Читать книгу Inspector Alleyn 3-Book Collection 4: A Surfeit of Lampreys, Death and the Dancing Footman, Colour Scheme - Ngaio Marsh, Stella Duffy - Страница 25

‘I am very sorry, my lord,’ said Fox, ‘to have to trouble you at such a time.’

‘That can’t be helped.’

‘That is so, my lord. Under the circumstances we’ve got to make one or two inquiries.’

‘One or two!’ said Lord Charles unevenly. ‘Do sit down, won’t you? I’m afraid I don’t know your name.’

‘Fox, my lord. Inspector Fox.’

‘Oh, yes. Do sit down.’

‘Thank you, my lord.’

Fox sat down and with an air of composure drew out his spectacle case. Lord Charles took a chair near the fire and held out his hands to the blaze. They were unsteady and with an impatient movement he drew them back and thrust them into his pockets. He turned to Fox and found the inspector regarding him blandly through steel-rimmed glasses.

‘Before I trouble you with any questions, my lord,’ said Fox, ‘I think it would be advisable for me to ring up my superior officer and report this occurrence. If I may use the telephone, my lord.’

‘There is one on that desk. But of course you’d rather be alone.’

‘No, thank you, my lord. This will be very convenient. If you will excuse me.’

He moved to the desk, dialled a number, and almost immediately spoke in a very subdued voice into the receiver. ‘Fox here, Mr Alleyn’s room.’ He waited, looking thoughtfully at the base of the telephone. ‘Mr Alleyn? Fox, speaking from Flats 25–26 Pleasaunce Court Mansions, Cadogan Square. Residence of Lord Charles Lamprey. The case reported at seven thirty-five is a fatality. Circumstances point that way, sir. Well, I was going to suggest it, sir, if it’s convenient. Yes, sir.’ Here there was a longish pause during which Fox looked remarkably bland. ‘That’s so, Mr Alleyn,’ he said finally. ‘Thank you, sir.’

He hung up the receiver and returned to his chair.

‘Chief Detective-Inspector Alleyn, my lord,’ said Fox, ‘will take over the case. He will be here in half an hour. In the meantime he has instructed me to carry on. So if I may trouble you, my lord.’ He took out his note-book and adjusted his glasses. Lord Charles shivered, hunched up a shoulder, put his glass in his eye and waited.

‘I have here,’ said Fox, ‘the statement taken by the officer who was called in from the local station. I’d just like to check that over, my lord, if I may.’

‘Yes. It’s my own statement, I imagine, but check it by all means if you will.’

‘Yes. Thank you. Times. I understand Lord Wutherwood arrived here shortly after six and left at approximately seven fifteen?’

‘About then. I heard seven strike some little time before he left.’

‘Yes, my lord. Your butler gets a little closer than that. He noticed it was seven fifteen before his lordship rang for his man.’

‘I see.’

‘His lordship was alone in the lift for some minutes before any one went out to the landing,’ read Fox.

‘Yes.’

‘Thank you, my lord. After he had been there for some minutes he was joined by her ladyship; Lady Wutherwood, that is, and by Lady Charles Lamprey and by Mr Lamprey. Which Mr Lamprey would that be, my lord?’

‘Let me think. You must forgive me but my thoughts are intolerably confused.’

Fox waited politely.

‘My brother,’ said Lord Charles at last, ‘left me in the drawing-room. Soon after that the boys, I mean my three sons, joined me there. Then I think my wife opened the door and asked if one of the boys would take my brother and sister-in-law down in the lift. They never take themselves down. One of the boys went out. That will be the one you mean?’

‘Yes. That is so, my lord.’

‘I don’t know which it was.’

‘You don’t remember?’

‘Not that exactly. It was one of the twins. I didn’t notice which. Shall I ask them?’

‘Not just yet, thank you, my lord. Do I understand you to say that the two young gentlemen are so much alike that you couldn’t say which of them left the room?’

‘Oh, I should have been able to tell you if I had looked at all closely but you see I didn’t. I just saw one of the twins had gone. I – was thinking of something else.’

‘The other two remained in the drawing-room with you? Mr Henry Lamprey and the other twin?’

‘Yes.’

‘Yes, my lord. Thank you. Then you will have noticed the remaining twin if I may put it that way?’

‘No. No, I didn’t. He didn’t speak. I didn’t look at the boys. I was sitting by the fire. Henry, my eldest son, said something, but otherwise none of us spoke. They’ll tell you themselves which it was.’

‘Yes, my lord, so they will. It would be correct to say that while the lift went down you remained in the drawing-room with Mr Lamprey and his brother until when, my lord?’

‘Until –’ Lord Charles took out his glass and put it in his waistcoat pocket. It was an automatic gesture. Without the glass the myopic look in his weak eye was extremely noticeable. His lips trembled slightly. He paused and began afresh. ‘Until I heard there was – until I heard my sister-in-law scream.’

‘And did you realize, my lord –?’

‘I realized nothing,’ interrupted Lord Charles swiftly. ‘How could I? I know now, of course, that they had gone down in the lift and that she had made that – that terrible discovery, and that it was while the lift returned that she screamed. But at the time I was quite in the dark. I simply became aware of the sound.’

‘Thank you,’ said Fox again, and wrote in his note-book. He looked over the top of his spectacles at Lord Charles.

‘And then, my lord? What would you say happened next?’

‘What happened next was that I went out to the landing followed by the two boys. My wife and my girls – my daughters – came out of 26 at the same time. I think my youngest boy, Michael, appeared from somewhere but he wasn’t there for long. The lift was returning and was almost up to our landing.’

‘Up to the landing,’ repeated Fox to his notes. ‘And who was in the lift, my lord?’

‘Surely that’s clear enough,’ said Lord Charles. ‘I thought you understood that my brother and his wife and my son were in the lift.’

‘Yes, my lord, that is how I understand the case at present. I’m afraid this will seem very annoying to you but you see we usually take statements separately for purposes of comparison.’

‘I’m sorry, Mr Fox. Of course you do. I’m afraid I’m –’

‘Very natural, my lord, that you should be, I’m sure. Then I take it that Lady Wutherwood must have begun to scream while the lift was near the bottom of the shaft?’

Lord Charles twisted his mouth wryly and said yes.

‘And continued as it returned to your landing?’

‘Yes.’

‘Yes. Would you mind telling me what happened when the lift stopped at the top landing?’

‘We were bewildered. We couldn’t think what had happened, why she was – was making such an appalling scene. She – she – I should explain that she is rather highly-strung. A little hysterical, perhaps. The lift stopped and Henry opened the doors. She rushed out, almost fell out, into my wife’s arms. My son, the twin – I – it’s too stupid that I can’t tell you which it was, came out without speaking, or if he did speak I didn’t hear him. You see, I was looking in the lift.’

‘That must have been a great shock to you, my lord,’ said Fox simply.

‘Yes. A great shock.’

‘I saw my brother,’ said Lord Charles loudly and rapidly. ‘He was sitting at the end of the seat. The injury – it was there – I saw it – I – I didn’t understand then, that they – my sister-in-law and my son – had gone down in the lift without at first realizing there was anything the matter.’

‘When did you realize this, my lord?’

‘As soon as my wife had calmed her down a little she began to speak about it. She was very wild and incoherent, but I made out as much as that.’

‘You did not question your son, my lord? Whichever son it was,’ enquired Fox, as if the confusion of one’s children’s identities was the most natural thing in the world.

‘No. There doesn’t seem to have been any time to talk to anybody.’

‘And of course if you had questioned him you would have known which he was?’

‘Yes,’ rejoined Lord Charles evenly, ‘of course.’

‘Did any of the others talk to him, my lord?’

‘I really don’t know. How should I? If I had heard that, I would –’ He stopped short. ‘I really can’t tell you more than that.’

‘I understand, my lord. I must thank you for your courtesy and apologize again for causing you so much pain. There are only one or two other points. Did you touch your brother?’

‘No!’ said Lord Charles violently. ‘No! No! They carried him out and took him to my room. That is all.’

‘And you did not see him again until you came into his room while I was there?’

‘I took Dr Kantripp to the room and waited with him. The children’s old nurse was there. She helped the doctor until the trained nurse arrived.’

‘I take it that Dr Kantripp –’ Fox paused for a moment – ‘the doctor did everything that was necessary? I mean, my lord, that the injury was unattended until he came?’

Lord Charles made an effort to speak, failed to do so, and nodded his head. At last he managed to say: ‘We thought it better not to – not to try to – we didn’t know whether it might prove fatal to –’

‘To remove anything? Quite so.’

‘Is that all?’

‘I shan’t trouble you much further, my lord, but I should like to ask if you know whether his lordship had any enemies.’

‘Enemies! That’s an extravagant sort of way to put it.’

‘It’s the way we generally put it, my lord. I dare say it does sound rather exaggerated but you see the motive for this sort of crime is usually something a bit stronger than dislike.’

To this bland rejoinder Lord Charles found nothing to say.

‘Of course,’ Fox continued, ‘the term enemies is used rather broadly, my lord. I might put it another way and ask if you know of anyone who had good reason to wish for Lord Wutherwood’s death.’

Lord Charles answered this question instantly with a little spurt of words that sounded oddly mechanical.

‘If you mean, do I know of anyone who would benefit by his death,’ he said, ‘I suppose you may say that his heirs will do so. I am his heir.’

‘Well, yes, my lord. I know Lord Wutherwood had no son.’

‘Do you, by God!’ said Lord Charles. The exclamation was completely out of key with the level courtesy of his earlier rejoinder but Fox took it in his stride.

‘I have heard that is the case,’ he said. ‘I understand that two of his lordship’s servants were here. It’s not very nice,’ continued Fox with an air of one who apologizes for a slight error in taste, ‘to have to think of people in this light, but –’

‘Murder,’ said Lord Charles, ‘is not very nice either. You are quite right, Mr Fox. My brother’s chauffeur and my sister-in-law’s maid were both there.’

‘Might I trouble you for their names, my lord?’

‘Tinkerton and Giggle.’

‘Giggle, my lord?’

‘Yes. That’s the chauffeur.’

‘Quite an unusual name,’ said Fox, placidly busy with his notes. ‘Have they been long with his lordship?’

‘I believe that Tinkerton was with my sister-in-law before she married and that’s twenty-five years ago. Giggle began at Deepacres as an odd boy and under-chauffeur. His father was coachman to my father.’

‘Family servants,’ murmured Fox, placing them. ‘And of course your own servants would be in the flat?’

‘Yes. There’s Baskett, the butler; and the cook and two maids. They may not all have been in. I’ll find out.’

He stretched his hand out to the bell.

‘In a minute, thank you, my lord. These are all the servants you employ?’

‘Yes.’

‘I thought you spoke of a nurse, my lord.’

‘Oh – you mean Nanny,’ said Lord Charles who now seemed to have himself very well in hand. ‘Yes, of course there’s Nanny. We don’t think of her as one of the servants.’

‘No, my lord?’

‘No. She’s the real head of affairs, you see.’

‘Oh, yes!’ said Fox politely. ‘I would be much obliged if you would send for the butler now.’

Baskett came in with his usual ineffable butler’s walk, executed with the arms held straight down, the hands lightly closed and turned out with the palms downwards. It was the deliberate relaxed pose of a man whose deportment is an important factor in his profession. Baskett did it superbly.

‘Oh, Baskett,’ said Lord Charles, ‘Inspector Fox would like to ask you about the people who were in the servants’ quarters this evening. Were all the maids in?’

‘Ethel was out, my lord. Mrs James and Blackmore were in.’ He glanced at Fox. ‘That is the cook and the parlour-maid, sir,’ he explained.

‘Any visitors in your quarters?’ asked Fox.

‘Yes, sir. Lord Wutherwood’s chauffeur and Lady Wutherwood’s maid. The chauffeur was in the staff sitting-room, sir, for some time, and then went into No. 26 to help Master Michael with his trains. Miss Tinkerton was with Mrs Burnaby in her room.’

‘Mrs Burnaby?’

‘That’s Nanny,’ explained Lord Charles.

‘Thank you, my lord. And that is the entire household at the time of the occurrence?’

‘I think so,’ said Lord Charles. ‘Was there any one else in your part of the world, Baskett?’

Baskett looked anxiously at his employer and hesitated.

‘You will of course tell us,’ said Lord Charles, ‘if you know of any one else in the flat.’

‘Very good, my lord. There was another person, sir, in the kitchen.’

Fox paused, pencil in hand. ‘Who was that?’

‘Good God!’ ejaculated Lord Charles, ‘I’d entirely forgotten him.’

‘Forgotten whom, my lord?’

‘What’s the miserable creature’s name, Baskett?’

‘Grumball, my lord.’

Fox said sharply: ‘You mean Giggle. I’ve got him.’

‘No, sir. This person’s name is Grumball.’

Fox looked scandalized. ‘Who is he, then?’ he asked.

Baskett was silent.

‘He’s the man in possession,’ said Lord Charles.

‘A bailiff, my lord?’

‘A bum-bailiff, Mr Fox.’

‘Thank you, my lord,’ said Fox tranquilly. ‘I’ll see the rest of the staff, now, if it’s agreeable.’