deal of wriggling and twisting he managed to get his shoulders clear of all restrictions .sx He propped himself on one elbow .sx " You can't do it to me , Nick .sx I've worked this room up to my way of thinking like I'd educate a child .sx This room and me understands one another .sx " " Sam , " Nick said firmly , " either you and me share downstairs , and we have Mag , or you stick it out up here and we all get saddled with the First Flower for ever .sx " Sam sank back on his pillow .sx " Oh , my God !sx All right , you win !sx " With that settled Fred was soon married .sx The First Flower snatched up her infant and departed , muttering sarcasms .sx The whole household listened to the dwindling screams of the baby with relief .sx Maggie soon proved her worth , and after a time Dan summed up the general approval by saying :sx " She's as good a worker as you could wish for .sx She speaks our language .sx Mag's one of us .sx " Nick and his grandfather shared their bedroom amicably .sx The old man , though fighting a grumbling rearguard action , permitted himself gradually to become a little cleaner and tidier .sx In his heart he was well satisfied to have Nick's company .sx When they were alone together he often explained all over again how shrewd he had been in discovering Alf Jesty's secret .sx " Imagine it , Nick , just that bit of information Fred picked up about Pete Jesty always touching his nose , and me remembering from that snap you once showed me that this Caxton had some sort of a scar there .sx Just an idea to begin with , mind you- then click !sx and I'd got it .sx That was smart work , say what you like .sx " " It certainly was , Sam , " Nick would agree , and go on to say with a touch of self-importance :sx " No wonder he tried to have me suffocated back last summer .sx Must have thought I'd rumbled him right from the start .sx " By this time Nick was certain in his own mind that he had really seen Caxton's hand snatching at the prop holding the barge's hatch open , though he could never prove it , and it would not be of much use if he could .sx