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〃Oh； no。 He got over it he generally does。 He's just like a child。
That's really it； Tony； he's like a child in some ways。 As a matter of fact；
he was unusually bucked with himself this morning。 And yesterday。〃
〃Yesterday？〃
〃Rather。 We all said we'd never seen him in such form。〃
〃Is he generally in form？〃
〃He's quite good company； you know； if you take him the right way。
He's rather vain and childish well； like I've been telling you and self…
important； but quite amusing in his way； and …〃 Bill broke off suddenly。
〃I say； you know； it really is the limit； talking about your host like this。〃
〃Don't think of him as your host。 Think of him as a suspected
murderer with a warrant out against him。〃
〃Oh！ but that's all rot； you know。〃
〃It's the fact； Bill。〃
〃Yes； but I mean； he didn't do it。 He wouldn't murder anybody。 It's a
funny thing to say； but well； he's not big enough for it。 He's got his faults；
like all of us； but they aren't on that scale。〃
〃One can kill anybody in a childish fit of temper。〃
Bill grunted assent； but without prejudice to Mark。 〃All the same；〃
he said； 〃I can't believe it。 That he would do it deliberately； I mean。〃
〃Suppose it was an accident； as Cayley says； would he lose his head
and run away？〃
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The Red House Mystery
Bill considered for a moment。
〃Yes； I really think he might； you know。 He nearly ran away when he
saw the ghost。 Of course； that's different； rather。〃
〃Oh； I don't know。 In each case it's a question of obeying your
instinct instead of your reason。〃
They had left the open land and were following a path through the
bordering trees： Two abreast was uncomfortable； so Antony dropped
behind； and further conversation was postponed until they were outside
the boundary fence and in the high road。 The road sloped gently down to
the village of Waldheim a few red…roofed cottages； and the grey tower of a
church showing above the green。
〃Well； now；〃 said Antony； as they stepped out more quickly； 〃what
about Cayley？〃
〃How do you mean； what about him？〃
〃I want to see him。 I can see Mark perfectly； thanks to you； Bill。 You
were wonderful。 Now let's have Cayley's character。 Cayley from
within。〃
Bill laughed in pleased embarrassment； and protested that he was not a
blooming novelist。
〃Besides；〃 he added； 〃Mark's easy。 Cayley's one of these heavy； quiet
people； who might be thinking about anything。 Mark gives himself
away。。。。 Ugly； black…jawed devil； isn't he？〃
〃Some women like that type of ugliness。〃
〃Yes； that's true。 Between ourselves； I think there's one here who
does。 Rather a pretty girl at Jallands〃 he waved his left hand 〃down that
way。〃
〃What's Jallands？〃
〃Well； I suppose it used to be a farm； belonging to a bloke called
Jalland； but now it's a country cottage belonging to a widow called
Norbury。 Mark and Cayley used to go there a good deal together。 Miss
Norbury … the girl … has been here once or twice for tennis； seemed to
prefer Cayley to the rest of us。 But of course he hadn't much time for
that sort of thing。〃
〃What sort of thing？〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃Walking about with a pretty girl and asking her if she's been to any
theatres lately。 He nearly always had something to do。〃
〃Mark kept him busy？〃
〃Yes。 Mark never seemed quite happy unless he had Cayley doing
something for him。 He was quite lost and helpless without him。 And；
funnily enough； Cayley seemed lost without Mark。〃
〃He was fond of him？〃
〃Yes； I should say so。 In a protective kind of way。 He'd sized Mark
up； of course his vanity； his self…importance； his amateurishness and all the
rest of it but he liked looking after him。 And he knew how to manage
him。〃
〃Yes。。。。 What sort of terms was he on with the guests … you and Miss
Norris and all of them？〃
〃Just polite and rather silent； you know。 Keeping himself to himself。
We didn't see so very much of him； except at meals。 We were here to
enjoy ourselves； and well； he wasn't。〃
〃He wasn't there when the ghost walked？〃
〃No。 I heard Mark calling for him when he went back to the house。 I
expect Cayley stroked down his feathers a bit； and told him that girls will
be girls。。。。 … Hallo； here we are。
They went into the inn； and while Bill made himself pleasant to the
landlady； Antony went upstairs to his room。 It appeared that he had not
very much packing to do； after all。 He returned his brushes to his bag；
glanced sound to see that nothing else had been taken out； and went down
again to settle his bill。 He had decided to keep on his room for a few
days； partly to save the landlord and his wife the disappointment of losing
a guest so suddenly； partly in case he found it undesirable later on to
remain at The Red House。 For he was taking himself seriously as a
detective； indeed； he took himself seriously （while getting all the fun out
of it which was possible） at every new profession he adopted； and he felt
that there might come a time after the inquest； say when he could not
decently remain at The Red House as a guest； a friend of Bill's； enjoying
the hospitality of Mark or Cayley； whichever was to be regarded as his
host； without forfeiting his independent attitude towards the events of that
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The Red House Mystery
afternoon。 At present he was staying in the house merely as a necessary
witness； and； since he was there； Cayley could not object to him using his
eyes； but if； after the inquest； it appeared that there was still work for a
pair of independent and very keen eyes to do； then he must investigate；
either with his host's approval or from beneath the roof of some other host；
the landlord of 〃The George；〃 for instance； who had no feelings in the
matter。
For of one thing Antony was certain。 Cayley knew more than he
professed to know。 That is to say； he knew more than he wanted other
people to know he knew。 Antony was one of the 〃other people〃； if；
therefore； he was for trying to find out what it was that Cayley knew； he
could hardly expect Cayley's approval of his labours。 It would be 〃The
George；〃 then； for Antony after the inquest。
What was the truth？ Not necessarily discreditable to Cayley； even
though he were hiding something。 All that could be said against him at
the moment was that he had gone the longest way round to get into the
locked office and that this did not fit in with what he had told the
inspector。 But it did fit in with the theory that he had been an accessory
after the event； and that he wanted （while appearing to be in a hurry） to
give his cousin as much time as possible in which to escape。 That might
not be the true solution； but it was at least a workable one。 The theory
which he had suggested to the inspector was not。
However； there would be a day or two before the inquest； in which
Antony could consider all these matters from within The Red House。 The
car was at the door。 He got in with Bill； the landlord put his bag on the
front seat next to the chauffeur； and they drove back。
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The Red House Mystery
CHAPTER VIII
〃