THE CRIME AT TATTENHAM CORNER (Murder Mystery Classic). Annie Haynes

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СКАЧАТЬ I did not," Lady Burslem said, with a momentary accession of interest. "I never heard anything about it. Where was it? Where—where he was?"

      "No," the inspector answered bluntly. "It was found on a piece of waste ground on the other side of the river that is used as a parking ground sometimes."

      "How did it get there?" Lady Burslem's voice dropped almost to a whisper.

      "That," said the inspector grimly, "I should very much like to find out."

      He opened his notebook again. "Has Sir John any enemies?" he asked, fixing a piercing glance on Lady Burslem.

      "No, I am sure he had not," she said firmly. "Everybody liked him. He was a general favourite. He was so kind to every one."

      "He had had no quarrel with anyone." The inspector's eyes were still watching closely.

      "Certainly not!"

      "Then," said the inspector very quietly, "you did not hear that a week ago he and Sir Charles Stanyard had a violent quarrel at Wilton's—so violent that the matter was to have been brought before the next Committee?"

      The pallid face before him went suddenly scarlet, then rapidly white again.

      "Oh, I knew that. Sir John told me there had been some sort of dispute. It was about their horses. I thought nothing of it."

      "Naturally you would not," the inspector said in the characterless voice of his which Harbord knew meant that he was getting dangerous.

      "But did Sir John tell you that the quarrel was about the racehorses?"

      "Yes, yes; he said it was about their horses. Sir Charles owned Perlyon, you know, and he said he would beat Peep o' Day, and Sir John knew—knew he could not."

      "And that was all?"

      Again there was one of those very long pauses.

      "Had Sir John and Sir Charles met since, Lady Burslem?"

      "I don't know," Lady Burslem said listlessly. "I don't suppose I should have heard if they had."

      "And yet Sir Charles was an old friend of yours—a neighbour of yours in the country," Stoddart suggested.

      Again there was that momentary flood of crimson.

      "I had not seen Sir Charles Stanyard for ages—until a few weeks ago, when we met accidentally at a dance. I danced with him then. I have not spoken to him since."

      "Sir John made no objection to your dancing with him?"

      "Certainly not!" There was a touch of hauteur now in the chilly tone. "I am perfectly ready to answer any questions that may help you to find out the cause of Sir John's death, inspector, but really I fail to see—"

      "Be assured that I shall ask you no questions that are without some bearing on that subject, Lady Burslem."

      The inspector's voice had a new note of sternness in it now.

      "Then I am to understand that the last you saw of Sir John was when he left you ostensibly to take the car to the garage?"

      "Absolutely the last!" Sophie Burslem assented, her fingers plucking restlessly at the handkerchief she still held, her brown eyes not looking up now, but mechanically following out the pattern of the carpet.

      "And he said nothing to you of any intention to return to Oxley or any visit to Hughlin's Wood?"

      "On the contrary, he said he should be only a few minutes away; the garage was only down the mews at the back of the house."

      The inspector nodded. "And you, what did you do?"

      "I went straight to bed." Lady Burslem looked straight at him now. "I was very tired and I wanted to be fresh for the races the next day. I went to sleep at once, and did not wake until my maid brought my tea."

      "Quite natural," the inspector said. "Just one more point, and then I will not trouble you any more today. Sir John's relatives—I believe he had a brother and a daughter?"

      "Both," Lady Burslem agreed. "The daughter—his, not mine—is abroad travelling in Italy with friends. The brother—you must have heard of him, the explorer—he is hunting about for buried cities or something in Tibet just now. We have cabled to his last known address and wired to Miss Burslem. She is on her way home."

      "And the brother?"

      "I am sure he will come when he gets the message," Lady Burslem said at once. "He is very charming, I know, though really I have seen very little of him. He was at my wedding. That is the only time I have seen him. The relations were rather strained between the two brothers: James married a variety actress, and although he did not get on very well with her himself he never forgave my husband for objecting to the marriage. So that was why we did not see so much of him as we otherwise should."

      "Thank you, Lady Burslem." The inspector took his elbow off the mantelpiece and straightened himself. "Just one thing more—could you give me the name of Sir John's dentist?"

      Sophie bit her lip. "No, really I couldn't. I have never had anything to do with dentists, but Ellerby would know." She rang the bell as she spoke and ordered the valet to come to them.

      He did not keep them waiting.

      "Ellerby—" she began at once.

      The inspector stopped her.

      "If you please, Lady Burslem."

      He put the question to Ellerby.

      Ellerby frowned. "I am sure I couldn't; Sir John never went to one here that I heard of. He went to one when he was over in the States, but I don't know where. He told me American dentists could knock spots off the English ones. It is all I know, inspector."

      "Thank you. Then that is all this morning and I hope I may not need to trouble you again," turning back to Lady Burslem.

      "Thank you, inspector!" Lady Burslem did not raise her eyes. Was it possible that he had not seen the terror in them? she asked herself.

      Harbord followed his superior out of the house. Outside the crowd had increased. It needed all the efforts of the police to keep it moving. Stoddart gave a few sharp orders to a man in plain clothes; then he and Harbord got into the run-about in silence. When they were clear of the traffic and had got into a quiet street, Stoddart glanced at Harbord.

      "What do you think of her ladyship?"

      Harbord fenced. "What do you?"

      The inspector did not look at him. "A pretty woman, a very pretty woman. For the rest, I shall be able to tell you more about her when I have seen the paper that Sir John signed that last night, and that Mr. Weldon holds."

      Chapter IV

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