King's Arms visitors' book

The King's Arms visitors' book is a battered register that Mark Easterbrook consults while investigating possible connections between names on Jim Corrigan's list and Much Deeping. Its few entries do not establish a link, but they give Mark a concrete clue to consider—and one name leads him toward a figure from his own past.

The Book and Its Setting

Mark finds the book on a shelf beside the office window at The King's Arms. The office is closed behind glass, with a card instructing visitors to press the bell; the pub is otherwise deserted at this time of day. The register appears little used: it records perhaps five or six visitors in a week, most staying for only one night. Its battered condition and sparse pages make it an unassuming record rather than an obvious source of information.

Entries and Possible Connections

Mark flicks through the pages, then looks back over the names. He recognizes Sandford and Parkinson as names that also appear on Jim Corrigan's list. Both are common enough that their presence in the register could be coincidence, and Mark does not treat the overlap as proof. The book offers a lead, not a resolution.

One other entry catches his attention: Martin Digby. Mark wonders whether this is the Martin Digby he knows, the great-nephew of Lady Hesketh-Dubois, whom he has always called Aunt Min. The register thus connects his inquiry not only to Corrigan's list but potentially to Mark's own social and family history, though the identification remains uncertain.

Investigative Significance

After checking the book, Mark leaves without asking anyone questions. Its value at this point lies in the names it places beside a location: two tentative overlaps with Corrigan's list and one possible personal connection. The modest record sharpens suspicion without settling it. Mark walks away still uncertain and wanting to talk through his thoughts with Jim Corrigan, David Ardingly, or Hermia Redcliffe.