The Mysterious Affair at Styles

eless, in view of the world-wide notoriety which attended it, I have been asked, both by my friend Poirot and the family themsel

the circumstances which led to m

iends, I was trying to make up my mind what to do, when I ran across John Cavendish. I had seen very little of him for some years. Indeed, I had never known him particularly well

and it ended in his inviting me do

ed to see you again-after

r keeps wel

you know that she

age as I remembered her. She certainly could not be a day less than seventy now. I recalled her as an energetic, autocratic personality, somewhat inclined to charitable

n dying, he left the place to her for her lifetime, as well as the larger part of his income; an arrangement that was distinctly unfair to his two sons. Their step-mother

or but early relinquished the profession of medicine, and lived at home whil

at Styles, though I entertained a shrewd suspicion that he would have preferred his mother to increase his allowance, which would have enabled him to have a home of his own. Mrs. Cave

e news of his mother's remarri

I can tell you, Hastings, it's making life jolly

N

tum, companion, Jack of all trades! A great sport-old Evie! Not

e going

keen to acknowledge the relationship. The fellow is an absolute outsider, anyone can see that. He's got a great black beard, and wears patent lea

odd

s all down with a feather when, three months ago, she suddenly announced that she and Alfred were engaged! The fellow must be at least tw

ifficult situat

t! It's d

urd little station, with no apparent reason for existence, perched up in the midst of green fiel

l, you see," he remarked. "Mainly

n early July. As one looked out over the flat Essex country, lying so green and peaceful under the afternoon sun, it seemed almost impossible to believe that, no

find it very quiet

w, that's just

land'. She is up at five every morning to milk, and keeps at it steadily until lunchtime. It's a jolly good life taking it all round-if it weren't for that fellow Al

That's not

olicitor. He came a cropper, and the girl was left an orphan and penniless. My mother came to the rescue, and Cy

e old house. A lady in a stout tweed skirt, who was bendin

our wounded hero! Mr.

leasant-looking woman of about forty, with a deep voice, almost manly in its stentorian tones, and had a large sensible square bod

an't keep even with 'em. Shall

too delighted to make my

ever does. Wish

id John, laughing. "Where'

day to be cooped

g for to-day. 'The labourer is worthy of h

ng off her gardening gloves, "I

e to where tea was spread unde

the basket chairs, and c

Hastings,"

pression only in those wonderful tawny eyes of hers, remarkable eyes, different from any other woman's that I have ever known; the intense power of stillness she possessed

tea, and her few quiet remarks heightened my first impression of her as a thoroughly fascinating woman. An appreciative listener is always stimulating, and I described, in a humorous manner, cer

ed voice floated through the o

, myself. Or shall we wait until we hear from the Princess? In case of a refusal, Lady Tadminster migh

man's voice, and then Mrs.

will do quite well. You are

old lady, with a somewhat masterful cast of features, stepped out of it o

rp greeted me

again, Mr. Hastings, after all these years

e of the longest and blackest I have ever seen. He wore gold-rimmed pince-nez, and had a curious impassivity of feature. It struck me that he might l

n, turning to his wife: "Emily dearest,

r with every demonstration of the tenderest care.

r volubility, which I remembered of old, had lost nothing in the intervening years, and she poured out a steady flood of conversation, mainly on the subject of the forthcoming bazaar which she was organizing and which was to take place shortly. Occa

structions about letters to Evelyn Howard, and h

r regular professi

the war I wa

eturn there aft

that or a fresh s

ndish lea

as a profession, if you could

that de

me-you're drawn to something? Ever

laugh

sm

rha

ad a secret hankerin

cotland Yard? Or

ive, and he quite inflamed me. He was a marvellous little fellow. He used to say that all good detective work was a mere matter of method. My

ots of nonsense written, though. Criminal discovered in last c

at number of undiscove

hat are right in it. The family. You cou

f you were mixed up in a crime, say a murder,

to a pack of lawyers. But I'm certain I'd know.

e a 'she,'"

violent crime. Associ

saying yesterday that, owing to the general ignorance of the more uncommon poisons among t

Mrs. Inglethorp. "It makes me feel as if a goose

. D. uniform ran lig

late to-day. This is Mr

V. A. D. cap, and I admired the great loose waves of her auburn hair, and the smallness and whiteness

beside John, and as I handed her a pl

he grass, do. It's

d down o

minster, don't y

no

my

you, then?" I

see them!" cried C

nursing," I remarked. "And s

ngs. They simp-ly are! You've no idea! But I'm no

do you poison?"

a smil

dreds!"

thorp, "do you think you cou

ly, Aunt

that her position was a dependent one, and that Mrs. Inglethorp,

ss turne

ur Member's wife-she was the late Lord Abbotsbury's daughter-does the same. She agrees with me that one must set an example of

road staircase, which forked right and left half-way to different wings o

ment, a man stepped out from the shadow of a tree and walked slowly in the same direction. He looked about forty, very dark with a melancholy clean-shaven face. Some violent emotion seemed to be mastering him. He looked up at my window as he

mind, and returned to the con

h; and I dreamed that night of that

d sunny, and I was full of the an

nteered to take me for a walk, and we spent a charming after

oking-room. I saw at once by his face that something disturbing

e of a mess. Evie's had a row with

e? O

dded gl

to the mater, and-Oh,

er, and she carried a small suit-case. She looked ex

e burst out, "I'v

ied Mrs. Cavendish,

ard nodd

l. The man's twenty years younger than you, and don't you fool yourself as to what he married you for. Money! Well, don't let him have too much of it. Farmer Raikes has got a very pretty young wife. Just ask your Alfred how much time he spends over there.

did sh

an extremely ex

'wicked lies'-'wicked woman'-to accuse her 'dear husban

not

s mi

ersuasions of no avail, went off to look up the trains. His wife followed hi

Howard's face changed. Sh

you're honest.

laid her hand on my arm, an

hat I'm talking about. There isn't one of them that's not hard up and trying to get money out o

I'll do everything I can, but I'm s

e by slowly shaki

rather longer than you have. All I ask you is

se and moved to the door. John's voice sounded outside. With her hand o

stings, watch that

swallowed up in an eager chorus of protests

moved across the drive to the lawn to meet a tall bearded man who had been evidently

sharply, for instinctiv

uerstein," sai

is Dr. Ba

nervous breakdown. He's a London specialist; a very clever m

d of Mary's," put in Cy

frowned and cha

ten business. She always had a rough tongue, but there

d we walked down to the village through the

home again, a pretty young woman of gipsy type

girl," I remark

face ha

s Mrs.

that Miss

n, with rather unne

at vivid wicked little face that had just smiled into ours, and

a glorious old pla

d rather

e mine now by rights, if my father had only made a decent w

up, ar

mind telling you that I'm

our brother

y bindings. No, we're an impecunious lot. My mother's always been awfully good to us,

urity. Now that security was removed-and the air seemed rife with suspicion. The sinister face of Dr. Bauerstein recurred to me un