Murder of a Lady Read Online Free PDF

late sister?”
    Dr. Hailey moved uneasily in his chair, but he watched closely the effect of this question on the old man. Duchlan’s black eyes flashed.
    â€œI suppose,” he said, “that I can pardon such a question by recalling the fact that you had not the privilege of knowing my sister.”
    â€œNo offence meant, sir.”
    â€œSo I have presumed.” Duchlan passed his hand over his long chin. “My daughter-in law,” he declared, “felt for her aunt the same respect and love which all who knew her felt for her.”
    Dundas wrote. “Relations cordial,” he quoted from his memorandum in tones that set Dr. Hailey’s teeth on edge. “So much can’t be said in every case,” he remarked reassuringly. “Very good. Now we can come to the servants. That was your butler, I take it, who admitted me.”
    â€œMy piper, Angus MacDonald.”
    â€œActing in the capacity of butler.”
    â€œForgive me, Mr. Dundas, but you appear to be but ill-informed about Highland custom. Angus is first and foremost my friend, the friend of my family. He was piper to my father, the late Duchlan, who held his friendship an honour; should I predecease him, I pray God that he may serve my son. Our pipers stand remote from the class of domestic servants; but in these difficult times we are compelled to ask from them an extended range of service.”
    â€œIsn’t it six of one and half a dozen of the other, sir?” Dundas remarked coolly. “I mean, piper or no piper, the old man is in fact acting as butler?”
    â€œNo.”
    The policeman shrugged his shoulders. He had the air of a modern jerry builder visiting a Gothic cathedral; there was no recognition of beauty, but in some sort, respect for age and mass, to be expressed later in exaggeration of both. Dundas, Dr. Hailey felt sure, would boast about his visit to Duchlan and embellish boasting with spurious detail. It seemed that Duchlan was not unaware of this probability for his face expressed a degree of ferocious anger that is seen only in the faces of men and carnivorous birds.
    â€œHave the goodness, sir,” he exclaimed, “to leave that alone which you do not and cannot understand. Confine yourself to your business.”
    â€œVery well. How old is your piper?”
    â€œSixty-eight.”
    â€œMarried or single?”
    â€œSingle.”
    â€œThe other servants?”
    Duchlan considered a moment. His eyes were still glowing with anger, but he had himself in control.
    â€œI employ the services of a cook and a housemaid,” he stated. “They are sisters named Campbell. In addition, there is my son’s old nurse, Christina, whose position is not that of a servant.”
    He paused, challenging Dundas to utter any syllable of comment. The policeman gazed at the carpet.
    â€œChristina is sixty. She’s a widow. Her name is Graeme. She has acted latterly as maid to my sister, as well as nurse to my grandson.”
    â€œAre the Campbells local people?”
    â€œThey are.”
    â€œTheir Christian names?”
    â€œMary and Flora. Mary, my cook, is twenty-eight. Her sister is twenty-five.”
    The old man gave these facts and figures in tones of contempt. He sneered at the policeman and his notebook, baring his long teeth like a dog. But the doctor thought that, behind this mask of scorn, there was relief that the task of dealing with the murder had been committed to so narrow an intelligence.

Chapter V
    The Sound of a Splash
    An uneasy silence filled the room. Dundas broke it.
    â€œThere’s one question,” he remarked, “that I wish to ask before I go upstairs. It’s this: Did you expect your son to return last night?”
    â€œWe expected him to return soon.”
    â€œPlease answer my question.”
    â€œWe did not know that he was coming last night.”
    â€œHow did he come?”
    â€œBy