Tragedy at Beechcroft by A. Fielding

TOMLINSON went to the telephone to question the doctor as to the possibility of a talk with Miss Bruton. Pointer asked for a word with Mr. Ayres. From him he learnt that Miss Bruton and Mrs. Moncrieff had been friends as girls, or at least that they had been friends before the Major and his wife had met. "They first met in Miss Bruton's studio, as a matter of fact." To Pointer's query as to whether Miss Bruton had ever seemed at all taken with the Major, or he with her, Ayres smiled, and assured the chief inspector that the two disliked each other heartily. It was the two women who were close friends. Pointer hinted that he inferred from something told him that they had quarrelled yesterday. Ayres looked faintly surprised, and said that that was quite possible, as both had worked very hard at getting the rehearsal ready. But if so, it must have been some slight affair of nerves, which would have soon blown over.

Pointer seemed to be convinced by this, and suggested that perhaps the quarrel had been between the Major and his wife instead. And then Ayres had looked uncomfortable and mumbled something about that happening in every household. No two people, however devoted, but had tiffs at times, unless one or the other was absolutely under the domination of the other.