Mr Campion sighed.
‘A lot of people believe things like that,’ he said. ‘They imagine the world is a well-ordered nursery with Scotland Yard and the British Army standing by to whack anybody who quarrels or uses a naughty word. I thought that at one time, I suppose everybody does, but it’s not like that really, you know. Look at me, for example – who would dream of the cunning criminal brain that lurks beneath my inoffensive exterior?’
The other two regarded him curiously. In any other circumstances they would have been embarrassed. Abbershaw was the first to speak.
‘I say,’ he said, ‘if you don’t mind my asking such a thing, what on earth made you take up your – er – present profession?’
Mr Campion regarded him owlishly through his enormous spectacles.
‘Profession?’ he said indignantly. ‘It’s my vocation. It seemed to me that I had no talent for anything else, but in this line I can eke out the family pittance with tolerable comfort. Of course,’ he went on suddenly, as he caught sight of Meggie’s face, ‘I don’t exactly “crim”, you know, as I told the doc. here. My taste is impeccable. Most of my commissions are more secret than shady. I occasionally do a spot of work for the Government, though, of course, that isn’t as lucrative as honest crime. This little affair, of course, was perfectly simple. I had only to join this house-party, take a packet of letters from the old gentleman, toddle back to the Savoy, and my client would be waiting for me. A hundred guineas, and all clean fun – no brain-work required.’ He beamed at them. ‘Of course I knew what I was in for,’ he went on. ‘I knew that more or less as soon as I got down here. I didn’t expect anything quite like this, though, I admit. I’m afraid the Gay Career and all that is in the soup.’
He spoke lightly, but there was no callousness in his face, and it suddenly occurred to Abbershaw that he was doing his best to cheer them up, for after a moment or two of silence he remarked suddenly:
‘After all, I don’t see why the place should burn as he says it will, and I know people do escape from burning houses because I’ve seen it on the pictures.’
His remarks were cut short by a thundering blow upon the door, and in the complete silence that followed, a voice spoke slowly and distinctly so that it was audible throughout the entire room.
‘You have another hour,’ it said, ‘in which to restore Mr Dawlish’s property. If it is not forthcoming by that time there will be another of these old country-mansion fires which have been so frequent of late. It is not insured and so it is not likely that anyone will inquire into the cause too closely.’