The Casebook of Newbury & Hobbes by George Mann Read Free Book Online

found in the house or the grounds. It seemed that, somehow, Hambleton’s new wife had simply vanished without a trace.”
    “Kidnap, then?”
    “It remained a distinct possibility, and the local constabulary was indeed called in to investigate. But they could find no evidence of any wrongdoing, and the days that followed brought none of the expected demands from the imagined kidnapper in question. The entire affair remained a mystery, and Crawford, concerned for his charge, had been forced to watch as Hambleton had fallen into a deep funk from which he could not be roused. It was as if the life had gone out of him, leaving behind nothing but a shadow of the former man.”
    Bainbridge eased himself back in his chair and clamped his cigar between his teeth. “Quite a singular case. I can see now why the man was drawn to write to you. What else did he say?”
    “The letter stated that Crawford was aware of my reputation as a man who had experience of the occult and, since there appeared to be no other explanation for what had become of Mrs Hambleton, asked if I would pay a visit to Hambleton Manor to investigate. At the very least, he hoped that I would be able to rule out any occult interference. Hambleton himself, of course, knew nothing of the letter.” Newbury shrugged. “Of course, I’m a rational man and knew there had to be a rational explanation for the lady’s disappearance, but one finds it difficult to resist a challenge. I set out that very morning, taking the twelve o’clock train from Euston to York.” Newbury puffed thoughtfully on his pipe. After a moment he took it from his mouth and waved it at his companion. “Feel free to pour yourself another, Charles. You’ll forgive me for not getting up?”
    Bainbridge nodded. “Of course. You stay put, Newbury. I’ll fetch the decanter over.” The chief inspector placed his glass on the table beside Newbury’s and pulled himself to his feet. He crossed the room, retrieved the bulbous, flat-bottomed vessel and returned to his seat. He removed the glass stopper with a light clink and began sloshing the brown liquid into his glass. He looked up. “Well, keep going man!”
    Newbury laughed. “All this police work is starting to show on you, Charles. Patience certainly isn’t one of your strong points.”
    “Starting to show! By God, Newbury, after thirty years at the Yard I’d expect even the most fresh-faced shoeshine to be able to discern that much.”
    Newbury grinned. He retrieved his glass from the table. “I hadn’t had time to send a telegram ahead to alert Crawford of my impending arrival, so there was no escort awaiting me at the station when the train finally pulled in at York that evening. Collecting my bag from the steward, I took a cab immediately out to Hambleton Manor, which proved to be a pleasant—if brisk—drive through the countryside. The light was starting to wane by this time, and my first sight of the house itself was almost enough to cause me to reconsider my initial thoughts about the case. The place was a rambling wreck, more a farmhouse than a country estate, and appeared so dilapidated that I had to allow for the possibility that my earlier reasoning may in fact have been correct. At that point I admit I would not have been surprised to discover that the young Mrs Hambleton had indeed fled the estate in sheer desperation at her circumstances.”
    Bainbridge coughed noisily and placed the stub of his cigar in the ashtray. “I take it from your tone that this was not to be the case?”
    “Quite so. In fact, as the hansom drew up outside of the house it became clear that the structure was not in such an alarming state of disrepair as it had at first seemed. Certainly, it was in need of urgent cosmetic attention, but the building itself appeared to be sound and the welcome I received from the manservant, Chester, was enough to immediately put me at my ease. I clambered down from the cab and followed the wispy-haired old chap