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The Red House Mystery
by A。A。 Milne
1
The Red House Mystery
TO JOHN VINE MILNE MY DEAR FATHER；
Like all really nice people； you have a weakness for detective stories；
and feel that there are not enough of them。 So； after all that you have
done for me； the least that I can do for you is to write you one。 Here it
is： with more gratitude and affection than I can well put down here。
A。A。M。
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The Red House Mystery
CHAPTER I
Mrs。 Stevens is Frightened
In the drowsy heat of the summer afternoon the Red House was
taking its siesta。 There was a lazy murmur of bees in the flower…borders；
a gentle cooing of pigeons in the tops of the elms。 From distant lawns
came the whir of a mowing…machine； that most restful of all country
sounds； making ease the sweeter in that it is taken while others are
working。
It was the hour when even those whose business it is to attend to the
wants of others have a moment or two for themselves。 In the
housekeeper's room Audrey Stevens； the pretty parlourmaid； re…trimmed
her best hat； and talked idly to her aunt； the cook…housekeeper of Mr。 Mark
Ablett's bachelor home。
〃For Joe？〃 said Mrs。 Stevens placidly； her eye on the hat。 Audrey
nodded。 She took a pin from her mouth； found a place in the hat for it；
and said； 〃He likes a bit of pink。〃
〃I don't say I mind a bit of pink myself；〃 said her aunt。 〃Joe Turner
isn't the only one。〃
〃It isn't everybody's colour；〃 said Audrey； holding the hat out at arm's
length； and regarding it thoughtfully。 〃Stylish； isn't it？〃
〃Oh； it'll suit you all right； and it would have suited me at your age。
A bit too dressy for me now； though wearing better than some other people；
I daresay。 I was never the one to pretend to be what I wasn't。 If I'm
fifty…five； I'm fifty…five … that's what I say。〃
〃Fifty…eight； isn't it； auntie？〃
〃I was just giving that as an example；〃 said Mrs。 Stevens with great
dignity。
Audrey threaded a needle； held her hand out and looked at her nails
critically for a moment； and then began to sew。
〃Funny thing that about Mr。 Mark's brother。 Fancy not seeing your
brother for fifteen years。〃 She gave a self…conscious laugh and went on；
〃Wonder what I should do if I didn't see Joe for fifteen years。〃
〃As I told you all this morning；〃 said her aunt； 〃I've been here five
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The Red House Mystery
years； and never heard of a brother。 I could say that before everybody if I
was going to die to…morrow。 There's been no brother here while I've been
here。〃
〃You could have knocked me down with a feather when he spoke
about him at breakfast this morning。 I didn't hear what went before；
naturally； but they was all talking about the brother when I went in … now
what was it I went in for … hot milk； was it； or toast？ … well； they was all
talking； and Mr。 Mark turns to me； and says … you know his way
'Stevens；' he says； 'my brother is coming to see me this afternoon； I'm
expecting him about three；' he says。 'Show him into the office；' he says；
just like that。 'Yes； sir；' I says quite quietly； but I was never so surprised
in my life； not knowing he had a brother。 'My brother from Australia；' he
says … there； I'd forgotten that。 From Australia。〃
〃Well； he may have been in Australia；〃 said Mrs。 Stevens； judicially； 〃I
can't say for that； not knowing the country； but what I do say is he's never
been here。 Not while I've been here； and that's five years。〃
〃Well； but； auntie； he hasn't been here for fifteen years。 I heard Mr。
Mark telling Mr。 Cayley。 'Fifteen years；' he says。 Mr。 Cayley having
arst him when his brother was last in England。 Mr。 Cayley knew of him；
I heard him telling Mr。 Beverley； but didn't know when he was last in
England … see？ So that's why he arst Mr。 Mark。〃
〃I'm not saying anything about fifteen years； Audrey。 I can only
speak for what I know； and that's five years Whitsuntide。 I can take my
oath he's not set foot in the house since five years Whitsuntide。 And if
he's been in Australia； as you say； well； I daresay he's had his reasons。〃
〃What reasons？〃 said Audrey lightly。
〃Never mind what reasons。 Being in the place of a mother to you；
since your poor mother died； I say this； Audrey … when a gentleman goes
to Australia； he has his reasons。 And when he stays in Australia fifteen
years； as Mr。 Mark says； and as I know for myself for five years； he has his
reasons。 And a respectably brought…up girl doesn't ask what reasons。〃
〃Got into trouble； I suppose；〃 said Audrey carelessly。 〃They were
saying at breakfast he'd been a wild one。 Debts。 I'm glad Joe isn't like
that。 He's got fifteen pounds in the post…office savings' bank。 Did I tell
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The Red House Mystery
you？〃
But there was not to be any more talk of Joe Turner that afternoon。 The
ringing of a bell brought Audrey to her feet … no longer Audrey； but now
Stevens。 She arranged her cap in front of the glass。
〃There； that's the front door；〃 she said。 〃That's him。 'Show him into
the office；' said Mr。 Mark。 I suppose he doesn't want the other ladies and
gentlemen to see him。 Well； they're all out at their golf； anyhow
Wonder if he's going to stay … P'raps he's brought back a lot of gold from
Australia … I might hear something about Australia； because if anybody can
get gold there； then I don't say but what Joe and I …〃
〃Now； now； get on； Audrey。〃
〃Just going； darling。〃 She went out。
To anyone who had just walked down the drive in the August sun； the
open door of the Red House revealed a delightfully inviting hall； of which
even the mere sight was cooling。 lt was a big low…roofed； oak…beamed
place； with cream…washed walls and diamond…paned windows； blue…
curtained。 On the right and left were doors leading into other living…
rooms； but on the side which faced you as you came in were windows
again； looking on to a small grass court； and from open windows to open
windows such air as there was played gently。 The staircase went up in
broad； low steps along the right…hand wall； and； turning to the left； led you
along a gallery； which ran across the width of the hail； to your bedroom。
That is； if you were going to stay the night。 Mr。 Robert Ablett's
intentions in this matter were as yet unknown。
As Audrey came across the hall she gave a little start as she saw Mr。
Cayley suddenly； sitting unobtrusively in a seat beneath one of the front
windows； reading。 No reason why he shouldn't be there； certainly a
much cooler place than the golf…links on such a day； but somehow there
was a deserted air about the house that afternoon； as if all the guests were
outside； or … perhaps the wisest place of all … up in their bedrooms；
sleeping。 Mr。 Cayley； the master's cousin； was a surprise； and； having
given a little exclamation as she came suddenly upon him； she blushed；
and said； 〃Oh； I beg your pardon； sir； I didn't see you at first；〃 and he
looked up from his book and smiled at her。 An attractive smile it was on
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The Red House Mystery
that big ugly face。 〃Such a gentleman； Mr。 Cayley；〃 she thought to
herself as she went on； and wondered what the master would do without
him。 If this brother； for instance； had to be bundled back to Australia； it
was Mr。 Cayley who would do most of the bundling。
〃So this is Mr。 Robert；〃 said Audrey to herself； as she came in sight of
the visitor。
She told her aunt afterwards that she would have known him anywhere
for Mr。 Mark's brother； but she would have said that in any event。 Actually
she was surprised。 Dapper little Mark； with his neat pointed beard and
his carefully curled moustache； with his quick…darting eyes； always
moving from one to the other of any company he was in； to register one
more smile to his credit when he had said a good thing； one more
expectant look when he was only waiting his turn to say it； he was a very
different man from this rough…looking； ill…dressed colonial； staring at her
so loweringly。
〃I want to see Mr。 Mark Ablett；〃 he growled。 It sounded almost like a
threat。
Audrey recovered herself and smiled reassuringly at him。 She had a
smile for everybody。
〃Yes； sir。 He is expecting you； if you will come this way。〃
〃Oh！ So you know who I am； eh？〃
〃Mr。 Robert Ablett？〃
〃Ay； that's right。 So he's expecting me； eh？ He'll be glad to see me；
eh？〃
〃If you will come this way； sir；〃 said Audrey primly。
She went to the second door on the left； and opened it。
〃Mr。 Robert Ab…〃 she began； and then broke off。 The room was
empty。 She turned to the man behind her。 〃If you will sit down； sir； I will
find the master。 I know he's in； because he told me that you were coming
this afternoon。〃
〃Oh！〃 He looked round the room。 〃What d'you call this place； eh？〃
〃The office； sir。〃
〃The office？〃
〃The room where the master works； sir。〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃Works； eh？ That's new。 Didn't know he'd ever done a stroke of
work in his life。〃
〃Where he writes； sir；〃 said Audrey； with dignity。 The fact that Mr。
Mark 〃wrote；〃 though nobody knew what； was a matter of pride in the