The Mystery at Underwood House (An Angela Marchmont Mystery) by Clara Benson

agreement.
    ‘ Very well then,’ she said, and lifted the telephone-receiver, then paused and smiled wryly. ‘But I shan’t mention it to Marthe.’
    Inspector Jameson was away on a case, Scotland Yard informed her, but was expected back the next day. Mrs. Marchmont left a message, then returned to her paper and added one or two notes.
    ‘ An early dinner and then bed, I think,’ she said, and was as good as her word.
    The next morning she summoned her chauffeur, William, and regarded him for a moment with her head on one side.
    ‘ I have a task for you, William, which I hope you will accept, even though it is out of the way of your normal duties,’ she said.
    William pricked up his ears with interest.
    ‘ You know I’m always happy to help, ma’am,’ he said in his customary drawl. ‘Just say the word and I’ll do it.’
    ‘ Wait until you hear what it is before you give your promise. I have been engaged by a friend to discover whether or not three members of her husband’s family were murdered, and I should like your assistance in the inquiry.’
    William raised his eyebrows in surprise, then broke out in a wide smile that gave his freckled face the look of a rosy sun.
    ‘ Murder, eh? Why, I should be mighty pleased to do anything I can in the investigation.’
    ‘ Very good. I think it only fair to warn you beforehand, however, that there may be danger involved. You will, of course, have heard that I myself was attacked yesterday afternoon, although no harm came of it, thankfully. Now, the attack may or it may not be connected to this case, but I should like you to be on your guard at any rate.’
    William’s smile grew even wider.
    ‘ Danger, you say? Take me to it!’ was all he said.
    Angela could not help laughing at his carefree air.
    ‘ I see you would rather put yourself in peril than not,’ she said. ‘But I am afraid the first thing I want you to do is quite ordinary. I am going down to Underwood House this morning, and you shall come with me. While we are there, I should like you to insinuate yourself with the servants and find out one or two things. Can you do that, do you think?’
    ‘ Can I!’ the young man exclaimed. ‘You just watch me.’
    Angela told him what she wanted, and he listened carefully and nodded.
    ‘ That ought to be easy enough,’ he said.
    ‘ Yes, I am sure you will do an admirable job of exerting your charms on the maids, at the very least,’ Angela smiled. ‘I expect their heads will be quite turned by your American accent.’
    ‘ We-ell, that’s a mighty fine compliment you just paid me, ma’am,’ said William, his drawl even more pronounced than usual.
    ‘ Oh, and you need not admit to them that, as a matter of fact, you were born in Peckham,’ said Angela slyly, as he prepared to leave the room.
    William’s smile grew so wide that his face looked as though it were about to split in two, and a touch of pink tinged his cheeks.

ELEVEN
     
    The weather was holding nicely and Mrs. Marchmont, ensconced comfortably in the back seat of the Bentley, admired Beningfleet’s high street as they passed through it, its higgledy-piggledy houses and shops seeming to doze gently in the sunshine as the villagers went about their daily business. William was in great high spirits, and she listened to his amusing anecdotes with half an ear as she turned various thoughts over idly in her mind.
    She was brought up short when she caught sight of the Hayneses’ solicitor, Mr. Faulkner, striding purposefully in the direction of his office, which was situated in one of the more attractive buildings not far from the square.
    ‘ Stop!’ she said. ‘I want to get out.’
    William duly obliged.
    ‘ Wait for me here,’ she said, and hurried after Mr. Faulkner.
    ‘ Good morning, Mrs. Marchmont,’ said the solicitor genially, turning as she hailed him. ‘A fine day today, I’m sure you’ll agree. And how goes your little investigation?’
    ‘ Rather inconclusively, I’m