wished it。〃
Bill gazed with open mouth at Antony。 He had no words in his
vocabulary to express what he wanted to say； other than those the Major
had already used。 Betty was leaning across to Miss Norris and saying；
〃Who's killed？〃 in an awe…struck voice； and Miss Norris； who was
instinctively looking as tragic as she looked on the stage when a
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The Red House Mystery
messenger announced the death of one of the cast； stopped for a moment
in order to explain。 Mrs。 Calladine was quietly mistress of herself。
〃We shall be in the way； yes； I quite understand；〃 she said； 〃but we
can't just shake the dust of the place off our shoes because something
terrible has happened there。 I must see Mark； and we can arrange later
what to do。 He must know how very deeply we feel for him。 Perhaps
we …〃 she hesitated。
〃The Major and I might be useful anyway；〃 said Bill。 〃Isn't that what
you mean； Mrs。 Calladine？〃
〃Where is Mark？〃 said the Major suddenly； looking hard at Antony。
Antony looked back unwaveringly … and said nothing。
〃I think；〃 said the Major gently； leaning over to Mrs。 Calladine； 〃that it
would be better if you took Betty back to London to…night。〃
〃Very well；〃 she agreed quietly。 〃You will come with us； Ruth？〃
〃I'll see you safely there；〃 said Bill in a meek voice。 He didn't quite
know what was happening； and； having expected to stay at the Red House
for another week； he had nowhere to go to in London； but London seemed
to be the place that everyone was going to； and when he could get Tony
alone for a moment； Tony no doubt would explain。
〃Cayley wants you to stay； Bill。 You have to go anyhow； to…morrow；
Major Rumbold？〃
〃Yes。 I'll come with you； Mrs。 Calladine。〃
〃Mr。 Cayley would wish me to say again that you will please not
hesitate to give your own orders； both as regard the car and as regard any
telephoning or telegraphing that you want done。〃 He smiled again and
added； 〃Please forgive me if I seem to have taken a good deal upon myself；
but I just happened to be handy as a mouthpiece for Cayley。〃 He bowed
to them and went into the house。
〃Well！〃 said Miss Norris dramatically。
As Antony re…entered the hall； the Inspector from Middleston was just
crossing into the library with Cayley。 The latter stopped and nodded to
Antony。
〃Wait a moment； Inspector。 Here's Mr。 Gillingham。 He'd better
come with us。〃 And then to Antony； 〃This is Inspector Birch。〃
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The Red House Mystery
Birch looked inquiringly from one to the other。
〃Mr。 Gillingham and I found the body together；〃 explained Cayley。
〃Oh！ Well； come along； and let's get the facts sorted out a bit。 I like
to know where I am； Mr。 Gillingham。〃
〃We all do。〃
〃Oh！〃 He looked at Antony with interest。 〃D'you know where you
are in this case？〃
〃I know where I'm going to be。〃
〃Where's that？〃
〃Put through it by Inspector Birch；〃 said Antony with a smile。
The inspector laughed genially。
〃Well； I'll spare you as much as I can。 Come along。〃
They went into the library。 The inspector seated himself at a writing…
table； and Cayley sat in a chair by the side of it。 Antony made himself
comfortable in an armchair and prepared to be interested。
〃We'll start with the dead man；〃 said the inspector。 〃Robert Ablett；
didn't you say？〃 He took out his notebook。
〃Yes。 Brother of Mark Ablett； who lives here。〃
〃Ah！〃 He began to sharpen a pencil。 〃Staying in the house？〃
〃Oh； no！〃
Antony listened attentively while Cayley explained all that he knew
about Robert。 This was news to him。 〃I see。 Sent out of the country
in disgrace。 What had he done？〃
〃I hardly know。 I was only about twelve at the time。 The sort of
age when you're told not to ask questions。〃
〃Inconvenient questions？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃So you don't really know whether he had been merely wild or … or
wicked？〃
〃No。 Old Mr。 Ablett was a clergyman；〃 added Cayley。 〃Perhaps
what might seem wicked to a clergyman might seem only wild to a man of
the world。〃
〃I daresay； Mr。 Cayley；〃 smiled the inspector。 〃Anyhow； it was more
convenient to have him in Australia？〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃Yes。〃
〃Mark Ablett never talked about him？〃
〃Hardly ever。 He was very much ashamed of him； and … well； very
glad he was in Australia。〃
〃Did he write Mark sometimes？〃
〃Occasionally。 Perhaps three or four times in the last five years。〃
〃Asking for money？〃
〃Something of the sort。 I don't think Mark always answered them。 As
far as I know； he never sent any money。〃
〃Now your own private opinion； Mr。 Cayley。 Do you think that Mark
was unfair to his brother？ Unduly hard on him？〃
〃They'd never liked each other as boys。 There was never any
affection between them。 I don't know whose fault it was in the first place
… if anybody's。〃
〃Still； Mark might have given him a hand？〃
〃I understand；〃 said Cayley； 〃that Robert spent his whole life asking
for hands。〃
The inspector nodded。
〃I know that sort。 Well； now； we'll go on to this morning。 This
letter that Mark got … did you see it？〃
〃Not at the time。 He showed it to me afterwards。〃
〃Any address？〃
〃No。 A half…sheet of rather dirty paper。〃
〃Where is it now？〃
〃I don't know。 In Mark's pocket； I expect。〃
〃Ah！〃 He pulled at his beard。 〃Well； we'll come to that。 Can you
remember what it said？〃
〃As far as I remember； something like this： 'Mark； your loving brother
is coming to see you to…morrow； all the way from Australia。 I give you
warning so that you will be able to conceal your surprise； but not I hope；
your pleasure。 Expect him at three； or thereabouts。'〃
〃Ah！〃 The inspector copied it down carefully。 〃Did you notice the
postmark？〃
〃London。〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃And what was Mark's attitude？〃
〃Annoyance； disgust …〃 Cayley hesitated。
〃Apprehension？〃
〃N…no； not exactly。 Or； rather； apprehension of an unpleasant
interview； not of any unpleasant outcome for himself。〃
〃You mean that he wasn't afraid of violence； or blackmail； or anything
of that sort？〃
〃He didn't appear to be。〃
〃Right。。。。 Now then； he arrived； you say； about three o'clock？〃
〃Yes； about that。〃
〃Who was in the house then？〃
〃Mark and myself； and some of the servants。 I don't know which。 Of
course； you will ask them directly； no doubt。〃
〃With your permission。 No guests？〃
〃They were out all day playing golf；〃 explained Cayley。 〃Oh； by the
way；〃 he put in； 〃if I may interrupt a moment； will you want to see them at
all？ It isn't very pleasant for them now； naturally； and I suggested …〃 he
turned to Antony； who nodded back to him。 〃I understand that they want
to go back to London this evening。 There's no objection to that； I
suppose？〃
〃You will let me have their names and addresses in case I want to
communicate with them？〃
〃Of course。 One of them is staying on； if you would like to see him
later； but they only came back from their golf as we crossed the hall。〃
〃That's all right； Mr。 Cayley。 Well； now then； let's go back to three
o'clock。 Where were you when Robert arrived？〃
Cayley explained how he had been sitting in the hall； how Audrey had
asked him where the master was； and how he had said that he had last seen
him going up to the Temple。
〃She went away； and I went on with my book。 There was a step on
the stairs； and I looked up to see Mark coming down。 He went into the
office； and I went on with my book again。 I went into the library for a
moment； to refer to another book； and when I was in there I heard a shot。
At least； it was a loud bang； I wasn't sure if it was a shot。 I stood and
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The Red House Mystery
listened。 Then I came slowly to the door and looked out。 Then I went
back again； hesitated a bit； you know； and finally decided to go across to
the office； and make sure that it was all right。 I turned the handle of the
door and found it was locked。 Then I got frightened； and I banged at the
door； and shouted； and … well； that was when Mr。 Gillingham arrived。〃
He went on to explain how they had found the body。
The inspector looked at him with a smile。
〃Yes； well； we shall have to go over some of that again； Mr。 Cayley。
Mr。 Mark； now。 You thought he was in the Temple。 Could he have
come in； and gone up to his room； without your seeing him？〃 〃There are
back stairs。 He wouldn't have used them in the ordinary way； of course。
But I wasn't in the hall all the afternoon。 He might easily have gone
upstairs without my knowing anything about it。〃
〃So that you weren't surprised when you saw him coming down？〃
〃Oh； not a bit。〃
〃Well； did he say anything？〃
〃He said； 'Robert's here？' or something of the sort。 I suppose he'd
heard the bell； or the voices in the hall。〃
〃Which way does his bedroom face？ Could he have seen him
coming down the drive？〃
〃He might have； yes。〃
〃We11？〃
〃Well； then； I said 'Yes；' and he gave a sort of shrug； and said； 'Don't go
too far away； I might want you'； and then went in。〃
〃What did you think he meant by that？〃
〃Well； he consults me a good deal； you know。 I'm his sort of
unofficial solicitor in a kind of way。〃
〃This was a business meeting rather than a brotherly one？〃
〃Oh； yes。 That's how he regarded it； I'm sure。〃
〃Yes。 How long was it before you heard the shot？〃
〃Very soon。 Two minutes； perhaps。〃
The inspector finished his writing； and then regarded Cayley
thoughtfully。 Suddenly he said：
〃What is your theory of Robert's death？〃
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The Red House Mystery
Cayley shrugged his shoulders。
〃You've probably seen more than I've seen；〃 he answered。 〃It's your
job。 I can only speak as a layman … and Mark's friend。〃
〃Well？〃
〃Then I should say that Robert came here meaning trouble； and
bringing a revolver with him。 He produced it almost at once； Mark tried
to get it from him； there was a little struggle perhaps； and it went off。
Mark lost his head； finding himself there with a revolver in his hand and a
dead man at his feet。 His one idea was to escape。 He locked the door
almost ins