Free The House of the Wolf by Basil Copper

lip again, her eyes haunted by the recollection of something her listener was unable to fathom.
    ‘I am rather nervous, and this Castle has a strange atmosphere at night. I called out, and the noise stopped. I got out of bed and went over to the door and was actually going to open it . . .’ She broke off, pulling her hand violently away from Coleridge’s restraining grip. Her eyes were wild and her face ashen now.
    ‘Professor, I am as certain in my mind as I am that we are here that as I put my hand on the key I heard the snarling of a wolf not a foot from where I was standing, and the click of a wild animal’s paws on the floor of the corridor!’

CHAPTER 8: THE THING IN THE CORRIDOR
    ‘You astonish me!’
    Coleridge’s bewilderment and momentary inadequacy were all too palpable on his face. The girl’s features had a little more colour, but her expression was still grim as she stared at her companion.
    ‘I intended to, Professor. Can you imagine my situation, late at night and to all purposes alone and undefended? I cried out, and then I heard the thing running down the corridor outside. After that I must have fainted because I awoke on the floor of my room deathly cold and found by my bedside clock that almost an hour had passed.’
    The girl came closer again, looking at her companion with a mixture of terror and apprehension.
    ‘You do believe me, Professor? I can assure you of my sanity.’
    Coleridge took the small, chill hand she held out and rose from his seat.
    ‘I believe you, Miss Homolky. But there must be some logical explanation. Could a wild beast have gained access to the Castle? I noticed earlier today that there is a break in the ancient perimeter wall where it gives on to the open countryside. You can see it from the window here.’
    He led her toward it, more with the hope of distracting her from her distressing memories than of providing a rational explanation of what she had told him. She followed his pointing finger downward through the misty air.
    ‘It is possible,’ she said slowly. ‘But not likely. How would such an animal have got through all the locked and closed doors between the inner courtyard and my room? Besides, you are forgetting that the thing tried the door-handle.’
    There was a trace of hysteria in her tones, and Coleridge ushered her swiftly to a great side-buffet where bottles and glasses glittered. He poured her a small glass of the local spirit, her teeth catching on the rim of the crystal. When she was calmer, the colour fully restored to her cheeks, Coleridge led her back to the fire.
    ‘You have not told your family of this?’
    Nadia Homolky shook her head vigorously.
    ‘It did not seem appropriate. They have many worries, you see. I do not wish them to know.’
    Coleridge ventured another approach.
    ‘Is it not possible that a servant first tried your door and, being unable to gain entrance, went on down the corridor? And then this beast passed along a few moments later.’
    The girl’s burning eyes were holding Coleridge’s own.
    ‘Possible, but not likely, Professor. I know what I heard.’
    She gulped at the raw spirit again.
    ‘And no-one else saw or heard this creature? It was not mentioned at breakfast.’
    The girl put her small hands together round the rim of her glass. Again she looked very vulnerable and frail at that moment.
    ‘That was one of the reasons I decided to say nothing.’
    Coleridge read her glance correctly.
    ‘And you would like me to investigate this incident for you? As discreetly and quietly as possible.’
    The girl was smiling again now. For a moment Coleridge almost wished he were Dr. Raglan.
    ‘If only you would, Professor. I would be tremendously grateful. You are such an authority. And if anyone can assign a mundane explanation for this weird happening, it would be you.’
    Coleridge put his hands together in his lap and frowningly examined his nails.
    ‘You flatter me,’ he said.
    And after a moment of sombre