Read Online Death in the Stocks by Georgette Heyer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Georgette Heyer
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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.
'We'll try the desk,' he said, going over to it, and sitting down in the swivel-chair.
'Did you bring the Will?' asked Hannasyde.
Giles drew it from his inner pocket, and handed it over. The Superintendent sat down on the other side of the desk, and spread open the crackling sheets, while Giles sought amongst the keys on the ring for one which fitted the drawers of the desk.
The Superintendent read the Will, and at the end laid it carefully down, and said in his measured voice:
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.
'We'll try the desk,' he said, going over to it, and sitting down in the swivel-chair.
'Did you bring the Will?' asked Hannasyde.
Giles drew it from his inner pocket, and handed it over. The Superintendent sat down on the other side of the desk, and spread open the crackling sheets, while Giles sought amongst the keys on the ring for one which fitted the drawers of the desk.
The Superintendent read the Will, and at the end laid it carefully down, and said in his measured voice:
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