We crossed the magnificent timbered hall which reached to roof height and found ourselves in an elegant apartment furnished mainly with highly polished antique furniture, the black and white alternation of oak beams and plaster walls enlivened with vivid water colours of what I took to be South American scenes.
“May I offer you anything, gentlemen? I am afraid I am forgetting my manners due to these recent terrible events.”
Pons smilingly declined.
“My colleague was concerned about your husband’s condition and would like to make an examination of Mr Peters if that would be convenient to you both.”
“By all means, Mr Pons. I believe Dr Parker said he merely needed warmth and rest. I have given him soup last night and today and then he went to sleep again. He may still be asleep but do go on up, doctor. Have you any medicine with you that I ought to give him.”
“Nothing but a sleeping draught,” I said, handing her a small packet of the powder, with the dosage written on it. “Such a strong constitution will recover of itself with rest, sleep and regular meals.”
“Andrew is certainly strong,” said Mrs Peters, some of the vivacity returning to her face and manner. “Though who could be behind these dreadful events? What do you make of it, Mr Pons?”
My companion shrugged.
“I have only just arrived on the scene, Mrs Peters. The case certainly presents some baffling aspects. Do you mind if I smoke?”
She shook her head, the mass of black hair glistening dully in the firelight.
“Not at all, sir. Our bedroom is the first door on the right at the head of the stairs, doctor.”
“Thank you.”
I went quickly across the vast hall, and up the oak staircase with its massive newel posts carved with the heads of dragons. I looked in at the bedroom she had indicated. Peters appeared to be fast asleep and I was about to withdraw when I realised that the room was deathly cold. I then saw that one of the big diamond-paned windows was wide open to the bitter air. I crossed to it quickly and found it had been secured open by its iron latch. As I went to close it, I could have sworn I saw a dim figure hurrying away between the trees surrounding the graveyard. Then it had disappeared in the mist.
Somewhat perturbed I hastily closed and secured the window and pulled the thick curtains to. I then went across to the bed and examined my patient carefully. His face was deathly cold. I was certain that had the window been left open for some hours longer the situation might have proved fatal. I went back downstairs with a heavy foreboding. Mrs Peters got up from the fireplace as I came in.
“Mr Pons and I have been having an interesting conversation. Is all well, Dr Parker?”
“Certainly, Mrs Peters. He is sleeping peacefully. I did not disturb him.”
“Ah, that is good.”
There was relief on her face.
“Will you not stay for tea, gentlemen?”
Pons shook his head.
“No, thank you, Mrs Peters. We have already taken up too much of your time.”
Our gracious hostess showed us to the porch and stood looking anxiously after us as we went down the small lane. As soon as the front door slammed I halted Pons and drew him into the side of the building. He listened with a grim expression as I outlined the situation I had just discovered. He had re-lit his pipe and its bowl made angry red stipples on his strong features.
“You did well not to mention it to the lady, Parker. No need to alarm her unnecessarily. What about the figure you saw moving away?”
“It was certainly a man, Pons,” said I. “But I could not make out the detail.”
“Well, there was nothing you could have done, old fellow. Peters is safe enough now. But just let us look about the house.” He led the way round the huge timber structure and we circled it cautiously. After going in a semi-circle in the fading light we found two more heavy oak doors. The one on the far side of the house was securely locked. We returned to the other, which was equidistant between the two extremes of this solidly built mansion. Pons gently tried the huge iron latch. The door gave inward revealing huge oak treads leading upward.
“The back stairs,” Pons breathed softly.
He mounted the stairs quietly while I waited outside. He was on his knees now, busy with his magnifying glass. He returned smiling.
“Our man came this way. Well, well, Parker. Things are becoming more interesting by the hour.”
“The person who tried to murder Peters and probably succeeded with Hardcastle?” I said.
We were back on the narrow lane again, going past the end of the graveyard.
“Perhaps, Parker, perhaps,” he said slowly. “It is more than likely that having failed with Peters he was trying to finish the job by making it look like natural causes. Pneumonia might well have ensued. You were wise not to alarm Mrs Peters. It would have caused unnecessary distress and put the would-be murderer on his guard.”
He puffed vigorously at his pipe as we set off down the lane back toward the Manor.
“But why Peters? What possible motive could he have for trying to kill him? Perhaps he had some hold over Peters and was trying to blackmail him?”
Pons’ eyes twinkled in the misty light.
“Your theories do you credit, Parker, but it is hardly likely. Blackmailers do not kill the goose that lays the golden egg. No, there is something infinitely deeper here, that will obviously take some while to unravel.”
“And why was that door unlocked?” I said. “Though the housekeeper will undoubtedly lock it last thing at night. Will you be telling Inspector Stone?”
“Of course. I gave him a promise and I am sure he would be equally open with me. But we must restrict this latest incident to the three of us. If only Peters were in a fit state to be questioned, he might be able to throw some light on the matter.”
“That is regrettable,” I admitted.
When we arrived back at the house the alert figure of Inspector Stone greeted us in the Great Hall. He pumped our hands most warmly.
“What news, Mr Pons?”
My companion drew him aside near the fireplace where the flickering flames cast strange patterns on their faces. It was a long conversation and when they rejoined me, Stone’s square- jawed face beneath the blond hair looked pensive.
“I am much obliged to you, Mr Pons. These latest developments certainly need looking into.”
Pons lifted up an admonitory finger.
“But please remember what I said about not disturbing Mrs Peters. We must interview Andrew Peters in private once he has recovered. Otherwise we may alert the person responsible for the attack upon him.”
“Certainly, Mr Pons. You have my word on it.”
Stone shook both our hands again and began shrugging on his heavy overcoat. Mulvane had appeared from somewhere behind us and now he strode forward, Tolpuddle hovering in the background.
“Will you not stay for dinner, Inspector?”
“Very kind of you, I am sure, Mr Mulvane, but unfortunately I have many other pressing duties. You may be sure I will telephone tomorrow, even though it be Sunday, and no doubt Mr Pons will apprise me of any developments in the meantime.”
“Certainly, Inspector,” said Pons firmly.
“What news?” I asked, after Mulvane and the police officer had disappeared through the front door.
“Merely routine matters, my dear fellow,” he rejoined. “You know how the official force works.”
“You have told him everything you know?”
He inclined his head with a wry smile.
“A slight correction, Parker. I have told him everything I have observed, plus your own story of Peters and the man you saw hurrying away through the mist. I have not told him of the conclusions I have drawn from the data so presented.”