Of modified Tudor architecture, its deep red,
mellowed bricks had achieved in three decades almost the same aged
dignity and impressiveness as characterized the three-century-old
mansion in England which Silas Hackett's architect had used as an
inspiration.
The big house faced the lake, a long series of landscaped terraces
leading down to the water's edge, but the driveway wound from the state
road up a side of the hill, to the main entrance at the rear of the
house.
Once before--on Sunday, the day after Nita Selim's murder, when he had
come to interview Lydia Carr and had secured the alibi which had
eliminated Dexter Sprague as a suspect--Dundee had driven his car up
this hill between the tall yew hedges. But then he had taken the fork
which led to the hooded doorway over the kitchen; had descended the
kitchen stairs with Lydia, to the servants' sitting room in the
basement. Now he continued along the main driveway to the more
impressive entrance, whose flanking, slim turrets frowned down upon a
line of police cars and motorcycles.
His approach must have been expected and observed, for it was the master
of the house who opened the great, iron-studded doors and invited the
detective into the broad main hall, at the end of which, down three
steps, lay the immense living room.
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