The Captive

by Виктория Холт

“Let’s go into the inn. Tell them I took a toss. I can’t let them know what really happened yet.”

  “Who was it, Rosetta?”

  “It was Major Durrell.”

  “What?”

  I put my hand to my throat.

  “He had a tie … he was going to strangle me. It was round my throat. I thought I couldn’t stop him. But I … managed … somehow … and I got away. He couldn’t catch me. I ran faster than he did.”

  He stared at my throat.

  “There are bruises,” he said.

  “Rosetta … what in God’s name is this all about?”

  “I want to talk to you, Lucas. I’ve got the answer … I think. It hasn’t been in vain.”

  I got up behind him and we rode back to the inn. My thoughts were in such a jumble that I did not know where to begin. I was deeply shocked, trembling violently, but I

  knew that something had to be done . quickly. And I had to get Lucas’s help.

  “Don’t talk till we get to the inn,” he said.

  “A good strong brandy would be the thing for you. You are shaking, Rosetta.”

  “I don’t get nearly murdered every day,” I said with an attempt at humour.

  The innkeeper’s wife came running out, followed by her husband.

  “My patience me!” she cried.

  “When I saw that horse coming without you . well, I was in a shocking state really!”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “I wasn’t badly hurt.”

  “Let’s get Miss Cranleigh inside,” said Lucas.

  “And I think some brandy, please. That’s the best for her.”

  “Right away, sir,” said the host.

  “I’m glad to see you in one piece. Miss,” said his wife.

  “I shouldn’t have thought that Goldie would have played tricks like that … and then to come walking back, meek as you like.”

  “I’m glad she came here,” said Lucas.

  “A real bit of luck.”

  I was in the inn parlour, the brandy was brought, and at last I was alone with Lucas.

  “I’ll begin at the beginning. I’ve been careless. I ought to have guessed something …”

  I told him about the wine.

  “You see, he intended to drug me and throw me over the cliff, as he did in the case of the sailor who was without doubt Mirabel’s husband and had come back to spoil her chances at Perrivale. But Kate came and foiled his plan and at Perrivale this morning when your groom came over he heard me make arrangements to come here this afternoon. So he waylaid me.”

  “That was a daring thing to do.”

  “Yes, it would have been so much easier with the wine,

  but I think he thought he had to act quickly. He was annoyed, I realize now, when Kate spoiled that plan which would have been so much easier to carry out. “

  I told him about our visit to Ada Ferrers and what we had discovered through her.

  “But,” I said, ‘it was the visit to the nursing home which betrayed me. You see, I mentioned Mrs. Parry . “

  Lucas caught his breath, “I knew it was foolish, as soon as I said it. But I was caught up … and so embarrassed. I had only meant to look at the place. I made such a mess of it. But he must have known her fairly well and that was why he sent Mirabel there … and she described me and then he knew that I was on the track and he planned to get rid of me … just as he had the sailor.”

  “So you think he killed Cosmo?”

  “Yes.”

  “I thought you’d selected Tristan for that.”

  “I don’t know whether he was concerned in it, too. Oh … by the way, he said something about Harry Tench. He said I’d been talking to him or something like that. He was the one who came under suspicion in the beginning and was quickly dismissed by the police. He’s the farm hand who lost his cottage because of Cosmo and hated him for it. He could of course have witnessed the murder.”

  “How … ?”

  “Because it took place in Bindon Boys and that is where Harry Tench sleeps. He made the derelict farm his home … since he had no other. Lucas … that’s what we have to do quickly … we have to talk to Harry Tench. We have to do it now.”

  “I’m going to take you back to Trecorn. You can’t go back to Perrivale after this. That’s the first thing.”

  “No, Lucas. I couldn’t rest. I’ve got to see Harry Tench, and I want you to come with me.”

  “When?”

  “Now … without a moment’s delay. Who knows? We may have delayed too long already.”

  “My dear Rosetta. You have just been nearly murdered. You’re deeply shocked.”

  “I can think about that afterwards. I know this is important. I’ve got to see him. I’ve got to talk to him without delay.”

  “Do you think you’ll be all right… ?”

  “I wouldn’t be all right if I didn’t go. I should be tortured by what might be happening. Already the Major may have gone to him.”

  “Look … I’ll go alone.”

  “No, Lucas. This is my affair. I started it and I want to be in at the end. I hope this is the end.”

  He could see that I was determined and at length he agreed that we should go to Bindon Boys together.

  I mounted Goldie. I was feeling shaken but somehow buoyed up by the thought of further revelations.

  The farmhouse looked more desolate than ever. We dismounted. The front door was open. It was a long time since the lock had disappeared. The place sent a shiver down my spine. I kept thinking of Cosmo’s coming here and facing death. I had very recently been made aware of how that could feel. I had faced it before, but it was not the same when one was being threatened by the elements. To be fighting for one’s life against a murderer is a different experience.

  A streak of sunshine shone through the dirty window. It accentuated the cobwebs and the accumulation of dirt and dust on the floor.

  “Are you there?” called Lucas. His voice echoed through the house and there was no answer.

  I pointed to the stairs and Lucas nodded.

  We were on the landing and the three doors faced us.

  We opened one. The room was empty; but when we tried the next we found him there, lying on a pile of old clothes. He put his hand up to his face as though to shield himself.

  “Hello, Harry,” said Lucas.

  “Don’t be afraid. We’ve just come to talk.”

  He lifted his head and leaned on his elbow. He was dirty, unkempt and very thin. I felt a surge of pity for him.

  “What you want?” he muttered.

  “Just a word or two,” said Lucas.

  He looked bewildered.

  Lucas went on: “It’s about the day Mr. Cosmo Perrivale was killed.”

  Harry was really frightened now.

  “I don’t know nothing. I weren’t here. I didn’t do it. I told ‘em I didn’t.”

  “We know you didn’t do it. Harry,” I said.

  “We know it was the Major.”

  He stared at me.

  “Yes,” said Lucas.

  “So it doesn’t matter about keeping quiet any more.”

  “What do you know about it. Harry?” I asked gently.

  “He robbed me of my ‘ome, didn’t he? What ‘arm was I doing? The place stood empty for three months after … my little ‘ome …”

  “It was cruel,” I said soothingly.

  “And then you came here.”

  “There was nowhere else. It was a roof. And then they was going to do it up … I stayed here … I wasn’t going till I ‘ad to.”

  “Of course not. And you were here on that day.”

  He didn’t answer.

  I said: “It’s all right now. You can talk. The Major has told me now so it doesn’t matter.”

  “He were good to me, he were. I wouldn’t have been able to get by but for ‘im.”

  “Payment for your silence?” asked Lucas.

  “He said not to tell. He said I’d be all right then. He
said

  he’d kill me if I told . in a jokey sort of way . like he always had. ” He shook his head, smiling. I could see that the Major had charmed him, too.

  “Tell us what happened on that day. Harry,” I said.

  “You sure … ?”

  “Yes,” I replied.

  “The Major knows I know. So it’s all right for you to talk.”

  “You sure … ?” he said again.

  “Oh yes … quite sure.”

  “I want to be left alone.”

  “You will be … when you’ve told us.”

  “I didn’t do it.”

  “I know you didn’t and nobody said you did.”

  “They asked questions.”

  “And they released you. They knew you didn’t do it.”

  “I didn’t tell them what I see.”

  “No. But you’re going to tell us.”

  Harry scratched his head.

  “I mind that day … never forget it. Dream about it sometimes. It was being ‘ere when it happened. Can’t get it out of me ‘cad.”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “I was ‘ere. I didn’t know when they was coming in to measure an’ all that. But there was always time when I heard ‘em come in to slip down the back staircase to the back door and out.”

  “And you heard Mr. Cosmo come in.”

  “No, it weren’t Mr. Cosmo who come first. It was the Major. That’s why I didn’t get right away. I thought it was one of them coming to measure up. I didn’t expect to see the Major.”

  “What did he do?”

  “Well … he came in and went over to the door what leads down to the basement. He opened it and went in. I wondered what ‘e were doing in the basement. But he didn’t go down … couldn’t have. He was just waiting behind the door. Then Mr. Cosmo came in. There wasn’t a word spoke.

  I saw the basement door open. The Major stood there. He lifted the gun and shot Mr. Cosmo. “

  “Then what happened?”

  “Mr. Cosmo fell to the floor and the Major came out and he put the gun right down by Mr. Cosmo. I was on the landing, wondering what to do when Mr. Simon come in. The Major had gone then … and Mr. Simon picks up the gun just as Mr. Tristan comes in and finds ‘im standing there with the gun in his hand. Mr. Tristan was very upset so was Mr. Simon. Mr. Tristan starts shouting and says Mr. Simon’s killed his brother … and Simon says Mr. Cosmo was dead when he come in … and I thought it was time I got out. So I went out… down the back staircase.”

  “So you were a witness of the murder,” said Lucas.

  “And the Major … how did he know that you’d seen it all?” I asked. “Cos he’d caught a look at me up there on the landing. He didn’t give a sign he’d seen me … not then … only after. I wasn’t at Bindon then. I was over at Chivers. Old Chivers said he didn’t mind me sleeping in one of his barns. The Major gave me money and said he’d kill me if I told the police I’d seen him. Old Chivers were good to me. I knew I’d have to find some place when they started on Bindon but they never did after all that.”

  “Harry,” said Lucas, ‘will you tell this to the police? “

  He shrank from us.

  “I don’t want none of that.”

  “But you will. You’ll have to.”

  He shook his head.

  “You should,” I said.

  “It’s your duty.”

  His face crumpled.

  “It’ll do you no harm,” said Lucas.

  “Look, Harry, you come along and talk to the police, and I tell you what I’ll do. I’ll ask my brother if he can find a little place for you on Trecorn estate. Perhaps you could give a hand now and then on some of the farms. I’m sure there’d be work for you to do somewhere and you’d have your own little cottage. “

  He stared at Lucas unbelievingly.

  “I don’t want you to think it has anything to do with this. I’m sorry that you had the bad luck to be turned out of your home. I’ll speak to my brother in any case, but please … please come along and tell the police this.”

  “And if I don’t, you won’t get this place for me?”

  Lucas said: “I didn’t say anything of the sort. I’m going to try and get this place for you whatever you do. I’ll ask my brother and I am sure when he hears how helpful you’ve been he’ll want to do all he can. I’ll do it in any case. I promise you. But you should talk to the police.”

  “We shall have to tell them what you’ve told us. Harry,” I explained.

  “It’s our duty to. You see, an innocent man has been blamed for what he didn’t do. So we have to. The police will question you. You have to tell them the truth this time. It’s a criminal offence not to.”

  “I ain’t no criminal. I didn’t do nothing. It were the Major. He were the one who fired the shot.”

  “Yes, I know. And you are going to tell the truth when they ask you.”

  “When?” asked Harry.

  “I think,” said Lucas, ‘now. “

  “I can’t.”

  “Yes, you can,” said Lucas.

  “You’re going to ride on the back of my horse, and we are going to take you there … now.”

  How right he was. We must get there before the Major had time to get to Harry. I wondered what he would do now that his attempt to murder me had failed.

  “All right,” said Harry.

  The Return

  The months which followed were some of the most wretched I have ever known. I witnessed much of the unhappiness at Perrivale Court, and I knew that, although I had acted as I had to bring justice to an innocent man, I was to a large extent responsible for this misery.

  On the very day when the Major had attempted to take my life he had gone back to the Dower House and taken his own.

  He had realized that when I had escaped from him, I had taken from him his only chance of surviving in the manner which was important to him.

  When I had run out of the wood I had destroyed all that he had spent his life trying to achieve. He had been ready to murder to keep it.

  When I looked back and had all the pieces of the puzzle in their place, I could see how much more sophisticated had been his plan to drug me and throw me over the cliff, as had been his first intention.

  It was ironic that the granddaughter who so dearly loved him and whom he loved should have been the one to defeat him. His plan had failed on a flimsy coincidence. She had happened to see me leave the house and followed me. If she had not, my death would have been just another mystery.

  The second method was not so clever. But of course he had had to plan hastily. He dared not let me live. He was afraid of what information I might pass on to Lucas. I had betrayed myself so utterly when I had visited the nursing home run by one of his friends. He must have been in a panic. He had to dispose of me before I reached The Sailor King. He was convinced, I think, that Harry Tench had betrayed him.

  I often wondered what he would have done if he had succeeded. Hidden my body in the copse . perhaps let my horse wander away? Perhaps throw her over the cliff with me, so that it would appear to be an accident. Fate worked against him when Goldie escaped and went to the inn to which she had been so many times.

  A great deal was revealed about him and that was very distressing for the family at Perrivale, for there was no doubt that he had been greatly loved by his daughter as well as by Kate. He had been popular everywhere, which was an indication of how complex human nature can be when one considered that he was a cold-blooded murderer as well as a caring family man. His whole life was based on fantasy. He had never been a major as he had led everyone to believe, but he had served in one of the Army’s catering corps as a sergeant-major. He had been cashiered from the Army because of certain nefarious deals regarding stores in which he had been involved. He had narrowly escaped prison.

  He was an extraordinary man, a man of great charisma who should have been successful. He had been a devoted husband and the welfare of his daughter was very important to him, so m
uch so that he was ready to murder for it.

  A certain amount of this information came out through the Press, but there was a good deal I learned later. He had left a note at the Dower House before he shot himself. He was anxious that his daughter and her family should not be involved in any way. He only was to blame.

  He had known that Cosmo would be at Bindon Boys that day and had waylaid him. Cosmo had had to go because he had discovered that Mirabel had been unfaithful to him with his own brother Tristan and he was threatening to make trouble and destroy everything that had been so carefully planned. Lady Perrivale, who had considered the

  Major to be her greatest friend, had confided to him that Sir Edward had confessed to a previous marriage. Thus, when Simon had been accused of Cosmo’s murder, it had seemed like a heaven-sent opportunity to remove him from the scene when he would cease to be a threat to Mirabel’s future.

  It was Mirabel herself who made me understand a great deal of this, for I became very close to her during the months that followed. The death of the Major had affected the Dowager Lady Perrivale so greatly that she had had a stroke and a few days later had died. Maria had then gone back to Yorkshire, so the household had changed considerably. Lady Perrivale had not been the only one deeply affected by the Major’s death. Kate was in such a state of depression, brought about by the death of her grandfather, that I was the only one who could rouse her from it. I found myself drawn into the family circle, and when the revelations about her father were made known by the Press, Mirabel seemed to find some comfort in talking to me.

  There was no longer any pretence. She was quite humble. It was all her fault, she said. She had made such a mess of her life. Her father had wanted so much for her. He had done everything for her.

  She had been barely seventeen when she had married Steve Tallon. That was before her father had been turned out of the Army. Feeling it to be a respectable way of life, he had apprenticed her to a milliner.

  She had hated the life.

  “Cooped up in rooms with three other girls all learning the trade,” she said.

  “Long hours at the workbench … no freedom. How I hated the sight of hats! I met Steve when I was out making a delivery. Not that we had much opportunity of meeting people. I used to creep out at night to be with him. The girls used to help me. It was a relief from the tedium. I was headstrong and so foolish. I thought I’d be free if I married him. He was only about a year older than I was.