Dying for a Garden Party

by V L McBeath

  “No, not much. No new murders for you to investigate at any rate.” He flashed her a warm smile.

  “That’s a shame,” Eliza said. “It’s been too hot to even go out for a walk lately, I could do with something to keep me occupied once you go home.”

  Mr Bell folded the newspaper and put it on the floor beside him. “Did I tell you that Archie’s invited me to the bowling club this afternoon? There’s a match this evening and they want to practise.”

  “That’s nice. I’m so glad you’re getting along now.”

  Mr Bell pushed himself up and walked to the window. “I’ll admit, I’ve misjudged him over the years. He’s a decent chap really and doing better than I dared hope.” He turned back to face her. “What will you do this afternoon?”

  “I was going to ask you to come for a walk with me and Connie, but as you’re busy, we’ll go on our own. We expect the family to be arriving at Oak House for the party tomorrow and so we’re going to see if there’s anything worth knowing about them.”

  “Well, don’t step out of line. You do know who this chap Hartley is, don’t you?”

  “I heard he was big in the City, a banker, wasn’t he?”

  “He was, one of the top bosses until his accident. I met him once when I was working with one of the Scottish railway companies. They wanted to raise more capital to extend the line to the Highlands, and I’d helped with their business case. When the day of reckoning came, he kept us waiting for over an hour and when we did make it into his office, he dismissed the whole project in five minutes. And he looked as if he was enjoying himself. A nasty piece of work, if you ask me. I wish you’d told me who was giving the party before you got me an invitation, I wouldn’t have gone.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be fine. From what I read, he hasn’t worked since the accident and hopefully after living around here for over a year he should be more pleasant. There’s not a lot happens around here to make you angry.”

  “He probably won’t even remember me, but just in case, I won’t be going too close to him. I’ve no desire to spoil what should be an otherwise pleasant afternoon.”

  Once luncheon was over, Eliza put on her new summer hat, picked up a parasol and walked next door to Connie’s house.

  “Are you ready?”

  “I am.” Connie pulled the door closed behind her. “I’ve got on the thinnest blouse I own, and I’m hoping the rim on this hat should keep the sun off me.”

  Eliza put a hand to the six-inch rim of her own hat. “I had hoped that with this but I’ve brought my parasol as well. You can’t be too careful.”

  “I’ll do the same.” Connie hurried back into the house and reappeared seconds later. “Now, where shall we go?”

  “I was going to suggest we take a right turn out of here and walk around the duck pond. We don’t go that way very often and I’ve brought some stale bread so we can feed the ducks. That should give us the best vantage point for who’s coming to Oak House.”

  Connie grinned. “Trust you to think of everything.”

  Half an hour later, with the bread long gone, Eliza was restless. “We can’t see as much from here as I’d hoped. Do you suppose we’ve missed them?”

  “No, I don’t think so. I kept an eye on the window all morning and didn’t see anyone arriving. Why don’t we carry on walking and if we reach the Golden Eagle without seeing anything, we can turn around and come back?”

  “Yes, that’s a good idea, but don’t walk too quickly.”

  Connie wiped a hand across her forehead. “I’ve no intention of walking quickly in this weather. I wish I’d brought my fan with me.”

  They kept up their sluggish pace until they rounded the bend at the end of the village and were forced to cross the road. No sooner had they reached the other side than a large carriage, pulled by four dark brown horses, charged around the bend, wafting an odorous breeze in their direction.

  “Good grief, they might have run right over us.” Connie’s eyes were wide as she glanced at Eliza.

  “Anyone with enough money to have four horses pulling a carriage thinks they can do what they want.” Eliza didn’t take her eyes from the animals as they followed the road into the village before taking a right-hand turn and disappearing from sight.

  “Did you spot anything of interest?” Connie asked.

  Eliza sighed. “No, they were travelling too quickly. After all that I suppose we’ll have to wait until tomorrow like everyone else.”

  “Good afternoon, ladies. You don’t often come around this side of the village.”

  Eliza turned to her right where a small elderly woman, wearing a particularly elaborate hat, was tending to her rose bushes.

  “Good afternoon, Mrs Petty. I didn’t see you there. You look busy.”

  “The garden won’t look after itself. I’ve got to do the hedge next.” She pointed to the stepladders beside her. “I need them to do the top. Have you come to watch the comings and goings?”

  “How did you guess?” Connie asked.

  “I haven’t lived in the village for as long as I have without knowing everything that goes on. Do you know they’re having a garden party tomorrow?”

  Connie leaned forward and spoke with a conspiratorial whisper. “We do; we’ve had an invitation … or at least Dr Thomson has, and Mrs Thomson managed to arrange for me and Mr Bell to go as well.”

  “Really?” Mrs Petty’s eyes were wide. “You must keep me informed. There’ll be plenty for you to watch out for. Do you know who lives there?”

  “It’s Mr Hartley, the retired banker, and his wife and children,” Eliza said.

  “His second wife’s children.” Mrs Petty gave Eliza a knowing look. “They’re not his.”

  “Yes, I did know that. It’s his children and their families who are arriving this afternoon, isn’t it?”

  “It is, but did you notice who arrived in the carriage that almost knocked you over?”

  “It was one of Mr Hartley’s son’s and their family, wasn’t it?”

  “It was, but didn’t you notice the extra passenger?” Mrs Petty waited until she had Eliza and Connie’s full attention. “The first Mrs Hartley.”

  “The first? How do you know that?” Connie asked.

  Mrs Petty tutted. “Don’t you ever read the newspapers? Her photograph made the front pages several times when Mr Hartley divorced her.”

  “No!”

  “Yes.” Mrs Petty’s nod was emphatic.

  “And she was in the carriage?” Eliza asked. “Are you sure you weren’t mistaken? The carriage was going awfully fast.”

  “It was, but I’d remember that face anywhere.”

  “Just from a photograph in the newspaper?” The lines deepened on Connie’s forehead.

  “It was a big story at the time, back in 1896. I’m surprised you didn’t see it.”

  Eliza’s smile was almost apologetic. “I tend to focus on the murder stories, rather than the gossip. I must have missed it.”

  “Well, it turned out that his first wife had found herself another man, leaving Mr Hartley with no choice but to divorce her. Poor man. By all accounts he was devastated.”

  “And this was in the newspaper?”

  “All in black and white, but that’s not all.” Mrs Petty glanced over both shoulders. “He married his second wife within a month of his divorce. What do you make of that? She must have known he would still be reeling from his wife’s adultery and took advantage of him. She was a widow at the time, and the papers were certain she’d married him for his money.”

  Eliza cocked her head to one side. “Mrs Hartley? I met her this week, and she seemed very nice.”

  “Well, according to the newspapers, she’d been an actress before her first marriage, and they reckoned she hadn’t forgotten her training. She fooled Mr Hartley and many others too, by the sounds of things. She must be better than I gave her credit for if she managed to hoodwink you as well, Mrs Thomson.”

  Eliza’s cheeks burned pink. �
�I’d no idea.”

  “You’ll need to keep an eye on her tomorrow. It all seems very strange to me to be suddenly throwing a party when they’ve been here over a year and never set foot outside those gates. You mark my words, Mrs Thomson, that woman’s up to something.”

  Eliza was about to respond when the carriage that had almost knocked them over reappeared from the cul-de-sac and raced back down the street towards the train station.

  “He’ll be going to pick up the next group of visitors,” Mrs Petty said. “Let’s hope they’re a bit more cheerful than the last lot. Would you care to come in for a glass of lemonade while we wait for them to come back?”

  Eliza glanced at Connie and grinned. “What a lovely offer. Please lead the way.”

  Mrs Petty walked up the steps to the front door and held it open. The house was similar to Connie’s with just one room to the front of the property and a kitchen to the rear. As soon as they were inside, Mrs Petty arranged the chairs in a semicircle to give them all a first-rate view out of the window. “What a splendid view straight over the top of the hedge,” Eliza said. “I imagine you get hours of entertainment watching everything that happens.”

  Mrs Petty grinned as she put down a tray filled with the drinks and some freshly baked biscuits. “I’m not often bored, let’s put it that way. Not with this and poring over the newspaper.”

  “I’m the same,” Eliza said. “I can spend many a happy hour trying to fathom out the murders they report.”

  “Did you read about Mr Hartley’s accident then?” Mrs Petty said. “They suspected that was attempted murder at the time, but they couldn’t prove it.”

  “No, I didn’t. I’m not sure how I missed it. When was it?”

  “Just over a year ago … in fact just after you arrived in the village.”

  “Ah. That explains it. If you remember I was rather preoccupied for the first month or so after we moved in.”

  “Of course you were. Well–” Mrs Petty paused for effect “–rumour has it, it was the second wife’s doing.”

  “No! Why would a wife try to kill her husband?” Connie said.

  “Apparently, she’d found herself another man. Mr Hartley’s a good few years older than her and she soon got bored with him. After what had happened with his first wife, Mr Hartley wouldn’t give her a divorce and so she got her man friend to push Mr Hartley under a carriage.”

  “How awful.”

  “It nearly worked too. Poor Mr Hartley had just left the theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue and moments later he was on the floor under the wheels of a carriage. The problem was, the crowds on the pavement were packed tightly together and so the potential killer escaped. The police only had Mr Hartley’s word to say he had been pushed and when no witnesses came forward, they decided he’d imagined it.”

  “So is that when he came here?” Eliza asked. “Shortly after his accident?”

  Mrs Petty nodded. “Three months later. He was in convalescence before then, but the doctors told him he’d never walk or work again. He’s been a recluse ever since. That’s why I find it so hard to understand why they’re having a garden party.”

  “Well, we’ll be sure to keep you informed,” Eliza said. “I expect you’ll be in church on Sunday morning. We’ll look out for you and give you an update.”

  Mrs Petty smiled. “I’d like that. I won’t be able to see much from here, with Oak House locked away around the corner like it is.” Mrs Petty stood up to offer them another biscuit just as the carriage made its return journey from the train station.

  “Another son and his family by the looks of it,” Eliza said.

  “I’d say so, but they didn’t look very happy either.”

  “They didn’t.” Eliza waved away the plate of biscuits. “No, I won’t, thank you. It’s about time we were going. I get the impression we’re in for an interesting afternoon tomorrow.”

  Chapter Three

  Eliza checked her reflection in the hall mirror, before answering the front door to a radiant- looking Connie.

  “My, is that a new outfit?”

  Connie glanced down at her salmon pink skirt and matching blouse, both edged with a red trim. “It’s not new, but I don’t often get the chance to wear my best clothes, especially not the summer ones.”

  “Well, you look very nice; I’ll have to keep my eye on you.”

  “I’m sure you’re very kind, but you needn’t worry. There’ll be nobody interested in me.”

  Eliza raised an eyebrow. “We’ll see. Now, let me go and find Father and Archie and we can go.”

  Ten minutes later, with the sun thankfully hidden behind a small cloud, the four of them approached the end of the cul-de-sac that was the location of Oak House.

  “Good afternoon, ladies.” Sergeant Cooper flashed a smile at Connie as he stood inside the gate with Constable Jenkins. “I spotted your name on the guest list.”

  “Sergeant Cooper. What are you doing here?” Connie’s face coloured under the sergeant’s gaze.

  “We’ve been asked to man the gate. Mrs Hartley said we’re only to allow in those on the guest list.”

  Constable Jenkins took his pen and ceremoniously ticked off their names.

  “Are there many here yet?” Eliza asked.

  “A few, and the family are already at the house. It will be a quiet affair judging by this list. Mrs Hartley said to go around to the back garden and help yourselves to drinks. She said we can join you for a lemonade once everyone’s arrived and so I’ll keep my eyes open for you.”

  “I’m sure that will be lovely,” Eliza said. “We’ll see you later.”

  “I’ll look forward to it.” Sergeant Cooper winked at Connie. “Mrs Hartley said she’d be down as soon as she was ready. The only thing she asked is that guests don’t go into the house. You should find everything you need in the garden.”

  “The house is out of bounds?” Eliza pouted as the four of them made their way around the house. “I was looking forward to having a wander around, weren’t you?” She turned to Mr Bell, who was walking on her left.

  “It’s not for me. It seems strange to be back and I’ve no desire to go inside again. It’s for the best. I don’t think you should go in either.”

  “Can’t you make do with being in the grounds?” Archie said. “It’s a lovely garden. I’m sure the Hartleys won’t mind if we admire the flower beds.”

  Eliza suppressed a sigh as a waitress emerged from a marquee and offered them a glass of punch. “I don’t suppose I have much choice.” She glanced around at the smattering of guests. “It doesn’t look like any of the Hartleys are here yet, but Lord and Lady Harrington-Smyth are over there looking rather lost. I expect they’re used to being announced to the host, rather than being left standing by themselves. Shall we go and introduce ourselves?”

  “Don’t I know you?” His Lordship said to Mr Bell once the introductions had been made.

  “Possibly. I used to live here thirty years ago, before I moved to London to set up my business. I’ve supplied the nuts and bolts for most of the railway tracks laid ever since.”

  “Yes, that’s right.” Lord Harrington-Smyth pointed at him. “You were a partner at Royals, weren’t you? Caused quite a stir when you left.”

  “I was.” Mr Bell took a large gulp of his punch. “Unfortunately, we had a difference of opinion about how we wanted the business to be run and I decided to go my own way. I hope there were no hard feelings.”

  “Well I hope Mr Royal sees it that way; he’s here now.”

  Mr Bell turned abruptly to see who was approaching.

  “Don’t worry,” Eliza said. “This is Mr Royal Junior. His father retired a couple of years ago, and he has his wife with him, so I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

  Mr Bell glanced at Eliza. “Are you sure? Stories get passed down through the generations and usually get exaggerated as they do. I don’t suppose he’ll be any more pleased to see me than me him.”

  “What did you actually do to u
pset them so much?”

  “It’s a long story, but basically when we worked together, I got a contract to work with the London and North Western Railway. I was delighted, but Mr Royal decided it would be too much for the men and wanted me to turn it down. I would never have done that and so I left to start my own business and took the contract with me. As you know, I didn’t look back, but they ended up reducing their workforce. Mr Royal never forgave me.”

  “Ah, I can see that wouldn’t be popular.”

  Connie indicated towards the corner of the house. “There’s the vicar and Mr Hewitt. Shall we ask them to join us? I’m sure everyone will be civil in front of the vicar.”

  Eliza nodded. “Leave it to me.”

  With the introductions made, the gentlemen talking amiably and Mrs Royal entertaining Her Ladyship, Eliza pulled Connie to one side.

  “Shall we go and take a look around?”

  “Now? Shouldn’t we wait for Mr and Mrs Hartley to arrive? Besides, I thought you wanted to walk around the gardens with Dr Thomson?”

  Eliza glanced in the direction of her husband as his Scottish inflection rose above the voices of those around him. “Archie looks as if he’ll be happy for a while yet and it might be easier without the family milling around. They’ll see us.”

  Connie’s eyes narrowed as she studied Eliza. “What will they see?”

  “I want to take a peek inside the house. If we go now, no one will miss us.”

  “We’re more likely to bump into the family in the house than we are out here. They must all still be indoors.”

  “Not where I want to go, they won’t be. Come on, if we’re quick it won’t take us long.”

  Without waiting for an answer, Eliza headed in the direction of the inner courtyard. When she arrived without Connie having followed her, she beckoned her forward.

  “Come on, don’t you want to see what’s changed? If anyone asks, we can say we’re looking for the lavatory.”

  “There’s one outside.”

  “Well … we’ll say it was occupied and we couldn’t wait.” Eliza grinned as she took hold of Connie’s hand and pulled her inside the house. “Come on … and be quiet.”