Thefriendshipbetweenthesetwomenwasanoddone.Thecolonelwasasimplecountrygentlemanwhosepa.s.sioninlifewa.s.sport.ThefewweeksthathespentperforceinLondon,hespentunwillingly.
MrSatterthwaite,ontheotherhand,wasatownbird.HewasanauthorityonFrenchcooking,onladies"dress,andonallthelatestscandals.Hispa.s.sionwasobservinghumannature,andhewasanexpertinhisownspecialline-thatofanonlookeratlife.
Itwouldseem,therefore,thatheandColonelMelrosewouldhavelittleincommon,fortheColonelhadnointerestinhisneighbours"affairsandahorrorofanykindofemotion.
Thetwomenwerefriendsmainlybecausetheirfathersbeforethemhadbeenfriends.Alsotheyknewthesamepeopleandhadreactionaryviewsaboutnouveauxriches.
Itwasabouthalfpastseven.Thetwomenweresittinginthecolonel"scomfortablestudy,andMelrosewasdescribingarunofthepreviouswinterwithakeenhuntingman"senthusiasm.
MrSatterthwaite,whoseknowledgeofhorsesconsistedchieflyofthetime-honouredSunday-morningvisittothestableswhichstillobtainsinold-fashionedcountryhouses,listenedwithhisinvariablepoliteness.
ThesharpringingofthetelephoneinterruptedMelrose.Hecrossedtothetableandtookupthereceiver.
"h.e.l.lo,yes-ColonelMelrosespeaking.What"sthat?"Hiswholedemeanouraltered-becamestiffandofficial.Itwasthemagistratespeakingnow,notthesportsman.
Helistenedforsomemoments,thensaidlaconically,"Right,Curtis.I"llbeoveratonce."
Hereplacedthereceiverandturnedtohisguest."SirJamesDwightonhasbeenfoundinhislibrary-murdered."
"What?"MrSatterthwaitewa.s.startled-thrilled.
"ImustgoovertoAlderwayatonce.Caretocomewithme?"
MrSatterthwaiterememberedthattheColonelwaschiefconstableofthecounty.
"IfIshan"tbeintheway-"Hehesitated.
"Notatall.ThatwasInspectorCurtistelephoning.Good,honestfellow,butn.o.brains.I"dbegladifyouwouldcomewithme,Satterthwaite.I"vegotanideathisisgoingtoturnoutanastybusiness."
"Havetheygotthefellowwhodidit?"
"No,"repliedMelroseshortly.
MrSatterthwaite"strainedeardetectedanuanceofreservebehindthecurtnegative.HebegantogooverinhismindallthatheknewoftheDwightons.
Apompousoldfellow,thelateSirJames,brusqueinhismanner.Amanthatmighteasilymakeenemies.Veeringonsixty,withgrizzledhairandafloridface.Reputedtobetight-fistedintheextreme.
HismindwentontoLadyDwighton.Herimagefloatedbeforehim,young,auburn-haired,slender.Herememberedvariousrumours,hints,oddbitsofgossip.Sothatwasit-thatwaswhyMelroselookedsoglum.Thenhepulledhimselfup-hisimaginationwasrunningawaywithhim.
FiveminuteslaterMrSatterthwaitetookhisplacebesidehishostinthelatter"slittletwo-seater,andtheydroveofftogetherintothenight.
TheColonelwasataciturnman.Theyhadgonequiteamileandahalfbeforehespoke.Thenhejerkedoutabruptly."Youknow"em,Isuppose?"
"TheDwightons?Iknowallaboutthem,ofcourse."WhowasthereMrSatterthwaitedidn"tknowallabout?"I"vemethimonce,Ithink,andherratheroftener."
"Prettywoman,"saidMelrose.
"Beautiful!"declaredMrSatterthwaite.
"Thinkso?"
"ApureRenaissancetype,"declaredMrSatterthwaite,warminguptohistheme."Sheactedinthosetheatricals-thecharitymatinee,youknow,lastspring.Iwasverymuchstruck.Nothingmodernabouther-apuresurvival.Onecanimagineherinthedoge"spalace,orasLucreziaBorgia."
TheColonelletthecarswerveslightly,andMrSatterthwaitecametoanabruptstop.HewonderedwhatfatalityhadbroughtthenameofLucreziaBorgiatohistongue.Underthecirc.u.mstances- "Dwightonwasnotpoisoned,washe?"heaskedabruptly.
Melroselookedathimsideways,somewhatcuriously."Whydoyouaskthat,Iwonder?"hesaid.
"Oh,I-Idon"tknow."MrSatterthwaitewasfl.u.s.tered."I-Itjustoccurredtome."
"Well,hewasn"t,"saidMelrosegloomily."Ifyouwanttoknow,hewascrashedonthehead."
"Withabluntinstrument,"murmuredMrSatterthwaite,noddinghisheadsagely.
"Don"ttalklikead.a.m.neddetectivestory,Satterthwaite.Hewas.h.i.tontheheadwithabronzefigure."
"Oh,"saidSatterthwaite,andrelapsedintosilence.
"KnowanythingofachapcalledPaulDelangua?"askedMelroseafteraminuteortwo.
"Yes.Good-lookingyoungfellow."
"Idaresaywomenwouldcallhimso,"growledtheColonel.
"Youdon"tlikehim?"
"No,Idon"t."
"Ishouldhavethoughtyouwouldhave.Heridesverywell."
"Likeaforeigneratthehorseshow.Fullofmonkeytricks."
MrSatterthwaitesuppressedasmile.PooroldMelrosewa.s.soveryBritishinhisoutlook.Agreeablyconscioushimselfofacosmopolitanpointofview,MrSatterthwaitewasabletodeploretheinsularatt.i.tudetowardlife.
"Hashebeendowninthispartoftheworld?"heasked.
"He"sbeenstayingatAlderwaywiththeDwightons.TherumourgoesthatSirJameskickedhimoutaweekago."
"Why?"
"Foundhimmakinglovetohiswife,Isuppose.Whattheh.e.l.l-"
Therewasaviolentswerve,andajarringimpact.
"MostdangerouscrossroadsinEngland,"saidMelrose."Allthesame,theotherfellowshouldhavesoundedhishorn.We"reonthemainroad.Ifancywe"vedamagedhimrathermorethanhehasdamagedus."
Hesprangout.Afigurealightedfromtheothercarandjoinedhim.FragmentsofspeechreachedSatterthwaite.
"Entirelymyfault,I"mafraid,"thestrangerwa.s.saying."ButIdonotknowthispartofthecountryverywell,andthere"sabsolutelynosignofanykindtoshowyou"recomingontothemainroad."
TheColonel,mollified,rejoinedsuitably.Thetwomenbenttogetheroverthestranger"scar,whichachauffeurwasalreadyexamining.Theconversationbecamehighlytechnical.
"Amatterofhalfanhour,I"mafraid,"saidthestranger."Butdon"tletmedetainyou.I"mgladyourcarescapedinjuryaswellasitdid."
"Asamatteroffact-"theColonelwasbeginning,buthewasinterrupted.
MrSatterthwaite,seethingwithexcitement,hoppedoutofthecarwithabirdlikeaction,andseizedthestrangerwarmlybythehand.
"Itis!IthoughtIrecognizedthevoice,"hedeclaredexcitedly."Whatanextraordinarything.Whataveryextraordinarything."
"Eh?"saidColonelMelrose.
"MrHarleyQuin.Melrose,I"msureyou"veheardmespeakmanytimesofMrQuin?"
ColonelMelrosedidnotseemtorememberthefact,buthea.s.sistedpolitelyatthescenewhileMrSatterthwaitewaschirrupinggailyon."Ihaven"tseenyou-letmesee-"
"SincethenightattheBellsandMotley,"saidtheotherquietly.
"TheBellsandMotley,eh?"saidtheColonel.
"Aninn,"explainedMrSatterthwaite.
"Whatanoddnameforaninn."
"Onlyanoldone,"saidMrQuin."Therewasatime,remember,whenbellsandmotleyweremorecommoninEnglandthantheyarenowadays."
"Isupposeso;yes,nodoubtyouareright,"saidMelrosevaguely.Heblinked.Byacuriouseffectoflight-theheadlightsofonecarandtheredtaillightoftheother-MrQuinseemedforamomenttobedressedinmotleyhimself.But.i.twasonlythelight.
"Wecan"tleaveyouherestrandedontheroad,"continuedMrSatterthwaite."Youmustcomealongwithus.There"splentyofroomforthree,isn"tthere,Melrose?"
"Ohrather."b.u.t.theColonel"svoicewasalittledoubtful."Theonlythingis,"heremarked,"thejobwe"reon.Eh,Satterthwaite?"
MrSatterthwaitestoodstock-still.Ideasleapedandflashedoverhim.Hepositivelyshookwithexcitement.
"No,"hecried."No,Ishouldhaveknownbetter!Thereisnochancewhereyouareconcerned,MrQuin.Itwasnotanaccidentthatweallmettonightatthecrossroads."
ColonelMelrosestaredathisfriendinastonishment.MrSatterthwaitetookhimbythearm.
"Yourememberwhat.i.toldyou-aboutourfriendDerekCapel?Themotiveforhissuicide,whichnoonecouldguess?ItwasMrQuinwhosolvedthatproblem-andtherehavebeenotherssince.Heshowsyouthingsthatarethereallthetime,butwhichyouhaven"tseen.He"smarvellous."
"MydearSatterthwaite,youaremakingmeblush,"saidMrQuin,smiling."AsfarasIcanremember,thesediscoverieswereallmadebyyou,notbyme."
"Theyweremadebecauseyouwerethere,"saidMrSatterthwaitewithintenseconviction.
"Well,"saidColonelMelrose,clearinghisthroatuncomfortably."Wemustn"twasteanymoretime.Let"sgeton."
Heclimbedintothedriver"sseat.HewasnottoowellpleasedathavingthestrangerfoisteduponhimthroughMrSatterthwaite"senthusiasm,buthehadnovalidobjectiontooffer,andhewasanxioustogetontoAlderwayasfastaspossible.
MrSatterthwaiteurgedMrQuininnext,andhimselftooktheoutsideseat.Thecarwasaroomyoneandtookthreewithoutunduesqueezing.
"Soyouareinterestedincrime,MrQuin?"saidthecolonel,doinghisbesttobegenial.
"No,notexactlyincrime."
"What,then?"
MrQuinsmiled."LetusaskMrSatterthwaite.Heisaveryshrewdobserver."
"Ithink,"saidSatterthwaiteslowly,"Imaybewrong,but.i.think-thatMrQuinisinterestedin-lovers."
Heblushedashesaidthelastword,whichisonenoEnglishmancanp.r.o.nouncewithoutself-consciousness.MrSatterthwaitebrought.i.toutapologetically,andwithaneffectofinvertedcommas.
"Bygad!"saidtheColonel,startledandsilenced.
HereflectedinwardlythatthisseemedtobeaveryrumfriendofSatterthwaite"s.Heglancedathimsideways.Thefellowlookedallright-quiteanormalyoungchap.Ratherdark,butnotatallforeign-looking.
"Andnow,"saidSatterthwaiteimportantly,"Imusttellyouallaboutthecase."
Hetalkedforsometenminutes.Sittingthereinthedarkness,rushingthroughthenight,hehadanintoxicatingfeelingofpower.Whatdiditmatterifhewereonlyalooker-onatlife?Hehadwordsathiscommand,hewasmasterofthem,hecouldstringthemtoapattern-astrangeRenaissancepatterncomposedofthebeautyofLauraDwighton,withherwhitearmsandredhair-andtheshadowydarkfigureofPaulDelangua,whomwomenfoundhandsome.
SetthatagainstthebackgroundofAlderway-AlderwaythathadstoodsincethedaysofHenryVIIand,somesaid,beforethat.AlderwaythatwasEnglishtothecore,withitsclippedyewanditsoldbeakbarnandthefishpond,wheremonkshadkepttheircarpforFridays.
InafewdeftstrokeshehadetchedinSirJames,aDwightonwhowasatruedescendantoftheoldDeWittons,wholongagohadwrungmoneyoutofthelandandlockeditfastincoffers,sothatwhoeverelsehadfallenonevildays,themastersofAlderwayhadneverbecomeimpoverished.
AtlastMrSatterthwaiteceased.Hewa.s.sure,hadbeensureallalong,ofthesympathyofhisaudience.
Hewaitednowthewordofpraisewhichwashisdue.Itcame.
"Youareanartist.MrSatterthwaite."
"I-Idomybest."Thelittlemanwa.s.suddenlyhumble.
Theyhadturnedinatthelodgegatessomeminutesago.Nowthecardrewupinfrontofthedoorway,andapoliceconstablecamehurriedlydownthestepstomeetthem.
"Goodevening,sir.InspectorCurtisisinthelibrary."
"Right."
Melroseranupthestepsfollowedbytheothertwo.Asthethreeofthempa.s.sedacrossthewidehall,anelderlybutlerpeeredfromadoorwayapprehensively.Melrosenoddedtohim.
"Evening,Miles.Thisisasadbusiness."
"Itisindeed,"theotherquavered."Icanhardlybelieveit,sir;indeedIcan"t.Tothinkthatanyoneshouldstrikedownthemaster."
"Yes,yes,"saidMelrose,cuttinghimshort."I"llhaveatalkwithyoupresently."
Hestrodeontothelibrary.Thereabig,soldierly-lookinginspectorgreetedhimwithrespect "Nastybusiness,sir.Ihavenotdisturbedthings.Nofingerprintsontheweapon.Whoeverdiditknewhisbusiness."
MrSatterthwaitelookedatthebowedfiguresittingatthebigwriting-table,andlookedhurriedlyawayagain.Themanhadbeenstruckdownfrombehind,asmashingblowthathadcrashedintheskull.Thesightwasnotaprettyone.