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Updated: June 21, 2025
Pratt, who knew everybody in the business centre of the town, knew the man who had driven Collingwood, and when he went out to his lunch he asked him where he had been that morning. The man, who knew no reason for secrecy, told him and Pratt went off to eat his bread and cheese and drink his one glass of ale and to wonder why young Collingwood had been to Normandale Grange.
By that lad's death, Nesta Mallathorpe becomes one of the wealthiest young women in Yorkshire!" Collingwood made no reply to this communication. But as he drove off to Normandale Grange, it was fresh in his mind. And it was not very pleasant to him.
And in proof of his practical interest in Collingwood's career, he there and then engaged his professional services for two cases which were to be heard at a local court within the following week. "Pratt shall deliver the papers to you at once," he said. "That is, as soon as he's back from Normandale this afternoon. I sent him there again to make himself useful."
"And while I'm making it I'll do it myself we'll just go on outwardly as if nothing had happened. If I meet Pratt as I shall I shall not let him see that I know anything. Do you go on in just the usual way. Go out to Normandale Grange now and then and tell Miss Mallathorpe to think no more of her interview with Pratt until we've something to talk to her about.
And Pratt thought to himself that however much young Harper John Mallathorpe might be nominal master of Normandale Grange, the real master was there, in the self-evident, quiet-looking woman who turned to him in business-like fashion. "You want to see me?" said Mrs. Mallathorpe. "What is it?" "Business, Mrs. Mallathorpe," replied Pratt. "As I said on my card of a private and important sort."
"Go back to Barford get my bag from the Station Hotel there bring it to the Normandale Arms I'll meet you there on your return." The car went off, and Collingwood, with a nod to Pratt, was about to turn down a side path towards the village. But Pratt stopped him. "Would you care to see the place where the accident happened, Mr. Collingwood?" he said. "It's close by won't take five minutes."
Collingwood left him and went out to find a motorcar and drive off to Normandale Grange, not because Eldrick had advised him to go, but because of his promise to Harper and Nesta Mallathorpe. And once more he found Nesta alone, and though he had no spice of vanity in his composition it seemed to him that she was glad when he walked into the room in which they had first met.
Eldrick and Collingwood had arranged to lunch together that day, and they presently went off, asking the detective to keep them informed of events. But up to half-past three o 'clock they heard no more then, as they were returning along the street Byner came running up to them. "Prydale's just had a telephone message from the butler at Normandale!" he exclaimed.
"Not ours. There was an advertisement in Saturday's papers which set out that a steward was wanted for the Normandale estate, and Pratt mentioned it to me in the morning that he thought of applying for the job if we'd give him a good testimonial. I suppose he'd gone out there to see about the preliminaries. Anyway, he was walking through the park when he found young Mallathorpe's body.
"You'll begin to believe it -from other things. Now, it was in connection with this that I paid a visit to Normandale Grange one evening some months ago. Perhaps you never heard of that? I was alone with your mother for some time in the study." "I have heard of it," she answered. "Very good," said Pratt.
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