The Night of the Storm by Arthur Gask

Larose spent the afternoon in talking to the domestics, and if his questions were much more pleasantly put than the Superintendent's had been, and if he were much more genial-looking than Inspector Stone, he nevertheless went over the ground in an equally searching and thorough manner.

Then he had tea in the lounge with the girls and two visitors who called, and later, sauntering idly through the grounds, passed out on to the high road and at once proceeded to quicken his steps as he walked into the village.