‘Then you clearly do not know him as well as you should.’
‘Who knows a child better than his parents?’ demanded Cassandra.
‘George is no longer a child – though he still has the childish inclinations that guided me to my conclusion. Your niece and her maid did not disappear on that train. They were smuggled past you at the railway station as part of a jape conceived by your madcap son.’
She flicked a hand. ‘George is above such nonsense.’
‘He wasn’t above stealing the chaplain’s dog and hiding the animal in a broom cupboard,’ said Tunnadine. ‘Nor could he resist the urge to purloin the false teeth belonging to one of the emeritus fellows. Then, of course, there was the time when he was so inebriated that he climbed onto the roof of the chapel and began to shed his clothing.’ He shared a crooked smile between them. ‘Must I go on?’
‘George has let his high spirits get the better of him attimes,’ conceded Vaughan, ‘but that’s all in the past. He’s outgrown such behaviour and adopted a more responsible attitude to life.’
‘That’s not what Imogen told me. When she listed his escapades, she said she was bracing herself for another of George’s japes when she arrived here. Neither she nor I anticipated that it would involve kidnap. Much as she loves her cousin,’ said Tunnadine, ‘she does feel that she’s a target for his amusement. George needs putting firmly in his place and I intend to do exactly that.’
‘You’ve no call to interfere in our family matters,’ warned Cassandra.
‘I have a right to protect my future wife from being the butt of a joke.’
‘George would never go to the lengths that you claim.’
‘Apart from anything else,’ said Vaughan, ‘he’s not even in Oxford. He’s moved to London to pursue his career as an artist.’
‘What’s to stop him sneaking back without telling you?’
‘He wouldn’t do that.’
‘According to Imogen, he’s done it more than once. George told her that he’s a free spirit, subject to nobody’s control. He needs to be smacked down,’ growled Tunnadine. ‘I’ll put a stop to these confounded tricks of his.’
‘You’re barking up the wrong tree, sir,’ said Vaughan.
‘Yes,’ said Cassandra with well-bred venom. ‘You’ve already hurled false accusations at me, our daughter and our younger son. Why does Percy, our elder son, escape your censure? Or are you going to charge him with a crime as well?’
Tunnadine was adamant. ‘George is the culprit here. I’llwait until he tires of his silly game and releases Imogen.’
‘You’ll be wasting your time,’ declared Vaughan. ‘George is in London and no silly game exists. On the train journey back to London, I’d advise you to think of a more convincing explanation of the agonising situation that confronts us.’
‘I shall be staying in Oxford overnight.’
Cassandra was blunt. ‘We’ll not be able to offer you hospitality.’
‘There’ll be a room at Brasenose for me. I’ve done so much on behalf of my alma mater that I may come and go there as I wish. And before you try to send me on my way,’ he went on as Vaughan opened the door wide to usher him out, ‘I must tell you that I intend to remain until I’ve met the two detectives on their way here.’
Vaughan blinked. ‘I know of no detectives.’
‘They were engaged by Sir Marcus who sent telegraphs to Scotland Yard. We don’t need the celebrated Inspector Colbeck. His presence here has been rendered superfluous,’ said Tunnadine, complacently. ‘I’ve already solved the riddle of Imogen’s disappearance.’
Two figures suddenly materialised in the open doorway.
‘I’ll be most interested to hear how you did it, sir,’ said Colbeck.
CHAPTER FIVE
Vernon Tolley did not know whether to be reassured or unsettled by the visit of the two detectives. Colbeck and Leeming had struck him as shrewd and approachable. They’d asked searching questions yet treated him with
‘Who knows a child better than his parents?’ demanded Cassandra.
‘George is no longer a child – though he still has the childish inclinations that guided me to my conclusion. Your niece and her maid did not disappear on that train. They were smuggled past you at the railway station as part of a jape conceived by your madcap son.’
She flicked a hand. ‘George is above such nonsense.’
‘He wasn’t above stealing the chaplain’s dog and hiding the animal in a broom cupboard,’ said Tunnadine. ‘Nor could he resist the urge to purloin the false teeth belonging to one of the emeritus fellows. Then, of course, there was the time when he was so inebriated that he climbed onto the roof of the chapel and began to shed his clothing.’ He shared a crooked smile between them. ‘Must I go on?’
‘George has let his high spirits get the better of him attimes,’ conceded Vaughan, ‘but that’s all in the past. He’s outgrown such behaviour and adopted a more responsible attitude to life.’
‘That’s not what Imogen told me. When she listed his escapades, she said she was bracing herself for another of George’s japes when she arrived here. Neither she nor I anticipated that it would involve kidnap. Much as she loves her cousin,’ said Tunnadine, ‘she does feel that she’s a target for his amusement. George needs putting firmly in his place and I intend to do exactly that.’
‘You’ve no call to interfere in our family matters,’ warned Cassandra.
‘I have a right to protect my future wife from being the butt of a joke.’
‘George would never go to the lengths that you claim.’
‘Apart from anything else,’ said Vaughan, ‘he’s not even in Oxford. He’s moved to London to pursue his career as an artist.’
‘What’s to stop him sneaking back without telling you?’
‘He wouldn’t do that.’
‘According to Imogen, he’s done it more than once. George told her that he’s a free spirit, subject to nobody’s control. He needs to be smacked down,’ growled Tunnadine. ‘I’ll put a stop to these confounded tricks of his.’
‘You’re barking up the wrong tree, sir,’ said Vaughan.
‘Yes,’ said Cassandra with well-bred venom. ‘You’ve already hurled false accusations at me, our daughter and our younger son. Why does Percy, our elder son, escape your censure? Or are you going to charge him with a crime as well?’
Tunnadine was adamant. ‘George is the culprit here. I’llwait until he tires of his silly game and releases Imogen.’
‘You’ll be wasting your time,’ declared Vaughan. ‘George is in London and no silly game exists. On the train journey back to London, I’d advise you to think of a more convincing explanation of the agonising situation that confronts us.’
‘I shall be staying in Oxford overnight.’
Cassandra was blunt. ‘We’ll not be able to offer you hospitality.’
‘There’ll be a room at Brasenose for me. I’ve done so much on behalf of my alma mater that I may come and go there as I wish. And before you try to send me on my way,’ he went on as Vaughan opened the door wide to usher him out, ‘I must tell you that I intend to remain until I’ve met the two detectives on their way here.’
Vaughan blinked. ‘I know of no detectives.’
‘They were engaged by Sir Marcus who sent telegraphs to Scotland Yard. We don’t need the celebrated Inspector Colbeck. His presence here has been rendered superfluous,’ said Tunnadine, complacently. ‘I’ve already solved the riddle of Imogen’s disappearance.’
Two figures suddenly materialised in the open doorway.
‘I’ll be most interested to hear how you did it, sir,’ said Colbeck.
CHAPTER FIVE
Vernon Tolley did not know whether to be reassured or unsettled by the visit of the two detectives. Colbeck and Leeming had struck him as shrewd and approachable. They’d asked searching questions yet treated him with
Similar Books
