Lady Argyle took a deep breath. “He said… he… knew about… the diamonds from the firm in South Africa and I told him that Christiaan sent them to me during the war… I showed him the family photographs. He suddenly got nasty when he saw one of the photographs and forcibly took it… He was not… not a nice man. Threatened me about… exposing… I… I am so tired.” She took two deep breaths and fell asleep.
“Gentlemen, please, I must insist that ye leave now. She cannae tell ye any more,” said Gerard angrily.
Dermot and Inspector Enderby nodded and left the room. They waited outside the bedroom door. Gerard came out and closed the door carefully behind him.
“She’s resting and I don’t know when she will wake up. She’s too weak.”
“All right, Mr. Argyle… I understand that you will inherit this place from Lady Argyle?” asked Inspector Enderby.
“Yes, I’m her only heir. My parents died when I was a wee boy and my grandmother raised me after their deaths.”
“Where were you on Tuesday of last week?”
“I was here. Why do you ask?”
“Mr. Kerr was killed by an unknown person,” said Dermot. “We believe that it was a man he was blackmailing. That man had the diamonds with him and could be from this castle.”
“You think I’m that man?”
“Not accusing you, Mr. Argyle. Merely trying to tie up all loose ends,” said Inspector Enderby with a smile.
“You can ask the staff and they will all vouch for me. With my grandmother being so sick, I dinnae want tae be away from her in case something happened tae her. I certainly wouldn’t go tae London, which is a full day’s journey from here by train. Most of us Argyles would never step foot into England unless it was absolutely necessary.”
“We’ll question the staff about your whereabouts on that day. Now, did you know about the diamonds?” asked Inspector Enderby.
“I’ve nae idea about the diamonds you’re talking about. I ken that my grandmother’s brother owned a diamond mine in South Africa and that the mine was destroyed after the Boer War.”
“Didn’t she tell you that he had kept some uncut diamonds from the mine for himself and that he gave the rest to Lord Fitzhugh?” Dermot asked, astonished.
Gerard looked stunned. “No. Grandmama was distraught over the loss of her brother and his family. Then with my parents dying of pneumonia when I was a bairn, we rarely discussed her family because it upset her so. She once flew into a rage when I asked what happened to Lord Fitzhugh and she told me ne’er tae mention his name again.”
Dermot and Inspector Enderby looked at each other.
“Was Lady Argyle born in South Africa?” asked Dermot.
“Yes, her mother emigrated from Scotland tae South Africa in the last century. She married a Boer and settled there. Grandmama met my grandfather when he went tae South Africa on a hunting trip, and she came tae Scotland more’n fifty years ago.”
Dermot asked Gerard if he had met Mr. Kerr when he visited the castle. Gerard replied that he did meet Mr. Kerr in passing. Gerard and his secretary, Nancy, had been about to leave to go to the registrar’s office to register his new car. Kerr had showed Gerard his card and told him that he wanted to talk to Lady Argyle. Gerard and Nancy left after telling Kerr to wait for Lady Argyle in the living room. When they returned a few hours later, Mr. Kerr had already left and Lady Argyle was distraught but she refused to say what had transpired between them. Lady Argyle had been sick for a long time and meeting with Kerr made her worse.
“In her delirium, did she say anything about the missing photograph?” asked Inspector Enderby.
“Not really! I’m nae even sure which photograph she is talking about. She only has one of me as a bairn with my parents and also the one of grandfather next to her bed that you just saw. As I said, she hardly spoke about her family or showed me any pictures of them because it was very painful for her.”
“What did she mean about Mr. Kerr wanting to expose her? Was she involved in anything untoward?” asked Inspector Enderby.
“Inspector, my grandmother is a respectable lady. She would nae be involved in anything untoward, is that clear?” answered Gerard sternly.
Inspector Enderby rolled his eyes. “All right, you have my apologies. These are just routine questions that we have to ask.”
Gerard grunted with distaste.
“Now, tell me,” said Dermot, “how come you don’t have a butler or a lot of staff working in a big place like this?”
“Ruiseart, our butler, joined one of the Scottish Regiments tae fight in the Great War alongside the British Army; as did some of the other male servants. Ruiseart was the only one in his regiment who survived the gassing and bombing in the Somme trenches. He was discharged and brought here to recover, but sadly he died a few years later. Fortunately, we had Alister and Jane come tae work for us during that time…
“Strange thing is that Grandmama started getting the London Times right after they arrived and stopped around the time Ruiseart died…”
“Why’s that strange?”
“She ne’er liked anything English here… Our family has ne’er been a great supporter of the Sassenachs since the days of William Wallace.”
“What happened to Alister and Jane?” asked Dermot.
“They left after Ruiseart died. Grandmama was sad tae see ’em go; Jane was a good companion tae Grandmama and doted on Nancy, so did Alister. Grandmama started getting sick after Ruiseart died.”
“What did he die of?”
“Most probably of his war injuries. He was ne’er the same after the gassing and suffered from lung problems. He got sick suddenly and died in agony one night. Grandmama once told me that she feels guilty for his death. Don’t ken why… and she mentioned his name once when she was delirious.”
Dermot and Inspector Enderby thanked Gerard for his help. They then questioned the staff and every one of them confirmed that Gerard Argyle was at the castle on the Tuesday that Mr. Kerr was murdered in Meadowford Village. None of them had heard what Lady Argyle and Bertram Kerr had discussed. Mrs. Blair heard the front door slam and found Lady Argyle shaking with fright when she went to investigate.
Dermot questioned Nancy Blair and she confirmed that she went to the registrar’s office with Gerard on the day that Bertram Kerr came to Argyle Castle. She also confirmed that Gerard was at the castle the day that Kerr was murdered. Finally, Dermot asked her if they had met before.
“Detective, am I under suspicion? I haven’t been out of Scotland for a number of years. I was brought up in this very castle by my grand-aunt, Mrs. Blair, after my parents died in London. In fact, Lady Argyle was very kind tae me and had me educated. She even made me her secretary. I’m very grateful tae her… Why do you ask?”
“It’s just that you look familiar. When you opened the door, I thought I had seen you before. You probably look like someone I know but I cannot remember who.”
Nancy laughed. “Detective, I’m sure it will come tae ye. Now, will that be all?”
As Dermot and Inspector Enderby were preparing to leave, Dermot asked Gerard to find out about the missing photograph when Lady Argyle was lucid and to send him a telegram immediately.
— — —
On the walk back to the inn, Dermot and Inspector Enderby reflected on their visit to the castle.
“Either they’re telling the truth or the staff have been paid off or threatened with the loss of their jobs if they admit that Gerard wasn’t here on the day that Mr. Kerr was murdered. Did you notice how he tried to divert the conversation to his dead butler? Perhaps he has something to hide,” said Inspector Enderby.
“Could be a p
ossibility and, yes, I did. Why did Mr. Kerr take a photograph from Lady Argyle? Did he recognise someone? Is that why he was killed?”
“I can’t say, but this is the most complicated case that I’ve ever worked on, Dermot; feels like we’re getting nowhere. At least you were right about Lady Argyle having those diamonds. I wonder who has them now.”
“Well, we’ll have to find that out ourselves. I think we have all the answers, but we need to fit them in the right order and then things will be clear,” said Dermot disappointedly.
The next day, on the way to Argyle Train Station, Dermot requested that the taxi go to the registrar’s office. Inspector Enderby looked perplexed.
“Won’t take long,” said Dermot. “Just need to check if Gerard Argyle and Nancy were really at the registrar’s office that day.”
Chapter 23: The Major Explains
Dermot needed to unwind after the tiring journey to and from Argyle. This case was taking a lot out of him. The whole village was talking about the latest murder and the arrest of Arthur Endecott. Everyone knew that Dermot was working on the case and some villagers even pointed at him when he drove around the village. Even his parents were being asked about the case by friends and acquaintances.
Dermot decided to go to the country club for a relaxing swim. As he walked towards the diving board, some of the women, who were sunning themselves, looked at him and smiled. Dermot had an athletic body. He used to play cricket and rugby in school and maintained his physique by swimming and playing tennis. Whilst he knew that women found him attractive, he was a bit shy so he simply smiled back and continued walking. The cool and refreshing water enveloped him when he dove into the pool from the diving board. Refreshed, he began swimming and the tension in his body ebbed away.
After his swim, Dermot lay on a pool chair and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he saw a portly man looking down at him.
“Oh, hello, Major Havelock, how nice to see you. It’s a nice day for a swim.”
“Yes, it’s been so hot lately.” Major Havelock winced as he moved to get a pool chair.
“Are you all right?” asked Dermot, quickly sitting up.
“Yes, just this damn leg! The bullet wound still gives me trouble in my old age.”
Major Havelock placed a pool chair alongside Dermot and sat down; the chair creaked at the weight that was suddenly thrust upon it.
“This heat reminds me of South Africa and India. It can last for a long time there.”
“Say, do you know anything about the De Villiers family in South Africa?”
“You are talking about Lord Fitzhugh’s business partner, am I right?”
“Yes. Do you know what happened?”
“Not really, but I heard that they were killed during the Boer War.”
“Do you know how?”
Before Major Havelock could answer, Gerda Havelock came by. “Darling, there you are… We’ve got to get going.” She recognised Dermot and greeted him. “Yes… you came over a few days ago to talk to Percival. Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?”
Dermot was startled and hesitated for a moment. “Yes, I would love to…”
“All right, we’ll see you at seven-thirty. Dinner will be at eight… Come along, dear.”
“See you later,” said Major Havelock as he slowly got up. “We can continue our conversation over dinner.”
Dermot leaned back on the chair and realised that this would be a good opportunity to ask Major Havelock about what happened during the Boer War. Reading Slattery’s memoirs had brought up a lot of questions for which he needed answers. He decided to go home; he had to read some of the chapters again to see if any new questions would come up.
— — —
That evening, Gerda Havelock ushered Dermot into the living room where Major Havelock was sitting drinking scotch and soda. He greeted Dermot and pointed to the drinks on the table. Dermot got himself a glass of brandy and took a seat opposite the major. As they slowly sipped their drinks, Dermot began the conversation by telling Major Havelock that his father, Edmund, had been in the Yorkshire Regiment during the Boer War. Dermot knew it would put the major at ease and he hoped he would then be willing to answer his questions.
Major Havelock took a sip from his glass and told Dermot that he was in the newly formed Imperial British Regiment, commanded by Lord Fitzhugh, which was disbanded after the war. His father had been one of Lord Fitzhugh’s tenant farmers. Lord Fitzhugh was glad to have someone from Meadowford Village in the regiment and he trusted the major just as much as he trusted Slattery.
Dermot told the major that in his memoirs Slattery had briefly mentioned the meeting between Lord Fitzhugh and Christiaan De Villiers when they become partners. However, after the war began, there wasn’t any mention of Christiaan and his family at all. Dermot had learnt from Flora that they had perished during the war, but she couldn’t give him any further details. Major Havelock recounted how Lord Fitzhugh had learnt that the entire De Villiers family had perished in the concentration camp and that the son had died in battle towards the end of the war.
When he heard the words ‘concentration camp’, Dermot’s interest was piqued and he sat forward.
“Which concentration camp were they in?”
“I believe it was the one in Kimberley.”
“Do you know what happened?”
Major Havelock took another sip of scotch and looked up at the ceiling as if trying to remember.
“In late August, 1901, I was convalescing in a hospital in Pretoria from a gunshot wound to the leg,” he said. “When I rejoined my unit in Kimberley on the tenth of September, Lord Fitzhugh told me that he had heard that the De Villiers family had been sent to the concentration camp in Kimberley a few days earlier. Their land had been destroyed and the house had been burnt to the ground. He tried his best to get them out, but there was nothing he could do. After the war ended, we heard that they had all perished in the camp due to disease and starvation.”
“But… why imprison innocent women and children?”
“The British Army tried to demoralise the Boer population by imprisoning the families of the Boer soldiers. Lord Kitchener began the scorched earth policy, where they killed the livestock and also ruined the fertility of the soil. The De Villiers may’ve been imprisoned because their son was in the Boer Army.”
Dermot shook his head, trying hard to comprehend what he had just heard. The pictures of emaciated people in the concentration camp, which he had seen in the London Library, came to his mind. He took a sip of brandy and felt a little better; however, there was still something bothering him.
“Did you ever meet Christiaan De Villiers?”
“No,” Major Havelock said, looking at Dermot and making him feel uneasy. “I did not have that pleasure.”
“I wonder why Slattery didn’t mention the incarceration of the De Villiers or about Lord Fitzhugh trying to get them out.”
“Maybe it wasn’t his story to tell. Most people only put their experiences in their memoirs, not someone else’s.”
“I know, but he did write about things that didn’t concern him. As Lord Fitzhugh’s batman, he was with him all the time and he meticulously documented everything that took place, like meetings with other British soldiers and high-ranking officers from the army. But, strangely, he didn’t mention anything about Lord Fitzhugh trying to help the De Villiers.”
“Possibly because Lord Fitzhugh did not succeed. You have to remember that Slattery was a very devoted butler and that loyalty will have continued, even after the master’s death. Keeping your master’s secrets and not ruining his reputation are all part of being loyal. Too bad he was murdered
and his body was stuffed in the cupboard. What an ignominious end for a faithful butler.”
“Yes indeed! Did you ever meet Lord Fitzhugh after he left South Africa?”
“No, I returned to England many years after he died. He was a good man. He knew how to reward loyalty and his recommendation helped me move up in the army. My late father spoke very highly of his Lordship.”
Dermot took another sip of brandy just as Gerda Havelock came into the living room and announced that dinner was served.
“Hope you like my roast lamb with mint sauce. It’s Percy’s favourite.”
Dermot nodded and smiled. He got up and followed the older couple to the dining room.
— — —
That night, before he went to bed, Dermot re-read some portions of Slattery’s memoir. Something that the major had said made him uneasy. As he read further, he finally realised what it was. The next morning, Dermot went to the telegraph office and sent two telegrams, marked urgent, to Elmer Griffin in Pretoria.
Chapter 24: Things Fall into Place
It was the day of Henrietta Howard’s annual garden party, which was always held on the vicar’s birthday and always followed a service of thanksgiving. Dermot was looking forward to hearing Reverend Howard’s sermon. When he entered the church, he was surprised to see that it was filled to capacity – it looked like the whole village was there. He looked ahead and saw the two elderly sisters from the manor seated in the front row that was always reserved for them, along with Cora and Hector Fitzhugh. Henrietta began playing the church organ and the service began.
The vicar’s sermon was about God’s divine providence existing even in hard times, such as that which the village was currently facing. After the service, the Fitzhugh family departed because they were in mourning, and the remaining congregation went to the vicarage garden for the party.
A Bloody Hot Summer Page 19
