The Red House Mystery | Page 2

at breakfast
this morning. I didn't hear what went before, naturally, but they was all talking about the
brother when I went in--now what was it I went in for--hot milk, was it, or toast?--well,
they was all talking, and Mr. Mark turns to me, and says--you know his way--'Stevens,'
he says, 'my brother is coming to see me this afternoon; I'm expecting him about three,'
he says. 'Show him into the office,' he says, just like that. 'Yes, sir,' I says quite quietly,
but I was never so surprised in my life, not knowing he had a brother. 'My brother from
Australia,' he says--there, I'd forgotten that. From Australia."
"Well, he may have been in Australia," said Mrs. Stevens, judicially; "I can't say for that,
not knowing the country; but what I do say is he's never been here. Not while I've been
here, and that's five years."
"Well, but, auntie, he hasn't been here for fifteen years. I heard Mr. Mark telling Mr.
Cayley. 'Fifteen years,' he says. Mr. Cayley having arst him when his brother was last in
England. Mr. Cayley knew of him, I heard him telling Mr. Beverley, but didn't know

when he was last in England--see? So that's why he arst Mr. Mark."
"I'm not saying anything about fifteen years, Audrey. I can only speak for what I know,
and that's five years Whitsuntide. I can take my oath he's not set foot in the house since
five years Whitsuntide. And if he's been in Australia, as you say, well, I daresay he's had
his reasons."
"What reasons?" said Audrey lightly.
"Never mind what reasons. Being in the place of a mother to you, since your poor mother
died, I say this, Audrey--when a gentleman goes to Australia, he has his reasons. And
when he stays in Australia fifteen years, as Mr. Mark says, and as I know for myself for
five years, he has his reasons. And a respectably brought-up girl doesn't ask what
reasons."
"Got into trouble, I suppose," said Audrey carelessly. "They were saying at breakfast he'd
been a wild one. Debts. I'm glad Joe isn't like that. He's got fifteen pounds in the
post-office savings' bank. Did I tell you?"
But there was not to be any more talk of Joe Turner that afternoon. The ringing of a bell
brought Audrey to her feet--no longer Audrey, but now Stevens. She arranged her cap in
front of the glass.
"There, that's the front door," she said. "That's him. 'Show him into the office,' said Mr.
Mark. I suppose he doesn't want the other ladies and gentlemen to see him. Well, they're
all out at their golf, anyhow--Wonder if he's going to stay--P'raps he's brought back a lot
of gold from Australia--I might hear something about Australia, because if anybody can
get gold there, then I don't say but what Joe and I--"
"Now, now, get on, Audrey."
"Just going, darling." She went out.
To anyone who had just walked down the drive in the August sun, the open door of the
Red House revealed a delightfully inviting hall, of which even the mere sight was cooling.
It was a big low-roofed, oak-beamed place, with cream-washed walls and diamond-paned
windows, blue-curtained. On the right and left were doors leading into other living-rooms,
but on the side which faced you as you came in were windows again, looking on to a
small grass court, and from open windows to open windows such air as there was played
gently. The staircase went up in broad, low steps along the right-hand wall, and, turning
to the left, led you along a gallery, which ran across the width of the hail, to your
bedroom. That is, if you were going to stay the night. Mr. Robert Ablett's intentions in
this matter were as yet unknown.
As Audrey came across the hall she gave a little start as she saw Mr. Cayley suddenly,
sitting unobtrusively in a seat beneath one of the front windows, reading. No reason why
he shouldn't be there; certainly a much cooler place than the golf-links on such a day; but
somehow there was a deserted air about the house that afternoon, as if all the guests were

outside, or--perhaps the wisest place of all--up in their bedrooms, sleeping. Mr. Cayley,
the master's cousin, was a surprise; and, having given a little exclamation as she came
suddenly upon him, she blushed, and said, "Oh, I beg your pardon, sir, I didn't see you at
first," and he looked up from his book and smiled at her. An attractive smile it was on
that big ugly face. "Such a gentleman, Mr. Cayley," she thought to herself as she went on,
and wondered what the master would do without him. If this brother, for instance, had to