THE BORGIA CABINET

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 102, 2 May 1931, Page 10 (Supplement)

THE BORGIA CABINET

IPS I By J. S. FLETCHER 1 p|

CHAPTER 1L The Decanter. ■ The butler was quick to notice the tone of concern in Charlesworth's voice, and his own, in reply, took on a note of dismay. 'Tin afraid not, sir!" he answered. "It never struck me—of course, there was nothing to arouse suspicion in my mind, at that time; I just thought that Sir Charles had happened to bring a friend in for a drink. I fear the glasses will have been washed up, in the ordinary course. You wanted them?" "Finger prints, perhaps," said Charlesworth. "However " "There was something I noticed about those glasses, though," interrupted Bedford. "One of them had had whisky in it—in fact, there Mas a small amount of whisky and soda left in the glass. But the other glass had had no whisky in it."

"Did Sir Charles drink whisky?" asked Charlesworth. "Yes, sir. He always had a glass or two every night 1 cfore he retired." "Then the glass which had had whisky in it was probably his ?" said Charlesworth. "And that which hadn't, the other man's? What about the decanter, Bedford ?" "I have that, sir—just as I found it this morning." "Let me have it—fetch it now, and it shall be sealed up," directed Charlesworth. He turned to Harding as the butler left the room. "We'll have that analysed," he said. "The poison may have J been introduced into the whisky. And if so,, it looks as though soniubc ly : n this house had had a hand in it. By-the-bye, as I suppose you know ;:il about this family, what's it consist of? ( Nobody in tho house but Sir Charles, his wife, and his sister?" I "Sister-in-law, Mrs. John Stanmore," replied Harding. "Of course, there are servants. And there's a secretary— , Miss Fawdale." , "If he's been poisoned, the thing to , find out is-—motive,"- remarked Charles - r worth. "Now," he went on as Bedford came back with a small;cut-glass decanter, in which about a quarter of a pint . of whisky still remained, "you take charge of that, Superintendent, and have it sealed up and labelled, to hand over for analysis. Wel{ —what's next? "his, I think. You're absolutely certain, Bedford, that is, as. certain as you can be, that nobody in this house ever saw Sir Charles after.ho tame in last night?" "I'm positive of it!" declared Bedford. "I made the fullest inquiries this morning, after we found him dead. Nobody saw him—nobody heard anything of him." "But—his car? Who attended to that?" "He'd see lo it himself, sir. He always did when he came home late. There's a chauffeur; of course, but Sir Charles very rarely made use of him — he attended chiefly to ray lady. There are three cars in the garage—Sir Charles, for his own purpos •, used one which he's had some years, and always drove himself. It was one of his rules that, if he wasn't home by ten o'clock, Watson, the chauffeur, was not to wait up for him—he'd put his car in the garage J himself. He did that last night. Wat- i son went to bed at' 10.30 last night— ; Sir Charles hadn't come then." ' "It just comes to this, apparently," ; remarked Charlesworth, turning to

Harding. "Sir Charles came home late last night and nobody saw him. But there's some evidence that he brought some person into the house with him and that they had a drink in this room. Well, now, Bedford, can you tell me this? Was that decanter and the mineral water and the glasses left here, in readiness for Sir .Charles, or would he have to fetch them himself, from another room?" "I can explain that at once, sir," replied "In additjon to our footman, we have a parlourmaid, Purser. It was her duty, every night, -vhen Sir Charles didn't, come home to dinner--which, as a rule, was about four nights a week—to leave here, in his study, a tray, on which was a plate of sandwiches, another of biscuits, a decanter of whisky—which she fetched from my pantry—a syphon of soda water, and a couple of r^sses." "Why a couple of glasses?" asked Charlesworth. "Because every drink that Sir Charles had he'd have a clean glass for it," replied the butler. "He wouldn't drink, sir, two glasses of sherry out of the same glass. As a rule, I believe, he never drank more' than one glass of whisky before going to bed, but, if he had a second, he'd have a clean glass for it." "I see! Well—did Purser bring the tray in as usual last night?" "She did —exactly as usual. Wc always knew, of course, when Sir Charles wasn't coming home to dinner. He was a great man for his club, Sir Charles —dined there three or four nights a week." Charlesworth turned to Harding. "I think we'd better see the parlourmaid," he said. . "Perhaps Mr. Bedford will send her in?" Bedford went off, to return in a few minutes with a pretty, smart-looking j'ou.ig woman, of apparently five and twenty years of age, who glanced at the two men waiting to receive her with a look that was half inquisitive and half demure. Charlesworth inspected her carefully as she took' the seat which Harding drew forward. He made a note that the parlourmaid was self-possessed, wary, cool, and probably keenly observant of everything that went on around her. "I just want to ask you one or two questions. Miss Purser," he said. "I understand that it was one of your duties to leave in this room, when Sir Charles happened to be dining out and not home till late, a tray of light refreshments for him. Yes? —well, did you leave it last night?" "1 did, sir!" : . "What was on the tray ?" "The usual things. Sandwiches, biscuits, whisky, soda-water." "Where did you get the whisky?" "Where I always get it—from Mr. Bedford." "Was the decanter full?" "Three-parts full." "Were there two glasses on the tray ?" "Two tumblers, yes." "Where did you get those?" "From the butler's pantry. The tray is always ready for me there, at halfpaai tva, on evenings wh*a Sir Charles i

"So you'd nothing to do but bring ii n here?" "That is so." "Where did you put it last night!" "Where I always put it—on this small ,able<at the side of the desk." "What time was that ?" "Twenty-five minutes to eleven." "There was no one in this room, of :ourse, when you brought in the tray?" ;aid Charlesworth. "Empty, eh?" Purser, for the first time, hesitated. She looked from one man to the other. "Come!" continued Charlesworth, encouragingly. "Don't keep anything jack!" But Purser still hesitated, this time ooking at the. butler. Bedford nodded. "I. should do what Mr. Charlesworth isks," said Bedford. "Of course, I don't enow what it is—you've said nothing to ne." "Lister!" said Charlesworth. "You 10 doubt know that there'll have to be i coroner's inquest in this affair? You'll jo called as a witness, and you'll be on )ath, and you'll have to tell everything, so you may as well tell me ... if here is something to tell. I asked you 99 Purser suddenly spoke. "There was somebody in the room!" he said. "Who?" demanded Charlesworth. "Lady Stanmore! She was reading, in ihat chair." "When you brought the tray in?" "When I brought the tray in." "Did she speak to you?" "No, not at all." "You set the tray down and left her ;here ?" "I set the tray down and left her ;herc." "Did you close the door when you vent out?" "Of course!" "What did you do then?" "Went to my room." "Did you see anything more of Lady Stanmore?" "How could I? The servant's quarters ire in quite another part of the house." Charlesworth glanced at his notes and urned to Bedford. "You told us—here's what I wrote lovvn—that Lady Stanmore had gone to ler rooms long before eleven last night," io said. "How does that lit?" "She'd gone before ten minutes to ileven, anyway," declared Bedford. "I saw Mrs. John Stanmore come out of ;he drawing room at a quarter to eleven uid go up the big stairs in the hall, and [ saw my lady a minute or two afterwards come along the corridor and follow ier. That's what I mean by long before >leven—a good ten minutes before." "What time did you yourself retire?" isked Charlesworth. | "Just after eleven. A few minutes ifter." "I suppose Sir Charles would let hiiujelf in with the latch key? But you've io idea what time he came in, eh." "Not the least idea," replied Bedford, vith emphasis. 'Til make bold to say, gentlemen, that there's nobody in this louso who ever heard anything of Sir Charles' coming home last night— lobody! But there's nothing unusual in ,hat —he's come in hundreds of times without anybody knowing." "Bit odd, - that, though, isn't it?" isked Charlesworth. "What with family tnd servants there must be at least twelve or' fifteen people in this house. It's queer that no one heard anything! What about the car?—did no one hear that arrive?" "Nothing strange about that, sir," "eplied Bedford. "The garage is two liundred yards from the house, and there ire thick shrubberies between. Sir L'harTes would follow his usual plan; ne'd put up the car himself, and then walk up to the house. And there was no need for him to enter by the front loor. Look here, gentlemen." He moved lcross to a French window which opened from one corner of the room, and tapped the glass panels. "Sir Charles always larried a key to this," he said. "As aften as not he'd let himself in this ivay, from the gardens. My opinion, gentlemen, if you want it," continued Bedford, "is that Sir Charles came in Lhrough this window last night, and that he let the man he had with him 3iit by this window. I've a reason for thinking so." "What is it?" asked Charlesworth. "Well, it's this," replied Bedford. 'When Sir Charles let himself in, late at (light, at the front door, it was his custom to slip a certain bolt after he'd entered. Now that bolt wasn't slipped this morning. So I conclude he came straight into this room from the gardens. "Very good reasoning," said Charlesworth. "Well, I think that's all I want from Miss Purser and you, Bedford, just tow. A word though—don't talk! You •enow what I mean? —there's this :oroner's inquest to come off, and then —eh ?" He turned to °Harding when the parourmaid and the butler had gone, and *ave the superintendent a meaning look. 'I don't like that!" he murmured in a low tone—"don't like it at all!" "Don't like—what?" asked Harding. "The fact that Lady Stanmore was loft alone in this room after Purser put tho tray there," replied Charlesworth, pointing to the table. "That's bound to we out at the inquest, and it'll look ugly. It looks ugly now—if. . . ." "If what?" "If . . . ." Charlesworth paused, glancing knowingly at his companion. "You live in the same village, Harding," he went on. ."You must know and hear things. How did these people get on— Sir Charles and his wife?" Ever hear, know or notice anything?" "Nothing, except that Sir Charles was —well, I suppose old enough to be her father," replied Harding, stolidly. "Still, h? was a fine, handsome, well-pre-served man." "Never heard of any domestic differences, eh 1" "I? No! Never heard anything." " Bedford," remarked Charlesworth, "told us that Sir Charles had his rouini in one part of the lieuse; Lady Stanmore hers in another. Not usual, surely! " " Can't say," Teplied Harding. " Not acquainted with the habits or peculiarities of these people. Seems a bit odd, certainly. Very pretty woman, Lady Stanmore." "Never heard any scandal, eh?" asked Charlesworth. "No lovers—anything like that?" " Not a word! Nothing's known in the village, anyhow." " Well, I'll have to inquire into things a bit more thoroughly," declared Charlesworth. " I don't like what Purser told txs. The» was opportunity u

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He paused as a knock came at the door and a lady entered, with an inquiring glance at Harding. Harding sprang to his feet -with, a bow; Charlesworfth rose, too. Harding turned to him. "Mrs. John Stanmore," he said.

CHAPTER HI. Double Testimony.

As lie made his bow to her, Charles - worth took a good look at Mrs. John Staninore. He saw a little, compact, self-possessed woman, probably from forty to forty-five years of age, wellpreserved, alert, sharp of eye—a woman, he decided, who looked business-like, and even shrewd. Mrs. Stanmore inspected him, too, critically—through a pair of folding glasses which she detached from her gown, and perched, leisurely, on the bridge of her high-arched nose. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "The—er, officer you told me you were 6ending for from Scotland Yard, Mr. Harding? Mr. )> " Detective Sergeant Charlesworth, ma'am," said Harding. " How do you do?" Mrs. Stanmore ■ became gracious. " I hope you'll be able to help us in this dreadful business, Mr. Harding. I came in to see you because I've just been talking to Dr. Holmes. Of course, it has been between ourselves, but Dr. Holmes said I could mention the fact to you. Dr. Holmes is strongly of opinion that my brother-in-law has been poisoned! " "Yes," agreed Harding.. "He thinks so." "Dreadful! " said Mrs. Stanmore. "Of course, this Dr. Salmon for whom he's sent can say definitely if it is so or not. But—and this is really what I came in about—unfortunately the rumour has got spread about the house! The servants " "Who's spread it, ma'am?" interrupted Harding, a little angrilyT " I told Bedford " "Oh, it's not amongst the upper servants," said Mrs. Stanmore. " It's—well, from what I've heard just now, it's a general rumour. And —I may, of course, 3peak freely to you and to Mr. Charlesworth?—l'm afraid there's going to bo 3ad trouble! Dreadful trouble! " "Of what, nature, ma'am 1" inquired Harding. Mrs. Stanmore, who had taken a chair aear the window, with her back to the light, became silent, studying the pattern jf the carpet. " I suppose it will all have to come 3ut," she said at last, with a sudden sigh. ' There'll be an inquest, of course, and questions asked, and all that sort of thing. The truth is, Mr. Harding, how jver unpleasant it may sound, that the servants know quite well that my brother-in-law and his wife didn't get on together. Incompatible!—that's the word. They had nothing in common—their rnar--iage was a mistake, a failure —and servants find these things out. And—they talk." " Talking now, I suppose ? " suggested | Dharlesworth, quietly. "And — what ibout ? " Mrs. Stanmore gave her questioner a sharp look. Something in the detective's steady response impelled her to be candid. "I'm afraid the servants don't like Lady Stanmore," she said. " They dolised Sir Charles—he was a very indulgent, generous master. They are throwing out —hints." /'How did they reach your ears, Mrs. Stanmore? " asked Charlesworth. " There svould be a channel, of course." "Well, through Mrs. Protheroe, the liousekeeper. And," continued Mrs. Stanmore, throwing up her hand as if to ling off all further reserve, "if you gentlemen, as representing thfc police, want the plain truth—which, as I've ilready said, must come out—Mrs. Protheroe herself, and Miss Fawdale, Sir Charles' secretary—l've just left them together, after a terribly serious conversation with them —both assert that they know something which they absolutely insist, things being as they are, on telling to the police. What arc we to lo?" Charlesworth looked at Harding. 'Better hear -"hat they've got to say iow?" he suggested. "Trite saying—but ;here's no time like the present.". Harding hesitated. "Oh, well, if you think it necessary," le said at last. "Of course, if they've mytliing to tell they could have told it it the inquest. But if you want to be beforehand—" "I do," interrupted Charlesworth. 'What am I here for? Perhaps Mrs. Stanmore would be so good as to fetch ihese ladies? I say!" he continued, .vhen Mrs. Stanmore had lefi the room. 'There's something I want posting up n. Sir Charles Stanmore, now?—was ze a knight or,a baronet? I'm not up n these matters." "Baronet," replied Harding, laeonicilly. "Got his baronetcy some years igo —for public services." "Then, Who succeeds .j the title?" isked Charlesworth. "You say he'd no >on of his own. Is there any heir to the title?" Harding nodded at the door through ■vhich Mrs. Stanmore had just vanished. "Mrs. John Stanmore's son, Guy Stannore," he replied. "Sir Charles" nephew. A mere lad—l should say he's —well, twenty or twenty-one, at most." "Is lie here ?" asked Charlesworth. "No, he's in the Army. Subaltern, I Forget what regiment," answered Hardng. "I believe he's just now at Aidershot—was, anyway, last time I heard of lim. Sir Guy now, of course. He's —" The door opened again. Mrs. Stannore cam© back, preceding the. two .vomen of whom she had spoken. - And

once more Charlesworth exercised his powers of observation, first upon the housekeeper, Mrs. Protheroe, and then upon the dead man's private secretary, Miss Fawdale. They were vastly different. Mrs. Protheroe, a rather more than middle-aged woman, of a very evident severe respectability, was a specimen of the prim and proper serving-woman in high place; she owned, a rigid mouth and hard eyes; Charlesworth realised that a defaulting scullerymaid would have a stiff time at her hands. Miss Fawdale, however, was young —two.-or-three-and-twenty, perhaps; pretty, demure, smartly dressed. And that she had been weeping that morning Charlesworth perceived at first glance. But Mrs. Protheroe's eyes were dry and hard, and her general demeanour denoted indignation. (To be continued Saturday next.)