"Nae doot," pursued the Inspector, "if Mr. Gowan were at hame, he wad be anxious tae gie us a' the assistance in his power."Hammond, it turns out, speaks cockney dialect, so there's even more misunderstanding to follow.
The butler was sure that Mr. Gowan would be only too happy to do so.
The Inspector opened his notebook.
"Your name is Halcock, is't no?" he began.
The butler corrected him.
"H'alcock," he said, reprovingly.
"H, a, double-l?" suggested the Inspector.
"There is no h'aitch in the name, young man. H'ay is the first letter, and there is h'only one h'ell."
"I beg your pardon," said the Inspector.
"Granted," said Mr. Alcock.
"Weel, noo, Mr. Alcock, juist a pure formality, ye understand, whit time did Mr. Gowan leave Kirkcudbright on Monday nicht?"
"It would be shortly after h'eight."
"Whae drove him?"
"Hammond, the chauffeur."
"Ammond?" said the Inspector.
"Hammond," said the butler, with dignity. "H'albert Hammond is his name—with a h'aitch."
"I beg your pardon," said the Inspector.
"Granted," said Mr. Alcock. "Perhaps you would wish to speak to Hammond?
"Presently," said the Inspector.
Of course, unlike in the British Isles, we all speak the same here, don't we?
Y'all come back now, y'hear?
