CHAPTER XVII
A PAIR OF BOOTS
Who, indeed? That King's Evidence was beginning to prove itself againststill another member of this unhappy household--or, to be more literal,a would-be member--was clearly to be seen. What if the Captain's storyof shielding someone else were a mere "blind," as he had thought oncebefore? What if he was in league with Lady Paula herself, and using apretended affection for Maud Duggan as a wedge to get into the graces ofthe household? Who knew? Stranger things had happened. But if he wasscoundrel enough to steal the heart of a good woman, such as Miss Dugganundoubtedly was, a good, honest, straight woman, then he were ablackguard indeed!
Cleek had come across just such things in his varied experience in Yardmatters, and found his faith in human nature apt to be shaken by theleast wind that blew upon it. And for the will to disappear--after SirAndrew had declared that he would disinherit Ross and substitute thename of his sister instead--and not that name which Lady Paula had hopedhe would substitute, the name of Cyril Duggan, as all her imaginingshad led her to believe--what if, on the strength of this fact, themurder had been committed to get the old man out of the way, and then tosnatch the will itself, and--see what the Law would do for the widow andthe progeny? Who knew anything of Lady Paula but that she was thedaughter of a famous criminal who had paid the last penalty for hiscrime? And a graceless but fascinating woman at that. The whole thingmight be a gigantic plot to wrest more from the estates than that willof Sir Andrew's was likely to leave to her and her immediate family.
Captain Macdonald and the good lady might share things between them, andthen make off together when things had righted themselves and startagain in another country. It seemed incredible after what Maud Dugganhad said of him, and yet.... Love blinds a woman's eyes even more thanit blinds a man's, and the good Captain was a handsome devil, to say theleast of him.
The web of his imaginings spun itself on and on during that brief walkback to the house alone, with the parcel containing those tell-talehunting-boots under his arm, Dollops having been left on the outskirtsof the wood to "keep his eyes open and see what he could see." It wasremarkable how one thing led to another, tightening the chain all thetime. Here was possible motive, surely, and what if that note had beenwritten by the worthy Captain? H'm. That certainly was possible. Andthe initials were the same. Gad! it gave one to think, as the Frenchsay. It did indeed! For the Law gave a widow a third share ofeverything--and in the case of no will her son had an equal share withthe other children of the first family. And Maud Duggan had told himthat Sir Andrew had left her enough to live upon for herself andCyril.... But all these estates in Scotland, that were not part of theentail, well, a third would certainly bring them more than _that_.
He didn't trust Lady Paula. He'd met her kind too often before to takeher upon face value. But the Duggans themselves came of far differentstock. H'm. That might be it. And the air-pistol stunt simply used tothrow the blame upon Ross. Gad! it grew more credible as one went onthinking about it. But there were loop-holes to be filled up before onecould be even sure. The condition of Captain Macdonald's affairs wouldassist considerably. Maud Duggan had said he was poor. Another link. Hemight even be in debt. Possibly was. Well, that must be looked into,too.
But if the thing had actually gone so far as murder, why had there beentwo of 'em--when one would have done? And Lady Paula had stood upon herliege-lord's _right_ hand, and not upon his left. And it was through theheart that that little poignard had pierced. And Catherine Dowd stoodthere. And it was she who had brought him the poignard in the firstplace! It was the devil's own doing, any way you looked at it. And notonly Catherine Dowd, but Miss Debenham and Johanna McCall as well.
He reached the house at last, and stepping in through the French windowthat led to the great drawing-room by the back way, rang a bell thereand waited for the maid who answered to come and speak to him.
"I want Miss Duggan, please."
The maid withdrew with a discreet, "Yessir," and it was not many secondslater when Maud Duggan herself appeared, looking pale and distraite andexceedingly unhappy.
"You wanted me, Mr. Deland?"
"I did. Just for a moment," replied Cleek gently, noting her dark-ringedeyes, and in the present state of his mental peregrinations feeling morethan a little sorry for her. "I've something to show you. And I want youto tell me exactly to whom they belong and how you think they got wheremy boy discovered them."
Then he pulled the wrappings from his bulky parcel and set thehunting-boots in front of her upon a little marquetrie table.
She gave a sudden start, went pale as death, and shut her hands againsther heart as though to stop its unruly beating. Her pale lips trembled.
"Angus's!" she exclaimed in a wrung voice. "Where--did you find them?"
Cleek turned his head away, not to see her evident distress. It hurt himmiserably to hurt her. It was like whipping a faithful dog that trustedyou.
"I thought so. The name, you see, is inside. My man found them hidden inthe shrubbery, just near the gates, and brought them along to me atonce. Do you know anything about how they got there, Miss Duggan?"
She shook her head vigorously.
"No. Not a single idea of it, Mr. Deland. That I swear," she returnedwith emphasis. "Those boots are undoubtedly Captain Macdonald's, of thatI am sure. And see, as you say, there is the name inside. But they havenot been used by him for a long, long time. It was nearly six monthsago, I think, that he left them here, after a meet in our grounds, andbefore Father had found out anything about our--our caring for eachother. He stayed the night, Mr. Deland, and Ross lent him some sleepingthings, and then one of the men-servants carried his hunting togs overto his place the next day."
"And these boots?"
"Were left behind by mistake. He called for them, but I asked him not totake them away. You see, I--liked to have them here, for silly,sentimental reasons, no doubt. But I told him I loved to see them withthe other men's boots--Ross's and Father's and Cyril's and Mr.Tavish's--in our harnessing-room, where the groom, Jarvis, always takescare of them and keeps them oiled, when not in use, to prevent themcracking. And so Angus laughed at me, and said they might stay, as he'danother pair at home--and teased me terribly over my babyishness. It maysound silly to you, Mr. Deland, but it meant a lot to me to see thoseboots there--_belonging_--where I belonged. It was like--a peep into thefuture.... And when the trouble with Father came, I wanted them theremore than ever, to keep my heart up. To my knowledge they have neverbeen moved."
"And yet my man Dollops found them under the shrubbery and in thiscondition this morning--after last night's terrible affair, MissDuggan," put in Cleek quietly, keen eyes upon her face.
"It certainly looks black for Angus, Mr. Deland," she replied in afrightened voice. "But I'll swear he never used them. I'll swear it incourt, if need be."
"How do you know?"
She stopped a moment and sucked in her breath, and then a sudden look ofdetermination came over her face.
"Because," she said steadily, "he was coming to meet _me_ in the groundslast night, as he had come often enough before. We could never see eachother in daylight, as Father had forbidden him the house and so westole our meetings at night, under the old oak tree at the bottom of thefirst lawn. You can't see it from the house, as that hedge of yew hidesit entirely."
"And you saw him last night? You'll swear upon that?"
"I--I--that is--_yes_, I saw him last night," she replied, with flamingcheeks and upthrown chin. "First Ross, and now Angus! You're cruel, Mr.Deland, cruel as detectives can so often be! I thought you were going tohelp me--truly--and, instead, you cast suspicions upon the two people Ilove most dearly in the world! How can I possibly put you upon otherclues? _Anything_ to lead you away from such a false and utterlyunworthy scent!"
Cleek laid a hand upon her arm, and bending his head, looked down ather, a great sadness upon his face.
"Justice is so often cruel, Miss Duggan," he said quietly, "and to menin my p
rofession we have so often to be cruel to be kind. I wouldn'thurt you for the world, believe me. But I must do my duty to the Lawthat employs me at all costs. I am not indicting your fiance--truly--andthere may be still another way out. Men have borrowed each other's bootsbefore now. And if you can tell me the size of the feet of the men inthis household, it will be a considerable help."
She lifted her eyes and looked at him, filled with a sudden hope.
"I can tell you Ross's this minute," she said quickly. "He takes eights.He has a small foot, like poor old Father had. And Cyril's, of course,is just a boy's foot--sevens, I think."
"Any one else?"
"The butler, Jarvis. Our groom, Batchett, and the old gardener,McGubbins--and Mr. Tavish; but he's a huge man, and would take elevens,I should imagine--if not bigger. Anyhow, I'll make inquiries, and beback with you in ten minutes, if that will do."
"Make it twenty minutes, _here_--for I've other things to attend to,"returned Cleek with a smile. "And don't worry more than you can help.Things will right themselves in time, you know; and there are lots ofblind alleys in the pursuit of Justice which we often imagine to be theroyal road to Rome. In twenty minutes, then. By the way, who attends toyour laundry, may I ask? The sorting and counting of it I mean."
"You amazing man! What on earth do you want to know that for? Why, thelaundry-maid, supervised by Miss McCall. One of her endless stream ofduties."
"Thanks.... One more question. What do you know of Miss Catherine Dowd?"
She shook her head.
"Only that she is Cynthia's cousin," she returned uncertainly, "andthat she has been staying down here on and off all through the spring.She--she's rather fond of Ross, I believe, Mr. Deland--though formercy's sake don't whisper it aloud! We call her 'La Gioconda,' youknow. She's so odd and inscrutable."
"Exactly. I nicknamed her that myself. And I'll tell you another secret,too. She brought me this morning the stiletto which so obviously stabbedyour father. She says she found it sticking in the curtains. Have youever discovered that the young lady lies, Miss Duggan?"
She gave a quick, uneasy laugh, and shrugged her shoulders.
"Ross always says he wouldn't trust her on sight," she paraphrased, witha nervous gesture. "We've tripped her up--on purpose--lots of times, youknow, as girls do to one another. But to men, it seems a mean trick, Iexpect, Mr. Deland. Only, she elaborates so frightfully, you know. Abouther family and their money, and all the rest of it. And that's suchfrightfully bad form. If people really 'belong,' they don't have toadvertise the fact, do they? And Catherine advertises it rather toomuch. But I don't know anything actually against her."
"Thanks. And what of this Johanna McCall? Where did she originally comefrom? Do you know?"
Her face softened visibly. You could see that Miss McCall held a warmplace in her heart.
"Yes. I can tell you at once. Her foster-father used to be a bailiffof my father's in the good old days when money wasn't so hard to get,and even land seemed to yield a richer harvest. The old man died athis work, and as he was a widower, with this little adopted daughterliving with him, he begged Father to see that she came to no harm.And Father promised. And when she grew old enough, he gave her workin the house. Sort of secretary--Mother's help, you know. But when heremarried, Paula changed all that, and took her for her own sort ofcompanion-lady's-maid. I believe she would have left us before now,after the treatment she has had, if it hadn't been for Father being herguardian, so to speak. But none of us can ever forgive Paula for the wayshe has treated her. It's disgraceful."
"And yet your father never complained?"
"My father never _saw_. But the girl has been made a pack-horse from theminute Paula set her foot in this house. She seemed to have marked herdown for her own, and Johanna has had to suffer in consequence. Such anice little thing, too! It's common knowledge that she is engaged to Mr.Tavish--though we've heard nothing definitely. But it will be anexcellent match. More in her own station of life; and they're both suchdears.... Anything else, Mr. Deland?"
"Nothing else, thanks."
"Then I'll be off. And back again in twenty minutes. And in themeantime, Mr. Deland, you won't--you won't think too hard of my Anguswill you? Even if he had done such a terrible thing whatever reasonwould he have had to do it?"
"Has he any debts, Miss Duggan?"
She laughed a little and shrugged her shoulders. "Heavens, yes! Heaps ofthem. That was what Father had against him. Father used to say that apoor man should own nothing, because there was little chance of payingit back. But so have I, for the matter of that. Over a hundredpounds--and bridge debts. But it's my only recreation, Mr. Deland, and Ican easily pay it back, so that it's nobody else's business, is it? ButI wouldn't have Paula know for worlds! She'd make my life misery."
"As she'd make any one's--who stood in her way," thought Cleek, as thegirl left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. "So the worthyCaptain is a debtor, is he? H'm. A very uncomfortable state of affairs,I imagine. And that poor girl has only thrown fuel upon the smoulderingfire, and helped to bank it up. For a man who is dogged by debts wouldstoop to a good deal, and if he is already in correspondence with herstepmother, by way of this little clandestine note, why shouldn't he doother things? There's a good haul, at any rate, bigger than that forwhich many a worse crime has been committed. And, besides, he must havehated the old man for forbidding him the house. So he might have workedoff a bit of that, too. And yet--gad, it's a puzzler! I'll nip after Mr.Narkom and have a little talk with _him_! And--no!--I'll see thelaundry-maid first. Perhaps by now she will have remembered somethingwith regard to that missing handkerchief."
Acting upon that impulse, he rang the bell once more, summoned the maidto him, and had a little talk with her there in the shaded drawing-room,and elicited a few facts which surprised him not a little in thepuzzling mesh of conflicting clues which seemed to surround him upon allsides.