Detectives and Young Adventurers: The Complete Short Stories

‘Young, good-looking, and very smartly dressed, sir.’

Tommy nudged Tuppence in the ribs.

‘Exactly,’ said the doctor between his teeth, ‘as I feared. Some friend of the Leigh Gordon woman’s. It’s getting very difficult. I shall have to take steps –’

He left the sentence unfinished. Tommy and Tuppence heard the door close. There was silence.

Gingerly Tommy led the retreat. When they had reached a little clearing not far away, but out of earshot from the house, he spoke.

‘Tuppence, old thing, this is getting serious. They mean mischief. I think we ought to get back to town at once and see Stavansson.’

To his surprise Tuppence shook her head.

‘We must stay down here. Didn’t you hear him say he was going to take steps – That might mean anything.’

‘The worst of it is we’ve hardly got a case to go to the police on.’

‘Listen, Tommy. Why not ring up Stavansson from the village? I’ll stay around here.’

‘Perhaps that is the best plan,’ agreed her husband. ‘But I say – Tuppence –’

‘Well?’

‘Take care of yourself – won’t you?’

‘Of course I shall, you silly old thing. Cut along.’

It was some two hours later that Tommy returned. He found Tuppence awaiting him near the gate.

‘Well?’

‘I couldn’t get on to Stavansson. Then I tried Lady Susan. She was out too. Then I thought of ringing up old Brady. I asked him to look up Horriston in the Medical Directory or whatever the thing calls itself.’

‘Well, what did Dr Brady say?’

‘Oh, he knew the name at once. Horriston was once a bona fide doctor, but he came a cropper of some kind. Brady called him a most unscrupulous quack, and said he, personally, wouldn’t be surprised at anything. The question is, what are we to do now?’

‘We must stay here,’ said Tuppence instantly. ‘I’ve a feeling they mean something to happen tonight. By the way, a gardener has been clipping ivy round the house. Tommy, I saw where he put the ladder.’

‘Good for you, Tuppence,’ said her husband appreciatively. ‘Then tonight –’

‘As soon as it’s dark –’

‘We shall see –’

‘What we shall see.’

Tommy took his turn at watching the house whilst Tuppence went to the village and had some food.

Then she returned and they took up the vigil together. At nine o’clock they decided that it was dark enough to commence operations. They were now able to circle round the house in perfect freedom. Suddenly Tuppence clutched Tommy by the arm.

‘Listen.’

The sound she had heard came again, borne faintly on the night air. It was the moan of a woman in pain. Tuppence pointed upward to a window on the first floor.

‘It came from that room,’ she whispered.

Again that low moan rent the stillness of the night.

The two listeners decided to put their original plan into action. Tuppence led the way to where she had seen the gardener put the ladder. Between them they carried it to the side of the house from which they had heard the moaning. All the blinds of the ground floor rooms were drawn, but this particular window upstairs was unshuttered.

Tommy put the ladder as noiselessly as possible against the side of the house.

‘I’ll go up,’ whispered Tuppence. ‘You stay below. I don’t mind climbing ladders and you can steady it better than I could. And in case the doctor should come round the corner you’d be able to deal with him and I shouldn’t.’

Nimbly Tuppence swarmed up the ladder and raised her head cautiously to look in at the window. Then she ducked it swiftly, but after a minute or two brought it very slowly up again. She stayed there for about five minutes. Then she descended again.

‘It’s her,’ she said breathlessly and ungrammatically. ‘But, oh, Tommy, it’s horrible. She’s lying there in bed, moaning, and turning to and fro – and just as I got there a woman dressed as a nurse came in. She bent over her and injected something in her arm and then went away again. What shall we do?’

‘Is she conscious?’

‘I think so. I’m almost sure she is. I fancy she may be strapped to the bed. I’m going up again, and if I can I’m going to get into that room.’

‘I say, Tuppence –’

‘If I’m in any sort of danger, I’ll yell for you. So long.’

Avoiding further argument Tuppence hurried up the ladder again. Tommy saw her try the window, then noiselessly push up the sash. Another second and she had disappeared inside.

And now an agonising time came for Tommy. He could hear nothing at first. Tuppence and Mrs Leigh Gordon must be talking in whispers if they were talking at all. Presently he did hear a low murmur of voices and drew a breath of relief. But suddenly the voices stopped. Dead silence.

Tommy strained his ears. Nothing. What could they be doing?

Suddenly a hand fell on his shoulder.

‘Come on,’ said Tuppence’s voice out of the darkness.

‘Tuppence! How did you get here?’

‘Through the front door. Let’s get out of this.’

‘Get out of this?’

‘That’s what I said.’

‘But – Mrs Leigh Gordon?’

In a tone of indescribable bitterness Tuppence replied: