Джорджетт Хейер - Death in the Stocks

“I have been here for three years, sir,” replied Taylor, in a voice that informed the Superintendent that that was a record.

“Then you are probably acquainted with Mr Vereker's habits. Was it his custom to spend the week-ends at his country cottage?”

“He occasionally did so, sir.”

“And when he did was it usual for him to drive himself down, or did he take his chauffeur?”

“Sometimes the one and sometimes the other, sir.”

“Upon Saturday, when he left town, was the chauffeur with him?”

“I believe not, sir. There had been a little unpleasantness.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Between Mr Vereker and Jackson, the chauffeur, sir. Mr Vereker gave Jackson his notice on Saturday morning, Jackson having brought the car round five minutes late again. There was a highly unpleasant scene upon the front-steps. I regret to say that Jackson so far forgot himself as to answer Mr Vereker back. It was quite a brawl, not what one would expect in a gentleman's house at all. Jackson talked extremely wildly, Mr Vereker hardly less so. Both being hot tempered, if I may say so.”

“And when Mr Vereker left the house on Saturday evening, Jackson was not driving the car?”

“No, sir. It was merely brought round to the door - Mr Vereker having stated that he did not wish to see Jackson's face again.”

“I see. At what hour did Mr Vereker leave this house?”

“He left at ten minutes to eight, sir.”

“You seem sure of that. What fixed the time in your memory?”

“Mr Vereker himself, sir. He remarked on it. I understood him to have a dinner engagement. He was not - ahem - pleased at being detained.”

“What detained him?”

The butler drew in his breath, for this was the moment for which he had been waiting. “A visitor, sir.”

“Who was this visitor?”

“I could not say, sir. He was not a person I had ever seen before. In fact, I should not describe him as the type of gentleman I have been in the habit of admitting to the house. Very down-at-heel, he was, and most determined to see Mr Vereker. Upon my informing him that Mr Vereker was not at home, he set his foot in the door, and replied that he should not leave until he had seen him.”

“Do you mean that his attitude was threatening?”

The butler considered. “Hardly that, sir. Oh no, not threatening! Very affable, he was, in a silly kind of way. Stood there smiling. I formed the impression that he was under the influence of drink. I was about to summon Matthew - the footman, sir - to assist in putting him outside when Mr Vereker came down the stairs ready to go out.”

“In evening-dress?”

“Precisely, sir. Mr Vereker called out to know what was the matter. The stranger kept on smiling, in what I could only think a very peculiar way, under the circumstances, and after a moment he said, amiable as you please: “You'd better be at home to me, old fellow.” Those were his exact words, and the effect of them upon Mr Vereker was remarkable. Mr Vereker was a gentleman with a high complexion, but he turned quite pale, and stood there with his hand on the banister, staring.”

“Did he seem to be afraid?”

“I should not like to say that, sir. He looked to me to be very angry and amazed.”

“Do you remember what he said?”

“He did not speak at all, sir, until the stranger said that it would save a lot of unpleasantness if he had a few words with him alone. Then he gave a kind of choke, and told me to let the man in. I did so, of course, and Mr Vereker led the way into this room, and shut the door.”

“How long were they both here?”

“Until Mr Vereker left the house, sir, which he did in company with his visitor. It might have been twenty minutes, or half an hour.”

“Have you any idea what took place between them? Was there any quarrel?”

“I should not call it a quarrel, sir. I never heard the stranger's voice raised once, though I could not help but hear Mr Vereker shouting occasionally. It is my belief that it was money the man wanted, for Mr Vereker said, “Not one penny do you get out of me!” several times.”

“Did you hear him say anything else?”

“Not a great deal, sir. The term scoundrel was frequently made use of, and Mr Vereker said once, very loudly: “So you think you can frighten me, do you?” But what the other man replied I don't know, him speaking all the time in a soft voice. After a little while Mr Vereker seemed to calm down, and I was unable to catch what was said. But at ten minutes to eight they both came out of the library, and by the way Mr Vereker damned me for being in the hall to open the door for him I judged that something had happened to put him in a bad temper. The other man was as amiable as ever, and seemed to be laughing up his sleeve, to my way of thinking. He said Mr Vereker could give him a lift, and Mr Vereker threw him a look which quite startled me, accustomed as I was to his moods. I could see he hated the man, and it is my belief that he had a deal of trouble forcing himself to agree to take him in the car with him. But whatever the reason he did actually do so, the stranger making himself very much at home, and Mr Vereker with his mouth shut like a trap. That, sir, is the last I ever saw of Mr Vereker.”

The Superintendent had listened to this story with an unmoved countenance. “Would you know the man if you were to see him again?”

“I think so, sir. I should, I believe, recognise both his smile, and his voice. His person was not, however, in any way remarkable.”

“Very well. You do not know of anyone else who may have visited Mr Vereker on Saturday?”

“Mr Vereker was at his office until lunch-time, sir, and no one called at this house during the afternoon. He went out at four o'clock, and did not return until shortly before seven. Miss Vereker rang up at about six, but my orders being to inform anyone who wanted him that he had gone out of town, I did so.”

“Do you know why Mr Vereker gave that order?”

“It was not unusual, sir. He had been out of temper all day, and when that occurred he never wanted to see or speak to anyone, least of all a - a member of his family.”

“I see. One other question: do you know what Mr Vereker's plans were for Saturday evening?”

“Oh no, sir! Mr Vereker was never communicative. I inferred from his attire that he was dining in town before motoring into the country, but where or in what company I fear I have no idea.”

“Thank you. I won't keep you any longer, then.”

The butler bowed, and looked towards Giles. “I beg your pardon, sir, but in the face of this unexpected occurrence there is a feeling amongst the staff that everything is very unsettled. I do not know whether the staff is to be kept on - ?”

“That will be for the heir to decide,” answered Giles pleasantly. “Meanwhile, just carry on as you are.”

“If you say so, sir,” said Taylor, and withdrew.

Hannasyde waited until he had gone before saying: “What did you make of that, Mr Carrington?”

“Not very much,” shrugged Giles. “I daresay it might be a good thing if you could run the seedy stranger to earth, but it sounds to me as though it were a somewhat inexpert blackmailer at work. Would you like the safe opened first?”

“Yes, please. And a certain amount of animus displayed against the chauffeur. Or merely protective measures?”

“Probably a bit of both,” said Giles, opening a very obvious door in the panelling beside the fireplace, and disclosing a steel safe. “Servants are always anxious to protect themselves against any possible accusation -even,” he added bitterly, “when it's only one of watering the whisky. Here you are.”

The Superintendent moved across the room to his side, and together they went through the contents of the safe. There was nothing in it relevant to the case, only share-certificates, a bank-book, and some private papers. Giles put them back, when the Superintendent had finished with them, and shut the doer again.