The Layton Court Mystery

by Anthony Berkeley

  ‘He attacked Stanworth once before apparently and in broad daylight.’

  ‘Yes, didn’t she bring that out beautifully? I could have screamed with excitement. It all fits together, doesn’t it? “Seemed to take a dislike to him at first sight, like.” Ah, Mrs William, that wasn’t first sight; not by a long chalk. I expect that happened after Stanworth wrote his letter; otherwise he’d have mentioned it.’

  ‘It may have been in one of the bits that have disappeared.’

  ‘That’s true; there were some long gaps. Look here, I’ll tell you what we’d better do – call in at the village pub on our way and see if we can get any more information out of the landlord. He’s sure to know everything that happens round here.’

  ‘That seems a sound scheme,’ Alec agreed readily.

  ‘In the meantime, let’s marshal our facts – that’s the correct phrase, isn’t it? This man Prince has managed to obtain employment of some kind on the farm of a Mr Wetherby, who appears to be a gentleman farmer. That was a cunning move of his, by the way; gives a reason for his presence in the neighbourhood, you see. He came here for some definite purpose connected with Stanworth; I don’t say murder necessarily, that may not have been intended at first. The very first time he saw Stanworth his feelings were so much for him that he went for the old man bald-headed. The affair was hushed up, but there’s certain to have been some gossip about it.’

  ‘Silly thing to do, that,’ Alec commented.

  ‘Yes, very; showed his hand too soon. Still, there you are; he did it. And now let us devote all our energies to reaching this scorching village. Time’s precious, and I want to ruminate a little.’

  They walked rapidly down the winding white road into the village and made for the local public house. Time was, indeed, so precious that no considerations of temperature could be allowed to interfere with their expenditure of it.

  chapter fifteen

  Mr Sheringham Amuses an Ancient Rustic

  After the blazing sun and the dust, the cool bar of the old-fashioned little village inn, with its sanded floor and its brasses gleaming in the soft twilight, was remarkably welcome.

  Roger buried his nose thankfully in his tankard before getting to business.

  ‘My word, that’s good!’ he observed in heartfelt tones to the landlord, setting the tankard down half empty on the polished counter. ‘There’s nothing like beer for thirst, is there?’

  ‘That’s true enough, sir,’ replied the landlord heartily, both because it was good for trade and because he thoroughly believed it. ‘And you can’t have too much of it on a day like this, I’m thinking,’ he added, with an eye to the former consideration.

  Roger looked about him appreciatively.

  ‘Nice little place you’ve got here.’

  ‘Not so bad, sir. There ain’t a better bar parlour within ten miles, though I say it as shouldn’t. You two gentlemen come far today?’

  ‘Elchester,’ said Roger briefly. He did not wish to divulge the fact that he was staying at Layton Court, having no desire to waste time in parrying the stream of questions that would inevitably result from this information.

  ‘Ah, then, you would have a thirst on you and all,’ the landlord remarked approvingly.

  ‘We have,’ agreed Roger, finishing up the contents of his tankard, ‘so you can fill these up again for us.’

  The landlord replenished the tankards and leaned confidentially over the counter.

  ‘You heard the noos? There ain’t half been goings on round these parts this morning. Up at Layton Court. You’d pass it on the left coming from Elchester; nigh on a mile back. Gentleman shot hisself there, they say. The showver, ‘e told me about it. Came in for a glass o’ beer, ‘e did, same as what you two gentlemen might be doing now, an’ told me all about it. Wasn’t ‘arf put out about it, ‘e wasn’t. Wanted the day off tomorrow, an’ now he can’t ask for it, what with having to cart the police an’ everyone backwards and forwards an’ all.’

  Roger hurriedly subdued the involuntary smile that had risen to his lips on learning Albert’s personal view of the tragedy. It would have made a striking epitaph, he felt. ‘Sacred to the memory of John Brown, who died, greatly regretted by everybody, especially his chauffeur, who wanted the day off.’

  ‘Yes, I did hear something about it,’ he replied carelessly. ‘Shocking affair. And how do you find business round here?’

  ‘Mustn’t complain, I suppose,’ said the landlord guardedly; ‘this bein’ the only public in the village, y’see. An’ good drinkers they are round these parts, too,’ he added with enthusiasm.

  ‘That’s fine. I like a man who can appreciate good beer when he gets it. And I suppose you get quite a few strangers in here from time to time as well?’

  ‘No, none too many,’ said the landlord regretfully. ‘We lie a bit off the chief roads here, y’ see. Not but what a few walking gentlemen such as yourselves don’t drop in now and then, for all that.’

  ‘Yes, I suppose you get a walking gentleman now and then,’ Roger replied vaguely, wondering what exactly constituted a walking gentleman, and whether he was the opposite to a running gentleman. ‘How often would that be?’

  ‘Well, sir, that depends, don’t it?’ said the landlord cautiously, evidently determined to be entrapped into no rash statements. ‘Yes, that depends.’

  ‘Does it? Well, take a special day. How many strangers came in yesterday, for instance?’

  ‘Lor’ bless you, sir, we don’t get ‘em in like that; not so many in a day. In a month, more like. Why, I don’t suppose there’s been a stranger in this bar before you gents come in not for a matter o’ nearly a week.’

  ‘You don’t say!’

  ‘I do, sir,’ retorted the landlord with much earnestness. ‘I do an’ all.’

  ‘Well, I should have thought you’d have got plenty in a cosy little place like this. Anyhow, you can be sure that I shall warn all my friends to come and pay you a visit if they happen to be in the neighbourhood. Better beer I’ve never tasted anywhere.’

  ‘It is good beer,’ the landlord admitted, almost reluctantly. ‘Thank you kindly, sir. And anything I can do in return for you and your friends, I’m sure I’ll be most happy.’

  ‘Well, you can do something now, as a matter of fact,’ Roger rejoined caressingly. ‘We’ve come over from Elchester to see Prince – er John, you know. Up at Hillcrest Farm.’

  The landlord nodded. ‘Aye; I know.’

  ‘So if you could put us on the right road from here, we should be very grateful.’

  ‘Turn to the left when you get out of here and go straight on, sir,’ returned the landlord promptly. ‘You can’t miss it. First farm on the right – ’ and side past the crossroads.’

  ‘Thanks very much. Let me see, I’ve never actually met Prince before, but he’s pretty easy to recognise, I understand. Big fellow, isn’t he?’

  ‘Aye, that ‘e is. Matter o’ nigh on six feet from the top of his ‘ead down; when he ‘olds ‘is ‘ead up, that is.’

  ‘Ah, stoops a bit, does he?’

  ‘Well, you might call it that, sir. ‘Angs ‘is ‘ead, in a manner of speakin’. You know ‘ow they do.’

  ‘Oh, yes; quite. Strong chap, too, isn’t he?’

  ‘‘E is, an’ all. It ‘ud take all of six men to ‘old him, if ‘e did get rampageous.’

  ‘Pretty quiet usually, then, is he?’

  ‘Oh, aye. ‘E’s quiet enough.’

  ‘But no fool, I gather. I mean, he’s pretty intelligent, isn’t he?’

  The landlord chuckled hoarsely. ‘Lor’ bless you, no. Prince ain’t no fool. ‘E’s a clever devil, all right. Cunning, you might call ‘im. Nor you wouldn’t be far wrong, neither.’

  ‘Oh? In what way?’

  ‘Oh, pretty nigh every way,’ said the landlord vaguely. ‘But it’s a pity you two gents should have ‘ad this walk out today. Prince was in Helchester ‘isself yesterday.’

  ‘Oho!’ observed Roger softly, w
ith a side glance at Alec. ‘He was, was he?’

  ‘Aye, at the Hagricultooral Show, ‘e was.’

  ‘Oh? What was he doing there?’

  ‘Showin’.’

  ‘Showing himself, was he?’

  ‘Aye, that ‘e was. An’ took a prize, too.’

  ‘What a pity we didn’t know that; it would have saved us a journey today. By the way, you don’t know what time he came back, do you? Mr Wetherby was there, too, I suppose?’

  ‘Mr Wetherby was there, but Prince didn’t come back with ‘im. I see Mr Wetherby pass by ‘ere on ‘is mare soon after seven o’clock. Prince wouldn’t ‘ave come till a deal later than that. But they’ll tell you up at the farm better nor I can about that.’

  ‘Oh, well, it isn’t really of the least importance, so long as I can see him up there now.’

  ‘He’s up there now right enough, sir. You ask any of the men up there an’ they’ll show you.’

  Roger finished up the remains of his beer and put the tankard down on the counter with a business-like air.

  ‘Well, Alec,’ he said briskly. ‘Time we were getting along if we’re ever to get back to Elchester today.’

  ‘You really are rather marvellous, you know, Roger,’ Alec observed, as they set out along the road once more.

  ‘I know I am,’ Roger said candidly. ‘But why particularly?’

  ‘Carrying on a chat with the landlord like that. I couldn’t have done it to save my life. I shouldn’t know what to say.’

  ‘I suppose it comes naturally,’ Roger replied complacently. ‘I’m a bit of what our American friends call a mixer. As a matter of fact, I thoroughly enjoy a yap with somebody like that; friend William, for instance. And it all comes in useful, you know; local colour and so on. But what about the information I was able to extract, eh?’

  ‘Yes, we got a few more details, didn’t we?’

  ‘Highly important ones, too. What do you make of Master Prince showing on his own account at Elchester? That puts him in rather an independent position, doesn’t it? And he wasn’t back till late last night, you see. It all tallies.’

  ‘Yes, we seem to be on the right track this time.’

  ‘Of course we’re on the right track. How could we be anything else? The evidence is overwhelming. As a matter of fact,’ Roger added thoughtfully, ‘I believe I can make a pretty good guess as to what actually happened last night.’

  ‘Oh? What?’

  ‘Why, friend Prince, naturally somewhat elated at winning a prize at the show, got drinking with some of the new pals he must have picked up here and had a couple of drops too much. On his way back he passes Layton Court and either rattles the side door and notices it ajar; in any case, walks in and up to the French windows, which are open. Stanworth, who we know was mortally afraid of him, jumps at his appearance and threatens him with a revolver. In the struggle, Stanworth is shot, either on purpose or accidentally. That sobers friend Prince up more than a little, and, with the cunning we know him to possess, he sets the stage for us to find the next morning. How’s that?’

  ‘It’s quite possible,’ Alec admitted. ‘But what I want to know is – how are we going to tackle Prince now?’

  ‘Wait and see what happens. I shall get into conversation with him and try to get him to account for his movements last night. If he gets obstreperous, we shall simply have to lay him out; that’s all. You’ll come in useful there, by the way.’

  ‘Humph!’ Alec observed.

  ‘In any case,’ Roger concluded enthusiastically, ‘it’s going to be dashed exciting. You can take my word for that.’

  There was no mistaking Hillcrest Farm. It lay on the top of a sharp rise just as the landlord had described it. The two instinctively slackened their steps as they approached, as if unconsciously reconnoitring the scene of battle.

  ‘I don’t want to enlist Wetherby just yet,’ Roger murmured. ‘I think we ought to try and tackle him ourselves. And we don’t want to give the alarm in any case, or arouse any suspicions. That’s why I didn’t put hundreds more questions to that landlord. What do you think?’

  ‘Oh, absolutely. What about asking that old chap if he knows where Prince is?’

  ‘Yes, I will.’ Roger strolled over towards the spot where an ancient rustic was clipping one of Mr Wetherby’s hedges. ‘I want to speak to Mr Prince,’ he confided to the ancient. ‘Can you tell me where I shall find him?’

  ‘Sir?’ queried the other, curving a large and horny hand round an equally large and horny ear.

  ‘I want to speak to Mr Prince,’ Roger repeated loudly. ‘Where is he?’

  The ancient did not move. ‘Sir?’ he remarked stolidly.

  ‘Prince!’ bawled Roger. ‘Where?’

  ‘Oh, Prince! ‘E’s in the next field alongside. Up ‘tother end I seed ‘im last, not above five minutes back.’

  The horny palm ceased to function as an ear trumpet and became a receptacle for a spare shilling of Roger’s, and the two moved on. In the side of the next field was set a sturdy gate. Roger swung himself easily over it, the light of battle in his eyes. Alec followed suit, and they advanced together up the centre of the field.

  ‘I can’t see anyone here, can you?’ Roger remarked, when they had gone some little distance. ‘Perhaps he’s gone somewhere else.’

  ‘Nothing but a cow in that corner. Is there any other way out of the field? He didn’t get over that gate into the road within the last five minutes. We should have seen him.’

  Roger halted and gazed round carefully. ‘Yes, there’s a – Hullo! What’s the matter with that cow? She seems very interested in us.’

  The cow, a large, powerful-looking animal, had indeed quitted its corner and was advancing purposefully in their direction. Its head was swaying curiously from side to side and it was emitting a noise not unlike the hoot of a steamer.

  ‘My God!’ Alec shouted suddenly. ‘That isn’t a cow; it’s a bull! Run like hell!’

  Roger needed no second invitation; he set off at top speed in the wake of the flying Alec. The bull, observing this disappointing procedure, thundered after them. It was an exciting race while it lasted.

  The result, some six seconds later, was as follows:

  1. Mr A Grierson.

  2. Mr R Sheringham.

  3. Bull.

  Distance between first and second, ten yards; between second and third, one five-barred gate (taken by the second in his stride).

  ‘ ‘Strewth!’ Roger observed with feeling, and collapsed incontinently into a ditch.

  A hoarse and grating noise caused them to look up. The noise emanated from the ancient. He was laughing.

  ‘Nearly ‘ad you that time, gents,’ he croaked joyfully. ‘Ain’t seen him go fer anyone like that not since he went fer that Mr Stanfoerth, or whatever ‘e calls ‘isself – ’im from Layton Court. I ought to ‘ave warned ‘ee. You want ter be very careful o’ that there Prince John.’

  chapter sixteen

  Mr Sheringham Lectures on Neo-Platonism

  ‘Alec,’ interrupted Roger plaintively, ‘if you say one more word to me about bulls, cows, or any other farmyard impedimenta, I shall burst at once into loud tears. I warn you.’

  They were walking once more along the white, dusty road; but the springy exhilaration of the outward journey had gone out of their steps. A short but pithy conversation with the ancient rustic, conducted mostly in ear-splitting yells, had speedily shown the crestfallen Roger the precise nature of the wild goose (or should it be wild bull?) he had been chasing. Alec, it might be noticed in passing, was not being at all kind about it.

  ‘If ever anything could have been more obvious!’ Roger pursued mournfully. ‘My reasoning was perfectly sound. It almost looks as if Mrs William and that idiot of a landlord were trying deliberately to deceive me. Why couldn’t they have said straight out that the disgusting animal was a bull and have done with it?’

  ‘I don’t expect you gave them a chance,’ Alec remarked with an undisguised
grin.

  Roger gave him a dignified look and relapsed into silence.

  But not for long. ‘So here we are, back again at the precise point we had reached before we ever came across that miserable piece of paper,’ he resumed unhappily. ‘A whole valuable hour wasted.’

  ‘You’ve had some exercise, at any rate,’ Alec pointed out kindly. ‘Jolly good for you, too.’

  ‘The point is, what are we going to do next?’

  ‘Go back to tea,’ said Alec promptly. ‘And talking about wasting valuable time, I believe that’s all we’re doing at all with regard to this business. If such a clear clue as that fizzles out in this way, why shouldn’t the whole thing be equally a mare’s nest? I don’t believe there ever was a murder, after all. Stanworth committed suicide.’

  ‘Let’s see,’ Roger went on, completely disregarding this interruption, ‘we were setting out to get on the trail of a Mysterious Stranger, weren’t we? Well, that’s where we shall have to take the thing up from. Luckily I kept my wits about me enough to put a few questions about strangers to those two, and we drew a blank. We will now visit the station.’

  ‘Oh, no!’ Alec groaned. ‘Tea!’

  ‘Station!’ returned Roger firmly; and station it was.

  But even the station did not prove any more fruitful. On the plea of making inquiries for a friend, Roger succeeded in extracting with some difficulty, from a very bucolic porter, the information that only half-a-dozen trains in a day stopped there (the place was indeed little more than a halt), and none at all after seven o’clock in the evening. The earliest in the morning was soon after six, and no passengers had been picked up so far as he knew. No, he hadn’t seen a stranger arrive yesterday; leastways, not to notice one like.

  ‘After all, it’s only what we might have expected,’ Roger remarked philosophically, as they set off homewards at last.

  ‘If the fellow came by train at all, he’d probably go to Elchester. He’s no fool, as we knew very well.’