Джорджетт Хейер - Envious Casca

Hemingway said sympathetically: "I get it. Violent kind of man, was he?"

The valet grinned. "I believe you!"

The Inspector, who had once read Ford's original testimony, had a disconcertingly good memory, and, having lured the valet into making this admission, pounced on it. "Oh! Then how is it that you told Inspector Colwall that he wasn't a hard master, but that you got on well with him, and liked the place?"

Ford changed colour, but said staunchly: "Well, it was true enough. I wouldn't call him hard exactly. He was all right when no one had upset him. I've been here nine months, anyway, and not given in my notice, which is more than any of his other valets did, by all accounts. He liked me, you see. I never had any unpleasantness. Not to say real unpleasantness."

"He never threw his boots at you, I suppose?"

"I don't mind that," Ford said. "I mean, it didn't happen often. Just a bit of temper. I could generally manage him."

"You could generally manage him, but you were scared to go into his room without his sending for you?"

"Well, he wouldn't have liked that. I didn't set out to get on the wrong side of him, naturally. I knew he was in one of his bad moods. He didn't like Miss Paula bringing Mr. Roydon down here."

"Was that what had put him out?"

"That, and something Mr. Mottisfont had done. He was grumbling on about it yesterday morning, while I was helping him to get dressed."

"Grumbling to you?"

"Well, not so much to me as to himself, if you take my meaning, sir. It was quite a habit with him to let off steam to me when any of the family had annoyed him."

"Seems to me all the family had annoyed him this time."

The valet hesitated. "Well, of course, Mr. Joseph had properly got under his skin, inviting a party down here for Christmas, and he took a regular dislike to Miss Dean, and he was angry with Miss Paula for making a fool of herself over a long-haired playwright - that's the way he put it, you understand - but it would not be fair to say that he was hot-up against Mr. Stephen. He used to hit it off very well with him."

"Are you telling me he hadn't quarrelled with Mr. Stephen?"

"No, I'm not. He was the kind who'd quarrel with his own mother. All I say is that he and Mr. Stephen understood one another and there wasn't a bit of ill-will between them."

"Oh!" said Hemingway, eyeing him strangely. "So you hadn't any reason to suppose that there was any kind of break between them on account of Miss Dean?"

"It would have blown over," Ford said, giving him back stare for stare.

"All right, that's all," said Hemingway curtly.

The Sergeant, who had listened silently to the whole of this interchange, said as soon as Ford had withdrawn:

"I thought you were riding him a bit hard, Chief."

"If it wasn't for the laws of this country I'd have ridden him harder," responded Hemingway. "I don't like his story."

"Seems a funny kind of a house altogether," pondered the Sergeant. "It struck me, remembering what he said to Inspector Colwall, that he's about the only person, barring Mr. Joseph Herriard, who's anxious to give Stephen Herriard a good character."

"Well, I'm glad something strikes you," said Hemingway testily. "What's been striking me from the start is that the only finger-prints found on the windows or on the bathroom key are Ford's."

"It's reasonable, though, that his finger-prints should be found, isn't it, sir?"

"When I come up against a queer case, I don't like reasonable evidence," said Hemingway.

"If he's only been here a matter of nine months, I don't see what he's got to gain by murdering his master."

"Who said he had murdered him? He might have had plenty to gain by lending young Stephen a hand," said Hemingway. "What I want to know is who inherits the old man's money. Let's go downstairs."

Joseph met them in the hall, and was able to explain that Nathaniel's solicitor was on the way to Lexham. He said that the study had been locked up by the local police, and Hemingway replied at once that he should not have the room opened until the solicitor was present.

He had not long to wait. At about half-past twelve, the car which had taken Maud and Mathilda to church drew up outside the door, and the two ladies came in, followed by a short, stout man who looked cold, and rather disgruntled. When introduced to Hemingway, he nodded, and said good morning, but his first thought was to get as near to the fire as possible, and to warm his chilled hands.

The noise of his arrival attracted most of the houseparty to the hall, so while Mr. Blyth thawed before the fire Hemingway had an opportunity to observe Roydon, Paula, Valerie, and Mrs. Dean. Neither Stephen nor Edgar Mottisfont emerged from the billiard-room, whence the click of the ivory balls could faintly be heard, and Maud went upstairs to take off her coat and hat.

Joseph gave Blyth a glass of sherry, and fell into lowvoiced conversation with him. Paula, suddenly becoming aware of Hemingway's presence, stared at him for a moment, and then strode over to him, saying abruptly: "Are you the Inspector from Scotland Yard?"

"Yes, miss, I am."

"I thought so. I'm Paula Herriard. I wish you luck!" she said with a short laugh.

"That's very good of you, miss, I'm sure. I daresay I'll need it," said Hemingway equably.

"You will! What do you think of us?"

"Well, I haven't had much time to make up my mind."

"I may as well warn you that you are now speaking to one of the chief suspects."

"Fancy that!" he said.

"Oh yes!" she said, tapping a cigarette on her thumbnail. "My uncle accused me of being ready to murder him for two thousand pounds. Haven't you been told that?"

"And were you?" enquired Hemingway, in an interested tone.

"Of course not! Besides, how could I possibly have done it?"

"That's what I was wondering."

Joseph's attention had by this time been caught by his niece's unguarded voice, and he came over to her side, looking rather anxious, but saying with an assumption of lightness! "Now, what nonsense do I hear our naughty Paula talking? You mustn't take this young woman too seriously, Inspector. I'm afraid she's been trying to shock you."

"That's all right, sir: I'm very broadminded."

"That's just as well," said Paula, disengaging herself from the avuncular arm about her waist, and walking away.

"My niece is a good deal upset by this appalling business," Joseph confided. "She was very fond of my brother. Now, Inspector, since Mr. Blyth is here I'm sure you would like to go through all the papers and things as soon as possible. Mr. Blyth is quite ready. You won't mind if my nephew is present? I think he has a right to be there."

"No objection at all," said Hemingway. "In fact, I'd like him to be present."

Stephen, fetched from the billiard-room, came with an ill-grace, disclaiming the slightest interest in the contents of his uncle's desk. Mottisfont, who had followed him, surprised everyone by declaring that as Nathaniel's partner he considered he had a right to be present. Joseph seemed to feel that this was mere officiousness, and said that he hardly thought Nat's private papers could be of interest to his business partner. However, the Inspector, whose obliging demeanour was making Valerie open her eyes wider and wider, said that he had no objection to Mottisfont's presence either.

"It seems to me that it is my presence which is entirely superfluous," said Stephen. "If you expect me to be able to throw any light on obscurities I can tell you now that I shan't be able to."

"No, no, Stephen; of course you must be present!" oseph said, taking his arm.

Valerie said, as soon as they were out of earshot: "Well! I never expected a Scotland Yard person to be so decent!"