The Wellington Bureau: A Quartermain Mystery

grabbed her wrist and held it in a grip like steel. In response, Anna clasped the bag to her body with the elbow of the arm he held, and smacked him ineffectually, but satisfyingly, with her free hand. The hand wasn’t free for long, but Anna had her chance to throw them off balance and they fell backwards out of the kitchen door. Anna, unfortunately, was underneath. The fall dazed her slightly and she was only dimly aware of an exclamation and a sudden movement. Percy, whose hands had been on her bag, made a move to stand up, but stronger hands were on him and a brief struggle saw him thrown to the ground and pinned there by a flushed Harris Butterworth.

  “Anna! Are you all right?”

  Anna sat up, rubbing her head and then her wrist. “Only just. You were late! You were supposed to arrive in time to overhear us!”

  “You mean,” gasped the fallen and breathless Percy, “You mean, there isn't a tape?”

  “Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans...It was only a backup. I hope the recorder is still working.”

  “Just what is this all about?” The Brigadier demanded.

  “Murder. And a few other crimes besides. This gentleman needs to be taken to the police station!”

  Anna shook the tape recorder. Nothing rattled. She then re-wound it to the point where she asked Percy if he denied killing Harold Gurney and played it to the Brigadier.

  Ten

  It was late in the evening before Anna returned to her Holland Park home. Bill and Ben had been lent the car and told to drive themselves back their parent’s house. It was the Brigadier's Jaguar that delivered her safely to her own front door.

  “Would you like a drink; to wash away the taste of that exceptionally nasty coffee that they gave us at the police station?” Anna asked.

  “That is very kind. I rather think that I would.”

  They went up to the office and Anna poured two brandies from a heavy glass decanter. She then sat down on the settee, but the Brigadier merely perched on one corner of her desk and fixed her with his most disapproving stare.

  “You know, Lady Quartermain, you simply cannot withhold information from the police, ride around on unregistered motorbikes without a licence and break into people’s houses with impunity. It is all very well to say to yourself that you are acting as a private investigator, but you must acknowledge the law. You have gone about things in a rather casual and unorthodox manner.”

  “Am I being reprimanded? Anyway, I didn’t really drive that wretched thing myself. It just so happened that the policeman who came here noticed it falling apart outside my house. I could hardly tell them it was Bill’s. He doesn’t have a licence. And, after all, I caught their criminal and provided them with evidence. If they had tried to charge me for some minor irregularity, I would have been most annoyed.” 

  “I did have a word with the Commander.”

  “Don’t tell me; his son is in your regiment?”

  “No. We were at school together.”

  “I must remember to exploit your useful range of friends in high places in future. It could be handy in my line of work.”

  “Are you determined to pursue this notion of being some sort of amateur detective?”

  “I certainly am. On a very casual, unorthodox and irregular basis! You will need to keep on very good terms with your Commander friend. You will forever be bailing me out of police cells.” She could not suppress the mischievous smile that crept over her lips as she observed the Brigadier frown with consternation. “Don't worry. You take me too seriously. I shall not go looking for mysteries to solve. They will have to come to me. Are you hungry? I could manage to produce some bread and cheese.”

  “Well, I...oh, very well.” He had been about to decline, but something changed his mind. Anna was pleased. She went and fetched the food – the remains of a nice fresh loaf, some butter and some cheese. The Brigadier obligingly helped himself to some and ate, still standing, and looking rather uncomfortable in a very formal, well tailored suit. The brandy or the cheese or a combination of the two must have mellowed him very slightly for he deigned to exhibit something like curiosity.

  “Why was I so specifically requested to arrive at the flat by six-fifteen?”

  “Ah, well,” began Anna, finishing the cheese she was eating before continuing. “I knew that Percy would arrive about then, as I was meant to be having dinner with him. So, I gave myself time to find the evidence I wanted to prove to myself that I was correct in my conclusions. But then I needed to get some solid, irrefutable proof that Percy had murdered Harold Gurney. The only thing to do was to get him to confess. I was banking on him being more arrogant than cautious, which he was. The only snag was that, in view of the irregular behaviour which you alluded to, my word was not going to be good enough. Percy worked out that much. My idea was to guide our conversation through to a point where he would be confident enough to confess his crimes at the very moment that you arrived. I had made sure that the door would be open and would show enough signs of having been forced to make you suspicious. You would walk in quietly to investigate, and overhear what was being said. Of course, a plan that demands such fine timing is almost unworkable. The tape was a back-up. Percy would never have let me leave with any of the evidence. I needed to have some reputable person as a witness. You are the most reputable person I know and you weren’t directly involved with the case. Things didn't work out quite how I intended but...” she shrugged her shoulders.

  “I was indirectly involved. Harold was a friend for many years...but, Anna – Lady Quartermain – I realise that you were fond of the man. You were going to dinner with him...it must have been very difficult for you...”

  Anna shook her head vigorously. “No, you are wrong. There might have been moments when I thought that I was becoming fond of him, but something...there was always something I didn’t like about him. His arrogance. I might have found him attractive in a way but, no, I have no feelings for him at all.” The Brigadier had been there when they had played the tape at the police station. She rather wished that he hadn’t. There had been all that talk about her marriage to Andrew.

  “I thought... when I saw you at Quartermain House...”

  So he had seen her kissing Percy.

  “No. I might have behaved foolishly, but I never really cared for him.”

  Harris Butterworth seemed to be somewhat agitated. He walked over to the window and stood with his back towards her for a while. She watched the inexpressive back and wished she could see the face. When he turned again the face proved to be as unreadable as ever.

  “I’m glad you did not like him. I thought him a most unpleasant young man from the moment I met him.”

  “Then you are a shrewd judge of character. The tape reveals the sort of man his is.”

  “It also revealed how very astute you were in your deductions.”

  “A compliment!” Anna felt the need to lighten the tone of their conversation with a little flippancy. Even the Brigadier relaxed his face into something like a smile.

  “Yes, a compliment. A well deserved one.” He looked at his watch and instantly became brisk and businesslike. “Well, Lady Quartermain, you must be tired. I’ll leave you to get some rest.”

  “As you wish,” she followed him to the door. As he opened it she asked, a little sheepishly. “You do play chess, don't you?”

  “Yes, I do. Not very often.”

  “It would give me great pleasure to challenge you to a game sometime.”

  “Would it? Well, I shall not decline such a challenge.”

  “How about tomorrow night? I can even feed you first, if you like.”

  “Very well. I can be here at eight."

  “Precisely?”

  “Precisely.”

  “I had to come myself and thank you.” A pale but carefully dressed Lady Parry had been ushered up to Anna’s office by Bill. Anna was looking rather pale herself. She sat on the settee in a loose dress, her legs bare, and a damp scarf tied around her forehead.

  “Are you sure
you are all right?” asked the visitor.

  “Not quite. I have a shocking headache. Percy Blyth landed rather heavily on me in an attempt to get his hands on my tape recorder.”

  “My dear, we are so very, very grateful. Evelyn will come himself and thank you. It was such a relief when they released him. But who would have believed that of Percy? Warren was appalled. That a friend should blackmail him in that way!"

  “Pretty nasty, eh. Our friend Percy turned out to be a rather nasty bit of work all round.”

  “How did you find out it was him? I simply would not have thought it possible.”

  “I’ll tell you sometime when my brain is functioning a little better. But I can tell you one thing; if you had not come to me about Warren, I would never have known that Percy murdered Harold Gurney. It is even possible that Sir Evelyn would have been wrongly convicted. I only knew for sure that he was innocent because I was watching the house.”

  “Of course I shall pay the proper fee for all the investigations you have done.”

  “Oh, not to worry,” said Anna, a little embarrassed by the suggestion. “I was glad to help. Anyway, I’m not really a proper business or anything. I’ve never thought of fees.”

  “Then you will accept a gift from a very grateful friend. I asked you to find out why Warren was borrowing money. You have done so. It took up a lot of your time. You also saved my husband from possibly being wrongly convicted of murder. Ah,” she sighed. “You may think that, in