Death Walks at Eastrepps

Chapter 1 ROBERT ELDRIDGE sat back in his seat. The train would be moving presently. He looked at his watch.... Twelve minutes past seven. He had perhaps entered the train too soon. His compartment might at the last moment be invaded. Then, of course, he would have to move into another. He hoped it had not been noticed— this anxiety of his to avoid his fellow-men whenever he caught the 7:15 from Fenchurch Street. But that was hardly likely. There was nothing to excite suspicion or even comment in his wish to travel alone. Most Englishmen preferred, if possible, to do so. There was no call for anyone to guess that he had a special reason of his own. So far the scheme had worked well. It had been in operation now for six months, and never a hitch... so far. He must have brought it off something between twenty and thirty times. It was still, however, difficult to feel at ease. One of these days... Why had they not thought of something less elaborate, simpler and more normal altogether? Eldridge sighed. He was, he reflected, like that. If there were two possible courses, one straightforward and the other devious, he was bound to find himself sooner or later committed to the more romantic. The train was moving. The platform slid past. Eldridge sat up. He had never lost that boyish thrill of a great locomotive gathering itself together for a long run. Romance brought up the 9:15— that was Kipling. Romance again... romance at forty-seven.... Well, there was no fool like an old fool— so they said. Eldridge sighed again, settled himself more comfortably in his corner facing the engine and lit a cigar— a long, dark cigar of the finest Havana tobacco. He had contracted the habit of good cigars during those lean years in South America. They were sent to him in consignments of a thousand at a time, to his office in Fenchurch Street, a few hundred yards from the station. It was true he paid a wicked price for them, but he could afford it. Come to think of it, there had been very few moments in his life when he had been unable to afford what he really wanted. He was that sort of man. He had suffered, of course, his ups and downs, But a man must take the rough with the smooth. Eldridge stirred uneasily. For some of the rough hail been exceedingly rough. That night sixteen years ago, for example, when he had slipped across the gangway of the s.s. Malabar bound for Montevideo. But he was not going to think of the past. The past was... past. And the future would take care of itself. All that mattered now was the present. In another three hours... Eldridge blew a fragrant cloud of smoke and closed his eyes. The present... that meant Margaret. He had never really known what life was until Margaret had taken him in hand. What luck— what stupendous luck— to be loved for himself alone, at forty-seven! He had found it at first rather difficult to believe, but at last he could have no doubt of it. She did not even know that he was rich, but thought of him as working hard in the City to make both ends meet. And he had been very careful not to undeceive her. That again was his romantic disposition. For a day would come, very soon now, when he would appear to her openly in the likeness of a fairy prince. He would walk into the little drawing-room at Eastrepps, and just outside the window she would catch a glimpse over his shoulder of the gleaming bonnet of a Rolls. That would be when he had dealt with Withers. Very firm about the lips, Eldridge pulled a paper from his despatch-case and read it carefully. An excellent report so far as it went. Harris was doing well— the best private inquiry agent he had been able to find. He hated to employ the fellow, but Withers had somehow to be caught, and unless it were done quickly Withers might be catching him. And that would never do. Margaret had made it clear that she could not allow herself to be divorced by Withers, for then she would lose Cynthia. Withers would take the child like a shot if he were allowed to pose as a husband wantonly deceived. How Margaret had ever come to marry the man he could not think. She had been caught young, of course... forced into it by her revolting family. Withers had once had money. Eldridge returned to the paper he had taken from his case. "The party has been under continuous observation for the last fortnight," he read. "Yesterday he motored to Oxford and put up at the hotel where he is at present staying. He engaged a suite and continues to preserve an air of expectancy." It really looked as though they would catch him at last. A fellow with any spark of decency would have let Margaret divorce him three years ago— when she had told him outright that she would never live with him again. But Withers was waiting to divorce Margaret. If only he knew how good a case he had!... But he would never know— not till it was too late for the knowledge to be of any use to him. Eldridge nodded thoughtfully. He had managed things pretty well so far. Margaret had been his for six months now. She had given him everything—the essential Margaret she had never, he was sure, allowed another to see or know... everything, body and soul, heart and life... Margaret. There was a smarting behind his eyes as he sat crumpling the paper in his right hand. There was only another person in the world she loved except himself. Cynthia was five now. Or was it six? Six it must be, though Margaret seemed absurdly young to have a girl of six. She couldn't be more than twenty-seven at the most. He would catch Withers at last, and then let the fellow look to himself! Margaret should have her divorce and Cynthia as well. "I shall be ruthless," said Eldridge in a hoarse whisper. "Ruthless," he repeated, and gazed round rather guiltily, as though there might be someone to hear him. At that moment, indeed, the door slid back, and the conductor was asking for his ticket. Eldridge produced the white cardboard slip. That, of course, was another precaution— no season ticket for him, even though he went to London regularly once a week. It was essential that he should not be too well known on the line, and he had done his best to avoid making friends with the railway officials. Eldridge turned away his head and gazed out of the window as the man took his ticket, punched it and handed it back to him. The door shut with a slight click, and Eldridge was himself again. Undoubtedly it was unpleasant— all this mummery and creeping to and fro. But it would soon be over now. Margaret and he could then come out openly. And when they did come out they would make a splash. He had the money... There again he had reason to be thankful to Margaret. But for her he would have been caught in the Wilmott crash a year ago. Margaret had a head on her shoulders. She had insisted that he should get out of that Elm Investment Society of the Hosiery Trust, though she hadn't a notion how much he had put into it. And not a fortnight afterwards the whole thing had gone sky high. Fourteen years Wilmott had got for that— the most disgraceful fraud that had been perpetrated within living memory— so the judge had said. Eldridge set his lips firmly together. Crash was an ugly word, and he knew something of crashes— no one better. But for God's providence he might himself have been in Wilmott's shoes... Sixteen years ago... but he was not going to think of that, though it was sometimes hard— devilish hard— with so many people still alive who had good reason to remember— all the many hundreds, in fact, who might, he supposed, be described as his victims. He had meant, when he bolted, to pay them all back some day, but there had always been something that made it difficult, even impossible. He had never had quite enough money, for one thing; for what he spent on himself— and a man must live— would never be more than a drop in the ocean. And now it was too late. For what was the use of righting wrongs years afterwards, when they had all been forgotten? Forgotten.... Now and then he might hear a reference to the matter. For his victims were everywhere— there were a score or more even in Eastrepps, persons he met every day, who little thought that the respectable Mr. Eldridge was the notorious Selby, of Anaconda Ltd. James Selby, lost for years in South America, no longer existed for the world— had covered his tracks so completely that no one could possibly suspect. Sixteen years in South America changed a man, and the most striking features of Selby— thick fair hair and a plenteous beard— had been tactfully obliterated by time and the razor. It was hard on a man to be almost completely bald at forty-seven, but in this case it had saved a world of trouble. Eldridge looked at his watch. They would be serving dinner in half an hour. Meanwhile, he had that list of investments to check. Better get on with it at once. He reached for the despatch-case lying beside him on the seat, opened it, and for the next half-hour was absorbed in a file of papers contained in a yellow jacket. He had checked the final figure just as the door slid open and the dining-car attendant announced that dinner was served. Eldridge closed the despatch-case with a snap and, rising briskly, walked down the corridor to his solitary table in the dining-car. Mulligatawny soup, poached turbot, roast leg of Iamb— the usual railway dinner.... Not so bad. He ate it steadily, and even had a second slice of lamb, for he was hungry. During the meal, as was his custom, he read from a book propped up against the cruet. Margaret was anxious— and Margaret was right— that he should improve himself. And he had not, so far, had much time for reading. His eye ran resolutely down the page: "'Twill vex thy soul to hear what I shall speak; For I must talk of murders, r***s and massacres. Acts of black night, abominable deeds, Complots of mischief, treason, violence, Ruthful to hear, yet piteously performed." That was Shakespeare— fine, of course, though a trifle morbid. But Margaret had said that he should read it, and he would read anything for Margaret. He read steadily for three-quarters of an hour, and then returned to his compartment. Thence he stared a trifle nervously from the window. The train was drawing into Norwich, and it was always possible that at Norwich, where it stopped, someone might enter. The critical moment approached, and it would never do for him to be spotted. That was why he had always to travel after dark, which was a bore in summer-time, especially with daylight saving, but it just could not be helped. And, in any case, it added to his great content when at last, all risks successfully encountered, he had reached his desire. The train was moving less fast through the summer night. The swift express had changed into something almost a parliamentary, had stopped three times since Norwich, and now, at long last, was approaching Bacton. Sometimes it stopped there, sometimes not; it depended on the passengers. The lights of the little station flashed into view. There was a grinding of brakes. The train slowed and came to a pause. Eldridge drew back a little from the window, keeping his eyes on the platform. Two dim figures descended from the train. That was young Lord Marsham and a friend going to the big house. Lucky dog!... had always had everything but money, and now he had married that, as befitted the sole legitimate heir of his wicked old father. The train was again on the move. The sky was very dark, but cloudless— the moon not yet up, though it would be rising soon. Eldridge glanced at his gold watch... another two minutes. He moved away from the door, picked up his felt hat and set it firmly on his head. Then he buttoned his coat, took his gloves, stick and despatch-case, and returned to the window, his hand on the catch of the door. His mouth was a little dry and his heart beat a fraction faster than usual. He always felt like that, though it was really ridiculous. There was no danger, and even if anyone saw him they would only regard it as ... peculiar.