" I'm very grateful to you .sx " " You needn't be .sx I told you , I'm glad to do it .sx " I was touched and flattered by his manner , which was most attractive in its friendliness .sx As I said , I do not make friends easily ; my defences go up at the first sign of intimacy and when people realise this , they withdraw .sx This young man was ignoring the defences and I liked him for it .sx It did not occur to me until a long time afterwards that he was , perhaps , a shade too friendly .sx Now all I had to do was to tell Max and that , I knew , was going to be difficult .sx He called for me soon after I got back to the flat and I made him wait until I had a quick bath and changed into a white linen dress .sx There must have been something about my appearance that he found disturbing because he looked at me as though seeing me for the first time .sx " That was worth waiting for , " he said .sx " You must be the freshest thing in London .sx " " The water was cold , " I told him .sx " It nearly always is .sx " His fingers lightly brushed something- powder perhaps- from my cheek .sx " Cold water suits you .sx Don't complain .sx " " I wasn't going to , " I said .sx " I shan't be here much longer .sx " " I know .sx You're coming to Greece with me .sx " I moved away .sx " No , Max .sx At least not yet .sx There's something I've got to do first .sx " " Of course , the trousseau .sx " He was refusing to take me seriously .sx " Tell me about it while we eat .sx " He chose a Greek restaurant in Soho , to get me used to the food , he said .sx It was a quiet place and I was glad ; I needed to be able to talk .sx As soon as the meal was ordered I said :sx " I went back to Bletcham today .sx " " To Bletcham ?sx " The word was heavily underlined with surprise .sx " I thought we'd finished with all that .sx " " I was afraid you'd think so , but I've only just started .sx I'm going to buy a boat and moor it near Hardy's house , " I rushed on .sx " I'm going to find out everything I can about him .sx " " Why ?sx " The question took me by surprise .sx " Because , " I said impatiently , " he may be the man who murdered Alice .sx " " And what if he is ?sx He'll be tried- if you can prove anything- and you'll be a witness .sx You surely don't want to drag the whole thing up again .sx " " If he's guilty I'll go through anything to get him convicted .sx " " Why ?sx " he asked again .sx " I can tell by your voice that it means a lot to you , but I'm damned if I can see the reason .sx It's not as if you were all that fond of Alice .sx " He was interrupted by the arrival of the food and wine .sx When the pouring ritual was over he went on :sx " I'm as keen as the next man on justice being done and all the rest of it , but I'd rather see you happy .sx " " There won't be any happiness for me until I can prove him guilty .sx " " You're already certain that he did it , aren't you ?sx " " Not quite .sx Well- yes , perhaps I am , " I admitted .sx " I have to be .sx If he didn't do it it must have been- " " Must have been who ?sx " Max prompted .sx I looked into his eyes and longed with all my heart to tell him , but I could not do it .sx As long as my suspicion remained in my head I could pretend to myself , in moments of optimism , that it was not true .sx If I told Max he might agree with me and then I could no longer pretend .sx " It could have been anyone , " I said lamely .sx " So you're going to live in this boat , though you know nothing about boats , and try to prove Hardy's guilt so we can be quite sure that 'anyone'- " there was a glint of humour in his eyes as he said the word- " that 'anyone' was innocent .sx If you're right , you may be in serious danger from Hardy .sx Even if you're wrong you'll most certainly be in danger when you start handling a boat .sx " He picked up his glass and held it in both hands , looking at me thoughtfully over the top of it .sx " No , " he said at last .sx " I can't allow it .sx " " You can't very well stop me .sx " " I can do better than that .sx If we were to get married now I could come with you .sx " I looked down at my plate , not daring to let him see how much the idea appealed to me , reminding myself that he could only have said such a thing because he did not know the whole truth .sx " And I can't allow that , " I said .sx " Deadlock , " said Max .sx " No , it isn't .sx I'm determined to go , and by myself , whatever you say .sx " " I was afraid of that .sx " He sounded resigned but none the less hopeful .sx " You're a very wilful woman but I'll change your mind for you one of these days .sx The thing is :sx when ?sx I can't wait for ever , you know .sx " " I know .sx Just give me a little time , Max , say three months .sx If I haven't discovered anything by then I'll give up trying .sx " " And marry me ?sx " " And marry you .sx " CHAPTER SIX .sx THE MAN from the newspaper office rang up two days later .sx He gave his name as Clive Mortimer and pronounced favourably on the boat , which was moored two miles up the river from Bletcham .sx " You can see it any time you like , " he told me .sx " The sooner the better .sx If you can get to Bletcham this evening I'll run you up there in the car .sx " " That's very nice of you .sx " " Nice , nothing .sx I told you , I'm mad about boats .sx Seven thirty do you ?sx I could meet you at the bus station .sx " " No , " I said , " outside your office .sx " I could not endure the thought of another wait at the bus station .sx He was there punctually .sx Dressed in a loud tartan shirt and abbreviated shorts he looked hardly more than a boy , a cheerful , good-natured boy .sx He settled me into the car with touching care and then drove like a fiend along the river road .sx Ten minutes later he stopped in a lane and helped me out with the same careful courtesy .sx " What sort of boat is it ?sx " I asked .sx " She , " he corrected .sx " She's a converted life-boat .sx Not a very good one , but she's sound enough and the engine's fine .sx " We walked down to the river's edge .sx There were a lot of boats moored there and he pointed to the one I was already beginning to think of as mine .sx " That's her , " he said .sx " Sandpiper .sx " She was not an eye-catching craft .sx Years ago in her white-painted infancy she must have hung presentably on the deck of some luxury liner but now she looked like a gaudy ark , with a top-heavy cabin streaked with layers of red and green and black paint .sx Inside , she was untidy and grubby but roomy enough and well lit by two rows of good-sized windows .sx It was a long time before I got used to calling them portholes .sx The owner was a middle-aged man whose family had tired of the limited excitement of the river and now had their eyes on a seagoing boat .sx Clive- he insisted on being called Clive- haggled with him and within half an hour Sandpiper was mine for three hundred and fifty pounds .sx When all the business details had been settled and the owner had departed with my cheque in his pocket , Clive started the engine and gave me my first lesson in manoeuvring up and down the river and in and out of the other boats .sx It was a warm , still evening ; the plop of fish and the gentle putter of the engine were infinitely soothing after city noises , and I began to look forward to my life on the water .sx At last he pronounced me riverworthy and wanted to know when I would be moving in .sx " At the end of next week , " I told him .sx " I shall have to give a week's notice at the flat .sx " " I suppose you'll be mooring her nearer the sea .sx " " Not much .sx There's a place just below Bletcham , near the footbridge .sx " " I know it .sx " He looked doubtful .sx " There are better places , " he commented .sx " I know , but that's where I'm going .sx " He stroked Sandpiper's wheel lovingly .sx " Take her down there for you if you like .sx " He looked so like a small boy longing to play with someone else's toy that I laughed .sx " No , thank you , Clive .sx I shall be able to manage .sx " There was a pub in the lane where the car was parked ; to soften the blow and also to thank him for his trouble I gave him a drink .sx Afterwards he drove me back to Bletcham and we parted like old friends .sx He suggested another meeting , but I refused ; the boat was such an attraction that I was afraid , if he came near it again , that I should never see the last of him .sx The following Friday I moved out of my flat , and Max , who was still- justifiably- doubtful of my ability to manage a boat , came to help .sx We piled all my things into his car and drove down to that part of the river where the boat was moored .sx The moment he saw Sandpiper I knew by the look on his face that he had not much faith in her .sx " That fellow Mortimer , " he said , " wants his head seeing to .sx This must be the original ark .sx " " I thought so too , at first , but it's quite nice inside .sx Come and have a look .sx " We climbed aboard and he eased his wiry frame through the cabin door and wandered about inside , opening everything that would open .sx I guessed he was looking for leaks and waited anxiously for him to say he had found one , but his only comment was :sx " Plenty of room in here for two , " a remark it seemed safer to ignore .sx Like Clive , he was enthusiastic about the engine and decided , apparently on the strength of its efficiency , that Sandpiper was fit to live in .sx I was more than thankful for his help when we had installed my things and the boat began to move .sx The river was crowded with flocks of sailing boats which swirled round us like gulls and there were two locks to negotiate , but Max seemed to know exactly what to do and at the same time kept me supplied with important bits of information that Clive had forgotten to mention , such as keeping to starboard and giving way to sail .sx " How on earth do you know all this ?sx " I asked him .sx " I used to play about in these things when I was a kid .sx And then I acted as guide on a river boat one summer , to keep myself going between terms at college .sx " It was the first I had heard of it , but that's one of the things I like about Max .sx He has done so many things that there is always something new and exciting to discover about him .sx " You're wonderful , " I said , meaning it .sx He pressed the tip of my nose with one finger .sx " That makes two of us .sx " It was about eight o'clock in the evening when we tied up almost exactly opposite Hardy's garden and went up on to the roof of the cabin to see what we could see .sx From this side , Rivermead was less forbidding ; it stood a long way back from the water at the end of a velvety lawn flanked with flowering trees and shrubs .sx To the right of the lawn , close to the water's edge , stood an ancient boathouse shrouded in wistaria ; it was built across a narrow backwater and there was a delicate iron staircase climbing the outer wall to a room above .sx " You won't see anyone tonight , it's too late , " Max said and turned to go .sx " No- wait , " I put out a hand to stop him .sx The sun was no longer shining and it was dark across there by the trees , but I thought I had seen something move .sx