Tynsham

           TherewaslittlelikelihoodofanyonemissingtheManor.BeyondthefewcottageswhichconstitutedthevillageofTynshamthehighwallofanestateranbesidetheroad.Wefollowedituntilwecametomassivewrought-irongates.Behindthemstoodayoungwomanonwhosefacethesoberseriousnessofresponsibilityhadsuppressedallhumanexpression.Shewasequippedwithashotgunwhichsheclaspedininappropriateplaces.IsignaledtoCokertostop,andcalledtoherasIdrewup.Hermouthmoved,butnotawordpenetratedtheclatteroftheengine.Iswitchedoff.

           "ThisisTynshamManor?"Iasked.

           Shewasnotgivingthat,oranythingelse,away."Whereareyoufrom?Andhowmanyofyou?"shecountered.

           Icouldhavewishedthatshedidnotfiddleaboutwithherguninjustthewayshedid.Briefly,andkeepinganeyeonheruneasyfingers,Iexplainedwhowewere,whywecame,roughlywhatwecarried,andguaranteedthattherewerenomoreofushiddeninthetrucks.Idoubtedwhethershewastakingitin.Hereyeswerefixedonminewithamournfullyspeculativeexpressionmorecommoninbloodhounds,butnotreassuringeventhere.Mywordsdidlittletodispersethatrandomsuspicionwhichmakesthehighlyconscientioussowearing.Assheemergedtoglanceintothebacksofthetrucks,andverifymystatements,Ihopedforhersakethatshewouldnotchancetoencounterapartyofwhomhersuspicionswerejustified.Admissionthatshewassatisfiedwouldhaveweakenedherroleofreliability,butshedideventuallyconsent,stillwithreserve,toallowusin.