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time Mark had bought The Red House and the considerable amount of
land which went with it。 Cayley superintended the necessary staff。 His
duties； indeed； were many。 He was not quite secretary； not quite land…
agent； not quite business…adviser； not quite companion； but something of
all four。 Mark leant upon him and called him 〃Cay；〃 objecting quite
rightly in the circumstances to the name of Matthew。 Cay； he felt was；
above all； dependable； a big； heavy…jawed； solid fellow； who didn't bother
you with unnecessary talk … a boon to a man who liked to do most of the
talking himself。
Cayley was now twenty…eight； but had all the appearance of forty；
which was his patron's age。 Spasmodically they entertained a good deal
at The Red House； and Mark's preference … call it kindliness or vanity； as
you please … was for guests who were not in a position to repay his
11
The Red House Mystery
hospitality。 Let us have a look at them as they came down to that
breakfast； of which Stevens； the parlourmaid； has already given us a
glimpse。
The first to appear was Major Rumbold； a tall； grey…haired； grey…
moustached； silent man； wearing a Norfolk coat and grey flannel trousers；
who lived on his retired pay and wrote natural history articles for the
papers。 He inspected the dishes on the side…table； decided carefully on
kedgeree； and got to work on it。 He had passed on to a sausage by the
time of the next arrival。 This was Bill Beverly； a cheerful young man in
white flannel trousers and a blazer。
〃Hallo； Major；〃 he said as he came in； 〃how's the gout？〃
〃It isn't gout；〃 said the Major gruffly。
〃Well； whatever it is。〃
The Major grunted。
〃I make a point of being polite at breakfast；〃 said Bill； helping himself
largely to porridge。 〃Most people are so rude。 That's why I asked you。
But don't tell me if it's a secret。 Coffee？〃 he added； as he poured himself
out a cup。
〃No； thanks。 I never drink till I've finished eating。〃
〃Quite right； Major； it's only manners。〃 He sat down opposite to the
other。 〃Well； we've got a good day for our game。 It's going to be
dashed hot； but that's where Betty and I score。 On the fifth green； your
old wound； the one you got in that frontier skirmish in '43； will begin to
trouble you； on the eighth； your liver； undermined by years of curry； will
drop to pieces； on the twelfth…〃
〃Oh； shut up； you ass！〃
〃Well； I'm only warning you。 Hallo； good morning； Miss Norris。 I
was just telling the Major what was going to happen to you and him this
morning。 Do you want any assistance； or do you prefer choosing your
own breakfast？〃
〃Please don't get up；〃 said Miss Norris。 〃I'll help myself。 Good
morning； Major。〃 She smiled pleasantly at him。 The Major nodded。
〃Good morning。 Going to be hot。〃
〃As I was telling him；〃 began Bill； 〃that's where… Hallo； here's Betty。
12
The Red House Mystery
Morning； Cayley。〃
Betty Calladine and Cayley had come in together。 Betty was the
eighteen…year…old daughter of Mrs。 John Calladine； widow of the painter；
who was acting hostess on this occasion for Mark。 Ruth Norris took
herself seriously as an actress and； on her holidays； seriously as a golfer。
She was quite competent as either。 Neither the Stage Society nor
Sandwich had any terrors for her。
〃By the way； the car will be round at 10。30；〃 said Cayley； looking up
from his letters。 〃You're lunching there； and driving back directly
afterwards。 Isn't that right？〃
〃I don't see why we shouldn't have … two rounds；〃 said Bill hopefully。
〃Much too hot in the afternoon；〃 said the Major。 〃Get back
comfortably for tea。〃
Mark came in。 He was generally the last。 He greeted them and sat
down to toast and tea。 Breakfast was not his meal。 The others chattered
gently while he read his letters。
〃Good God！〃 said Mark suddenly。
There was an instinctive turning of heads towards him。 〃I beg your
pardon； Miss Norris。 Sorry； Betty。〃
Miss Norris smiled her forgiveness。 She often wanted to say it
herself； particularly at rehearsals。
〃I say； Cay！〃 He was frowning to himself … annoyed； puzzled。 He
held up a letter and shook it。 〃Who do you think this is from？〃
Cayley； at the other end of the table； shrugged his shoulders。 How
could he possibly guess？
〃Robert；〃 said Mark。
〃Robert？〃 It was difficult to surprise Cayley。 〃Well？〃
〃It's all very well to say 'we1l？' like that；〃 said Mark peevishly。 〃He's
coming here this afternoon。〃
〃I thought he was in Australia； or somewhere。〃
〃Of course。 So did I。〃 He looked across at Rumbold。 〃Got any
brothers； Major？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； take my advice； and don't have any。〃
13
The Red House Mystery
〃Not likely to now；〃 said the Major。
Bill laughed。 Miss Norris said politely： 〃But you haven't any
brothers； Mr。 Ablett？〃
〃One；〃 said Mark grimly。 〃If you're back in time you'll see him this
afternoon。 He'll probably ask you to lend him five pounds。 Don't。〃
Everybody felt a little uncomfortable。
〃I've got a brother；〃 said Bill helpfully； 〃but I always borrow from
him。〃
〃Like Robert；〃 said Mark。
〃When was he in England last？〃 asked Cayley。
〃About fifteen years ago； wasn't it？ You'd have been a boy； of
course。〃
〃Yes； I remember seeing him once about then； but I didn't know if he
had been back since。〃
〃No。 Not to my knowledge。〃 Mark； still obviously upset； returned
to his letter。
〃Personally；〃 said Bill； 〃I think relations are a great mistake。〃
〃All the same；〃 said Betty a little daringly； 〃it must be rather fun
having a skeleton in the cupboard。〃
Mark looked up； frowning。
〃If you think it's fun； I'll hand him over to you； Betty。 If he's
anything like he used to be； and like his few letters have been … well； Cay
knows。〃
Cayley grunted。
〃All I knew was that one didn't ask questions about him。〃
It may have been meant as a hint to any too curious guest not to ask
more questions； or a reminder to his host not to talk too freely in front of
strangers； although he gave it the sound of a mere statement of fact。 But
the subject dropped； to be succeeded by the more fascinating one of the
coming foursome。 Mrs。 Calladine was driving over with the players in
order to lunch with an old friend who lived near the links； and Mark and
Cayley were remaining at home … on affairs。 Apparently 〃affairs〃 were
now to include a prodigal brother。 But that need not make the foursome
less enjoyable。
14
The Red House Mystery
At about the time when the Major （for whatever reasons） was fluffing
his tee…shot at the sixteenth； and Mark and his cousin were at their
business at The Red House； an attractive gentleman of the name of Antony
Gillingham was handing up his ticket at Woodham station and asking the
way to the village。 Having received directions； he left his bag with the
station…master and walked off leisurely。 He is an important person to this
story； so that it is as well we should know something about him before
letting him loose in it。 Let us stop him at the top of the hill on some
excuse； and have a good look at him。
The first thing we realize is that he is doing more of the looking than
we are。 Above a clean…cut； clean…shaven face； of the type usually
associated with the Navy； he carries a pair of grey eyes which seem to be
absorbing every detail of our person。 To strangers this look is almost
alarming at first； until they discover that his mind is very often elsewhere；
that he has； so to speak； left his eyes on guard； while he himself follows a
train of thought in another direction。 Many people do this； of course；
when； for instance； they are talking to one person and trying to listen to
another； but their eyes betray them。 Antony's never did。
He had seen a good deal of the world with those eyes； though never as
a sailor。 When at the age of twenty…one he came into his mother's money；
400 pounds a year； old Gillingham looked up from the 〃Stockbreeders'
Gazette〃 to ask what he was going to do。
〃See the world；〃 said Antony。
〃Well； send me a line from America； or wherever you get to。〃
〃Right；〃 said Antony。
Old Gillingham returned to his paper。 Antony was a younger son；
and； on the whole； not so interesting to his father as the cadets of certain
other families； Champion Birket's； for instance。 But； then； Champion
Birket was the best Hereford bull he had ever bred。
Antony； however； had no intention of going further away than London。
His idea of seeing the world was to see； not countries； but people； and to
see them from as many angles as possible。 There are all sorts in London
if you know how to look at them。 So Antony looked at them … from
various strange corners； from the view…point of the valet； the newspaper
15
The Red House Mystery
reporter； the waiter； the shop…assistant。 With the independence of 400
pounds a year behind him； he enjoyed it immensely。 He never stayed
long in one job； and generally closed his connexion with it by telling his
employer （contrary to all etiquette as understood between master and
servant） exactly what he th