Chapter 1: Going to Stiles (I)
The sensational and intriguing Case of Stiles Manor has come to an end, but it is well known that my friend Poirot and the family have asked me to write the whole story. We believe that this will effectively stop the sensational rumors that are still circulating.
Therefore, I decided to briefly write about my situation related to this matter.
I returned home from the front lines due to illness, spent a few months in a very depressed rehabilitation hospital, and received a month's sick leave. I had neither relatives nor friends, and while I was pondering how to vacation, I happened to meet John Cavendish. We hardly met in all these years, and in fact, I didn't know him at all. Although he didn't look like a forty-five-year-old, he was actually a full fifteen years older than me. As a child, I used to stay at Stiles Manor in Essex, his mother's villa.
After reminiscing and greeting, he invited me to Stils for a vacation.
"After such a long time to see you again, my mother must be very happy." He added.
"How is your mother?" I asked.
"Well, it's good. You know she's married again, right? ”
Maybe I already had a look of surprise on my face. When Mrs. Cavendish married John's father, he was a widower and had two sons. She was under the impression of a graceful middle-aged woman, and now, let alone seventy years old.
I remember her energetic, dictatorial, charitable, social, bazaar, and a generous female philanthropist. She was a generous woman, and the property under her name was considerable.
The country manor house was purchased by Mr Cavendish shortly after their marriage. He had been obedient to his wife, and after his death, he left the place and most of his property to his wife. Needless to say, this arrangement was unfair to the two sons. However, the stepmother was very generous to them. When my father remarried, they were very young, so they always regarded her as their biological mother.
The younger brother Lawrence was an elegant young man. He had earned his medical license, but had given up the profession early on and stayed at home chasing his literary dreams, though he had achieved nothing in poetry writing.
John worked as a lawyer for a while, but eventually chose a life that suited him more like a squire. He got married two years ago and moved into Stiles with his wife. Although, my shrewd mind made me suspect that he would prefer his mother to give him more subsidies so that he could have a home of his own. However, Mrs. Cavendish is a very thoughtful person, and wants others to obey her orders, in this case, she has an absolute advantage, that is: financial power.
John noticed my surprise when he heard of his mother's remarriage, and barely managed to squeeze out a wry smile.
"Still a terrible little slut!" He said viciously, "I tell you, Hastings, it's hard for us to live happily ever after. Speaking of Eve (Note: Evelyn's nickname. Do you remember Ivey? ”
"I don't remember."
"Oh, maybe she didn't come until after you left." She is her mother's housekeeper, partner, and a 'generalist'! This old Ivey! It has nothing to do with being young and beautiful, but everyone loves to tease them. ”
"What are you trying to say?"
"Oh, this guy! Not knowing where it came from, the excuse was Ive's distant cousin or something, though she didn't seem willing to admit the relationship. Everyone could tell that this guy wasn't the same kind of guy as us: a bunch of blackbeards who wore only those patent leather boots no matter what the weather. But my mother loved him as soon as she saw him, and hired him as a secretary—you know, she managed hundreds of societies! ”
I nodded.
"Of course, the war has turned a few hundred into thousands, so this guy is of great use to her. Three months ago, she suddenly announced that she was engaged to Alfred, which surprised us! This guy is at least twenty years younger than she is! It was for the sake of money that she was pursued, how naked! But you also know that she used to make her own mind and not listen to others, so she married him like this. ”
"You're definitely having a hard time."
"Damn! It was just terrible! ”
Three days later, I got off the train at Stiles Station. Surrounded by green fields and country lanes, this small station exists almost absurdly, and I really don't know why such a station was set up. John Cavendish waited for me on the platform and led me to a car.
"The good guy got a drop or two of gasoline," he said, "mostly because of my mother's activities." ”
The small town of St. Mary's in St. Mary's is about two miles from this small station, while Stiles Manor is on the other side a mile away. It was the beginning of July, the surroundings were quiet and warm, and the plains of Essex outside the car window were lying quietly in the afternoon sun, looking so lush and peaceful. All this is simply unbelievable, and not far away, a large-scale war is going on. I suddenly felt like I was in another world. Turning through the gate, John said:
"I'm afraid you'll think it's too quiet here, Hastings."
"Old friend, that's exactly what I want."
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