How did the young woman in red trick Horace Danby into opening the safe without wearing his gloves?
Answer
She posed as the mistress of the house who needed her jewels for a party but had forgotten the safe's combination, convincing Horace to open it without his gloves in exchange for his freedom.
Step-by-step solution
- Examine the interaction between Horace Danby and the young woman in red at Shotover Grange.
- The woman acted with complete confidence, talking familiarly to the house dog, Sherry, to appear as the genuine lady of the house.
- She claimed she had returned unexpectedly for her jewels to wear to a party but forgot the combination code to the safe.
- Desperate to avoid being turned over to the police, Horace offered to open the safe for her.
- In his anxiety and haste, he took off his gloves to light her cigarette and then opened the safe without putting them back on, leaving his fingerprints everywhere.
Common mistake: Thinking that Horace forgot his gloves by accident, rather than removing them to help the lady and failing to put them back on.
Concept tested: Deception tactics used by the lady in red
Published · How this solution was prepared and checked
Related questions
- 1 Explain why Horace Danby decides to break into Shotover Grange even though he knows the risks involved.
- 2 Why did Horace Danby experience repeated sneezing fits while breaking into the safe at Shotover Grange?
- 3 How often did Horace Danby commit a robbery to buy the rare and expensive books he loved?
- 4 Why does Horace Danby get angry whenever anyone mentions the phrase 'honour among thieves' after his arrest?
- 5 Analyse how the author creates suspense in the safe‑breaking scene at Shotover Grange. Cite two specific descriptive techniques and explain their effect on the reader.
- 6 What is the central theme of the passage "A Question of Trust"?