10 October 1940

10 October 1940 is associated with an investigative sequence in which domestic conversation supplies Adam Dalgliesh with a new piece of information about Nathan Oliver: Oliver had proposed moving permanently to Combe Island. The proposal changes how Dalgliesh understands the prospect of Oliver’s continued presence, but its full significance has yet to emerge.

The Conversation and Its Information

Mrs. Plunkett says she learned that Miranda Oliver was engaged to Dennis Tremlett only that morning. She has seen too little of the couple to judge their relationship, and explains that she generally leaves visitors alone unless they come into the kitchen. Her account reflects the island’s custom of giving visitors space, as well as the practical limits of her work.

A Clue Not Yet Understood

After leaving Mrs. Plunkett, Dalgliesh recognizes that she has revealed Oliver’s proposal to reside permanently on Combe Island. The other permanent residents, he reasons, may regard this as a disaster rather than a mere inconvenience, particularly Emily Holcombe. He also suspects that something crucial lies buried in the domestic details of the conversation, but cannot yet identify it. Reviewing what he has heard—including information about Dan Padgett’s deprived childhood, Millie Tranter’s past, and Oliver’s quarrel with Mark Yelland—does not resolve the nagging impression; he sets it aside, hoping that the connection will become clear later.