CHAPTER XI.Lady Stanworth Exchanges GlancesLeaving Alec to accompany Mrs. Plant to the house, Roger hurried on ahead with a muttered excuse. He was anxious not to miss a moment of the highly significant scene which was about to take place. As he reached the hall, Jefferson was in the act of greeting the perspiring inspector.“I’m sorry you have had all this trouble, Inspector,” he was saying. “It’s too bad on a day like this.”“It is a bit warm, sir,” the inspector admitted, mopping vigorously.“I should have thought they might have provided you with a car or something. Hullo, Sheringham. Come to see the safe opened?”“If the inspector has no objections,” Roger said.“Me, sir? Not in the least. In fact, I think everybody concerned ought to be present. Not that I really expect to find anything particularly important, but you never know, do you?”“Never,” said Roger gravely.“Well, Lady Stanworth will be down in a minute, no doubt,” Jefferson remarked; “and then we can see to it. You had no difficulty in getting the combination, Inspector?”“None at all, sir. It was only a question of ringing up the makers. Whew! Itishot!”Roger had been watching Jefferson carefully. There was no doubt that, whatever his feelings about the opening of the safe had been in the morning, he was now quite unperturbed. Roger was more convinced than ever that something of the first importance must have occurred to effect this radical change.A slow tread overhead caused him to look up. Lady Stanworth was descending the stairs.“Ah, here is Lady Stanworth,” the inspector observed, with a slight bow.Lady Stanworth inclined her head coldly. “You wish me to be present at this formality, Inspector?” she asked distantly.The inspector looked slightly taken aback.“Well, I think it would be better, my lady,” he replied, a trifle deprecatingly. “As the only surviving relative of the deceased’s, you know. But of course if you have any——”“I was not a relative of Mr. Stanworth’s,” Lady Stanworth interrupted in the same tone. “I thought I had made that clear to you this morning. He was my brother-in-law.”“Quite so, quite so,” said the inspector apologetically. “I should perhaps have saidconnection. It is usual for the nearest connection to be present when——”“I ought to have warned you, perhaps, Lady Stanworth,” Jefferson put in evenly. “But, unfortunately, I have not seen you to do so since before lunch; and I did not care to take the responsibility of disturbing you. The opening of the safe is, after all, a mere formality; and both the inspector and myself have no doubt that nothing of any importance will be found. Nothing whatever.”Lady Stanworth looked hard at the last speaker for a moment, and when she spoke again the former coldness of her tone had completely disappeared.“Of course I will come if you think it better, Inspector,” she said graciously. “There is really no reason whatever why I should not do so.” And without more ado she led the way towards the library.Roger brought up the rear of the little party. He was thinking furiously. He had watched the little exchange that had just taken place with feelings almost of bewilderment. It was so unlike Lady Stanworth to go out of her way to snub the poor inspector in that highly unnecessary manner. Why had she done so? And why had she been so very much on the high horse with regard to the opening of the safe? It seemed almost as if she had been really apprehensive of something, and had adopted this attitude in order to cloak her actual feelings. But if that were the case, what earthly reason could she have for apprehension? Roger asked himself despairingly.Yet her sudden change of manner was no less remarkable. As soon as Jefferson had spoken, she had become as gracious as ever and all objections had been abruptly dropped. What was it Jefferson had said? Something about nothing of importance being found in the safe. Ah, yes. “Both the inspector and myself have no doubt that nothing of importance will be found.” And myself! Now he came to think of it, Jefferson had certainly stressed those two words a little. Could it be that he had conveyed some kind of warning to her? Information of some sort? And if so, what? Obviously the same information that he and Mrs. Plant had received during the morning. Was it possible then that Lady Stanworth herself could be in league with Mrs. Plant and Jefferson? Surely this was making things altogether too complicated. Yet he could take his oath thatsomethinghad passed between those two before Lady Stanworth finally descended the last few stairs so amicably.Thus the gist of the thoughts that whirled confusedly through Roger’s brain during the few seconds occupied by the journey to the library. As he passed the threshold he raised his eyebrows in mock despair and, shelving this fresh problem for the time being, prepared to give all his attention to present events.Mrs. Plant and Alec were already in the library; the former perfectly cool and collected, the latter, to Roger’s eyes at any rate, somewhat ill at ease. It was clear, Roger reflected, with some uneasiness, that Alec did not at all like the highly ambiguous position in which he stood with regard to that lady. What would he say when he heard the possibility that his hostess also might not be unconcerned with this dark and mysterious business? It would be just like Alec to throw up the whole affair and insist on all cards being laid upon the table; and that would have broken Roger’s heart just at the moment.Inspector Mansfield was regrettably lacking in an appreciation of dramatic effects. He did not gaze around him from beneath lowered brows. He did not mutter to himself so that everyone could strain forward to catch his ominous words. He did not even make a speech.All he did was to observe cheerfully, “Well, let’s get this business over,” and casually open the safe. He could not have made less fuss had it been a tin of sardines.But in spite of the inspector’s lamentable behaviour, drama was not altogether lacking. As the heavy door swung open, there was an involuntary catching of breath and heads were craned anxiously forward. Roger, watching the faces of the others instead of the centre of attraction, noted quickly that a flicker of anxiety flashed across the countenances of both Mrs. Plant and Jefferson. “Neither of ’em have seen inside, then,” he thought. “Their information came from a third person. That’s certain, anyway.”But it was Lady Stanworth who held his attention most closely. Thinking herself unobserved for the moment, she had not troubled to hide her feelings. She was standing a little behind the others, peering between their heads. Her breath was coming quickly, and her bosom rising and falling almost tumultuously; her face was quite white. For a few seconds Roger thought she was going to faint. Then, as if she was reassured, the colour came back into her face and she sighed ever so softly.“Well, Inspector?” she asked in normal tones. “What is there?”The inspector was rapidly scrutinising the contents.“As I expected,” he replied, a trifle disappointedly. “Nothing of any importance as far as I’m concerned, my lady.” He glanced quickly through a bundle of papers that he held in his hands. “Share certificates; business documents; contracts; more share certificates.”He replaced the bundle in the safe and took out a cash-box.“Whew!” he whistled softly, as he opened it. “Mr. Stanworth kept plenty of ready money on hand, didn’t he?”Roger pricked up his ears and followed the direction of the inspector’s gaze. Lying loosely at the bottom of the cash-box was a thick wad of banknotes. The inspector picked it out and flicked them over.“Upwards of four thousand pounds, I should say,” he remarked with fitting awe. “That doesn’t look as if he was in financial difficulties, does it?”“I told you I thought it most unlikely,” Jefferson said shortly.Mrs. Plant stooped and looked into the safe.“Oh, there’s my jewel-box,” she said, in tones of relief. “On the bottom shelf.”The inspector bent down and extracted a small case of green leather. “This, madam?” he asked. “You said this is yours?”“Yes. I gave them to him to lock up for me yesterday morning. I never like to leave them lying about in my room if I can help it, you know.”The inspector pressed the catch and the lid of the case flew open. A necklace, a bracelet or two, and a few rings were visible inside; pleasant little trinkets, but not of any remarkable value.Roger exchanged glances with Alec. In the eyes of the latter there was a scarcely concealed derision which Roger found peculiarly difficult to bear in silence. If ever a look said, “I told you so!” Alec’s did at that moment.“I suppose Lady Stanworth can identify these as yours, madam,” the inspector was saying. “Purely as a matter of form,” he added, half apologetically.“Oh, yes,” said Mrs. Plant easily, picking the necklace and a few other things out of the case. “You’ve seen me wearing these, haven’t you, Lady Stanworth?”There was a perceptible pause before Lady Stanworth answered; and it seemed to Roger that she was looking at Mrs. Plant in rather an odd way. Then she said, naturally enough:“Of course. And I remember the case, too. Yes, these belong to Mrs. Plant, Inspector.”“Then we may as well hand them over to her at once,” said the inspector, and Lady Stanworth nodded approvingly.“Is that all you require, Inspector?” Jefferson asked.“Yes, sir; quite. And I’ve had my journey for nothing, I’m afraid. Still, we have to go into everything, as you know.”“Oh, naturally,” Jefferson murmured, turning away from the safe.“And now I must get back and finish my report,” the inspector continued. “The coroner will communicate with you this afternoon as soon as I’ve seen him again.”“Oh, by the way, Inspector,” Mrs. Plant put in, “Mr. Sheringham was telling me that I might be wanted to attend the inquest. Is that necessary?”“I’m afraid so, madam. You were the last person to see Mr. Stanworth alive.”“Yes, but my—my evidence wouldn’t be of the least importance, would it? The few words I had with him about those roses can’t throw any light on the matter at all.”“I’m very sorry, madam,” the inspector murmured, “but in these cases the last person to see the deceased alive is invariably called, whether the evidence appears to be of any importance or not.”“Oh! Then I must take it as quite certain that I shall have to attend?” Mrs. Plant asked disappointedly.“Quite, madam,” the inspector returned firmly, moving towards the door.Roger hooked his arm through that of Alec and drew him out through the French windows.“Well?” asked the latter with an undisguised grin. “Still as sure as ever that those jewels weren’t in the safe, Sherlock Sheringham?”“Yes. I’ve been expecting a little subtle ridicule from you, Alec,” Roger said with mock humility. “No doubt I deserve it.”“I’m glad you’re beginning to realise that,” retorted Alec pleasantly.“Yes, for drawing the only possible conclusions from a given set of facts. Well, I suppose we shall have to go back to the beginning again, and start to draw some impossible ones instead.”“Oh, Lord!” Alec groaned.“But seriously, Alec,” said Roger with a change of tone, “things are going very curiously. Those jewels ought not to have been in the safe at all, you know. Nor the money either, for that matter. It’s all wrong.”“Most annoying when things break rules like that, isn’t it? Well, I suppose you’ll allow now that Mrs. Plantwasspeaking the truth this morning, after all.”“I suppose I shall have to,” said Roger reluctantly. “For the present, at any rate. But it’s very, very extraordinary.”“That Mrs. Plant should have been speaking the truth? It seemed to me far more extraordinary that she should have been lying, as you were so jolly sure.”“All right, Alec. Don’t get rattled. No, I wasn’t meaning that exactly. But that she should have been so remarkably agitated about those jewels of hers, as if she thought that somebody was going to steal them! And then that yarn of hers that she thought the police would take them and she wouldn’t get them back. No, say what you like, Alec, itisextraordinary.”“Women are extraordinary,” said Alec wisely.“Humph! Certainly Mrs. Plant is.”“Well, at any rate, she’s exonerated, I take it.”“No, that she isn’t,” said Roger with decision. “That lady isn’t free from suspicion yet by any means. After all, the matter of the jewels is only one of several curious circumstances. But look here, Alec; another remarkable thing has cropped up since I saw you last. I’m going to tell you, because I promised I’d share anything new with you at the very beginning. But I won’t unless you’ll promise to take it quite calmly, and not smite me with that great ham-fist of yours or throw yourself despairingly into a rose bush or anything. You know, you’re a very difficult sort of person to work with on this sort of job, Alec.”“Fire away!” Alec grunted. “What’s happened now?”“You won’t like it, but I can’t help that. After all, I’m only telling you facts, not theories; and there’s no getting away from them, however unwelcome they may be. It’s about Lady Stanworth this time. Listen.”And Roger embarked upon a voluble recital of The Strange Behaviour of Lady Stanworth.
Leaving Alec to accompany Mrs. Plant to the house, Roger hurried on ahead with a muttered excuse. He was anxious not to miss a moment of the highly significant scene which was about to take place. As he reached the hall, Jefferson was in the act of greeting the perspiring inspector.
“I’m sorry you have had all this trouble, Inspector,” he was saying. “It’s too bad on a day like this.”
“It is a bit warm, sir,” the inspector admitted, mopping vigorously.
“I should have thought they might have provided you with a car or something. Hullo, Sheringham. Come to see the safe opened?”
“If the inspector has no objections,” Roger said.
“Me, sir? Not in the least. In fact, I think everybody concerned ought to be present. Not that I really expect to find anything particularly important, but you never know, do you?”
“Never,” said Roger gravely.
“Well, Lady Stanworth will be down in a minute, no doubt,” Jefferson remarked; “and then we can see to it. You had no difficulty in getting the combination, Inspector?”
“None at all, sir. It was only a question of ringing up the makers. Whew! Itishot!”
Roger had been watching Jefferson carefully. There was no doubt that, whatever his feelings about the opening of the safe had been in the morning, he was now quite unperturbed. Roger was more convinced than ever that something of the first importance must have occurred to effect this radical change.
A slow tread overhead caused him to look up. Lady Stanworth was descending the stairs.
“Ah, here is Lady Stanworth,” the inspector observed, with a slight bow.
Lady Stanworth inclined her head coldly. “You wish me to be present at this formality, Inspector?” she asked distantly.
The inspector looked slightly taken aback.
“Well, I think it would be better, my lady,” he replied, a trifle deprecatingly. “As the only surviving relative of the deceased’s, you know. But of course if you have any——”
“I was not a relative of Mr. Stanworth’s,” Lady Stanworth interrupted in the same tone. “I thought I had made that clear to you this morning. He was my brother-in-law.”
“Quite so, quite so,” said the inspector apologetically. “I should perhaps have saidconnection. It is usual for the nearest connection to be present when——”
“I ought to have warned you, perhaps, Lady Stanworth,” Jefferson put in evenly. “But, unfortunately, I have not seen you to do so since before lunch; and I did not care to take the responsibility of disturbing you. The opening of the safe is, after all, a mere formality; and both the inspector and myself have no doubt that nothing of any importance will be found. Nothing whatever.”
Lady Stanworth looked hard at the last speaker for a moment, and when she spoke again the former coldness of her tone had completely disappeared.
“Of course I will come if you think it better, Inspector,” she said graciously. “There is really no reason whatever why I should not do so.” And without more ado she led the way towards the library.
Roger brought up the rear of the little party. He was thinking furiously. He had watched the little exchange that had just taken place with feelings almost of bewilderment. It was so unlike Lady Stanworth to go out of her way to snub the poor inspector in that highly unnecessary manner. Why had she done so? And why had she been so very much on the high horse with regard to the opening of the safe? It seemed almost as if she had been really apprehensive of something, and had adopted this attitude in order to cloak her actual feelings. But if that were the case, what earthly reason could she have for apprehension? Roger asked himself despairingly.
Yet her sudden change of manner was no less remarkable. As soon as Jefferson had spoken, she had become as gracious as ever and all objections had been abruptly dropped. What was it Jefferson had said? Something about nothing of importance being found in the safe. Ah, yes. “Both the inspector and myself have no doubt that nothing of importance will be found.” And myself! Now he came to think of it, Jefferson had certainly stressed those two words a little. Could it be that he had conveyed some kind of warning to her? Information of some sort? And if so, what? Obviously the same information that he and Mrs. Plant had received during the morning. Was it possible then that Lady Stanworth herself could be in league with Mrs. Plant and Jefferson? Surely this was making things altogether too complicated. Yet he could take his oath thatsomethinghad passed between those two before Lady Stanworth finally descended the last few stairs so amicably.
Thus the gist of the thoughts that whirled confusedly through Roger’s brain during the few seconds occupied by the journey to the library. As he passed the threshold he raised his eyebrows in mock despair and, shelving this fresh problem for the time being, prepared to give all his attention to present events.
Mrs. Plant and Alec were already in the library; the former perfectly cool and collected, the latter, to Roger’s eyes at any rate, somewhat ill at ease. It was clear, Roger reflected, with some uneasiness, that Alec did not at all like the highly ambiguous position in which he stood with regard to that lady. What would he say when he heard the possibility that his hostess also might not be unconcerned with this dark and mysterious business? It would be just like Alec to throw up the whole affair and insist on all cards being laid upon the table; and that would have broken Roger’s heart just at the moment.
Inspector Mansfield was regrettably lacking in an appreciation of dramatic effects. He did not gaze around him from beneath lowered brows. He did not mutter to himself so that everyone could strain forward to catch his ominous words. He did not even make a speech.
All he did was to observe cheerfully, “Well, let’s get this business over,” and casually open the safe. He could not have made less fuss had it been a tin of sardines.
But in spite of the inspector’s lamentable behaviour, drama was not altogether lacking. As the heavy door swung open, there was an involuntary catching of breath and heads were craned anxiously forward. Roger, watching the faces of the others instead of the centre of attraction, noted quickly that a flicker of anxiety flashed across the countenances of both Mrs. Plant and Jefferson. “Neither of ’em have seen inside, then,” he thought. “Their information came from a third person. That’s certain, anyway.”
But it was Lady Stanworth who held his attention most closely. Thinking herself unobserved for the moment, she had not troubled to hide her feelings. She was standing a little behind the others, peering between their heads. Her breath was coming quickly, and her bosom rising and falling almost tumultuously; her face was quite white. For a few seconds Roger thought she was going to faint. Then, as if she was reassured, the colour came back into her face and she sighed ever so softly.
“Well, Inspector?” she asked in normal tones. “What is there?”
The inspector was rapidly scrutinising the contents.
“As I expected,” he replied, a trifle disappointedly. “Nothing of any importance as far as I’m concerned, my lady.” He glanced quickly through a bundle of papers that he held in his hands. “Share certificates; business documents; contracts; more share certificates.”
He replaced the bundle in the safe and took out a cash-box.
“Whew!” he whistled softly, as he opened it. “Mr. Stanworth kept plenty of ready money on hand, didn’t he?”
Roger pricked up his ears and followed the direction of the inspector’s gaze. Lying loosely at the bottom of the cash-box was a thick wad of banknotes. The inspector picked it out and flicked them over.
“Upwards of four thousand pounds, I should say,” he remarked with fitting awe. “That doesn’t look as if he was in financial difficulties, does it?”
“I told you I thought it most unlikely,” Jefferson said shortly.
Mrs. Plant stooped and looked into the safe.
“Oh, there’s my jewel-box,” she said, in tones of relief. “On the bottom shelf.”
The inspector bent down and extracted a small case of green leather. “This, madam?” he asked. “You said this is yours?”
“Yes. I gave them to him to lock up for me yesterday morning. I never like to leave them lying about in my room if I can help it, you know.”
The inspector pressed the catch and the lid of the case flew open. A necklace, a bracelet or two, and a few rings were visible inside; pleasant little trinkets, but not of any remarkable value.
Roger exchanged glances with Alec. In the eyes of the latter there was a scarcely concealed derision which Roger found peculiarly difficult to bear in silence. If ever a look said, “I told you so!” Alec’s did at that moment.
“I suppose Lady Stanworth can identify these as yours, madam,” the inspector was saying. “Purely as a matter of form,” he added, half apologetically.
“Oh, yes,” said Mrs. Plant easily, picking the necklace and a few other things out of the case. “You’ve seen me wearing these, haven’t you, Lady Stanworth?”
There was a perceptible pause before Lady Stanworth answered; and it seemed to Roger that she was looking at Mrs. Plant in rather an odd way. Then she said, naturally enough:
“Of course. And I remember the case, too. Yes, these belong to Mrs. Plant, Inspector.”
“Then we may as well hand them over to her at once,” said the inspector, and Lady Stanworth nodded approvingly.
“Is that all you require, Inspector?” Jefferson asked.
“Yes, sir; quite. And I’ve had my journey for nothing, I’m afraid. Still, we have to go into everything, as you know.”
“Oh, naturally,” Jefferson murmured, turning away from the safe.
“And now I must get back and finish my report,” the inspector continued. “The coroner will communicate with you this afternoon as soon as I’ve seen him again.”
“Oh, by the way, Inspector,” Mrs. Plant put in, “Mr. Sheringham was telling me that I might be wanted to attend the inquest. Is that necessary?”
“I’m afraid so, madam. You were the last person to see Mr. Stanworth alive.”
“Yes, but my—my evidence wouldn’t be of the least importance, would it? The few words I had with him about those roses can’t throw any light on the matter at all.”
“I’m very sorry, madam,” the inspector murmured, “but in these cases the last person to see the deceased alive is invariably called, whether the evidence appears to be of any importance or not.”
“Oh! Then I must take it as quite certain that I shall have to attend?” Mrs. Plant asked disappointedly.
“Quite, madam,” the inspector returned firmly, moving towards the door.
Roger hooked his arm through that of Alec and drew him out through the French windows.
“Well?” asked the latter with an undisguised grin. “Still as sure as ever that those jewels weren’t in the safe, Sherlock Sheringham?”
“Yes. I’ve been expecting a little subtle ridicule from you, Alec,” Roger said with mock humility. “No doubt I deserve it.”
“I’m glad you’re beginning to realise that,” retorted Alec pleasantly.
“Yes, for drawing the only possible conclusions from a given set of facts. Well, I suppose we shall have to go back to the beginning again, and start to draw some impossible ones instead.”
“Oh, Lord!” Alec groaned.
“But seriously, Alec,” said Roger with a change of tone, “things are going very curiously. Those jewels ought not to have been in the safe at all, you know. Nor the money either, for that matter. It’s all wrong.”
“Most annoying when things break rules like that, isn’t it? Well, I suppose you’ll allow now that Mrs. Plantwasspeaking the truth this morning, after all.”
“I suppose I shall have to,” said Roger reluctantly. “For the present, at any rate. But it’s very, very extraordinary.”
“That Mrs. Plant should have been speaking the truth? It seemed to me far more extraordinary that she should have been lying, as you were so jolly sure.”
“All right, Alec. Don’t get rattled. No, I wasn’t meaning that exactly. But that she should have been so remarkably agitated about those jewels of hers, as if she thought that somebody was going to steal them! And then that yarn of hers that she thought the police would take them and she wouldn’t get them back. No, say what you like, Alec, itisextraordinary.”
“Women are extraordinary,” said Alec wisely.
“Humph! Certainly Mrs. Plant is.”
“Well, at any rate, she’s exonerated, I take it.”
“No, that she isn’t,” said Roger with decision. “That lady isn’t free from suspicion yet by any means. After all, the matter of the jewels is only one of several curious circumstances. But look here, Alec; another remarkable thing has cropped up since I saw you last. I’m going to tell you, because I promised I’d share anything new with you at the very beginning. But I won’t unless you’ll promise to take it quite calmly, and not smite me with that great ham-fist of yours or throw yourself despairingly into a rose bush or anything. You know, you’re a very difficult sort of person to work with on this sort of job, Alec.”
“Fire away!” Alec grunted. “What’s happened now?”
“You won’t like it, but I can’t help that. After all, I’m only telling you facts, not theories; and there’s no getting away from them, however unwelcome they may be. It’s about Lady Stanworth this time. Listen.”
And Roger embarked upon a voluble recital of The Strange Behaviour of Lady Stanworth.