Kirk beamed. This was the kind of information he was looking for.
"So he'd had his supper. But his bed hadn't been slept in?"
"No, it 'adn't. But of course I put on clean sheets for the lady and gentleman. I 'ope I knows what's proper. Them," explained Mrs. Ruddle, anxious to make things clear, "wos the week-before's sheets, wot wos all dried and ready Wednesday, but I couldn't take 'em in, along of the 'ouse bein' shet up. So I 'ad them all put aside neat in me kitchen, and I didn't 'ave to do more than put them to the fire a minnit and there they wos, all aired and fit for the King and Queen of England."
"That helps us a lot," said Kirk. "Mr. Noakes ate his supper at 7.30, so presumably he was alive then." He glanced at Peter, but Peter was offering no further embarrassing suggestions
