Oliver rose abruptly. ‘I’ll tell Father about Jago, then we’re on our way.’
***
In the library they found Bolingbrooke seated cross-legged on the floor, leafing through an enormous stack of paperwork. He looked up quickly as they came in. ‘It has to be in here somewhere,’ he said.
Nero and Rufus had retreated into the furthest corner, away from him, as if they knew that when he started working like that, they had better make themselves scarce for the time being.
Guinevere studied Bolingbrooke’s whirlwind leafing a moment, a frown over her eyes. ‘What are you looking for?’
‘Something on that ruddy goblet of course. This is all photocopies of documentation from my ancestors. Letters, registries, deeds of ownership, marriage contracts. The originals are kept safely, as they call it, at the headquarters of the historical society. Can you imagine those prigs taking away my own papers? But anyway, I have this now and it’s not fragile and breaking apart when you touch it. So I can be quick. Aha, here. Oh. No, that’s a goblet but not the right one.’
‘So there are several?’ Oliver asked.
Bolingbrooke looked at him. ‘There are several goblets mentioned among the paperwork, yes. I wasn’t sure that the goblet with the rubies and diamonds was actually here. But I didn’t mind this Mr Vex writing about it. I thought he might pull some extra people this way. You keep saying we need to draw in tourists. Well …’
‘So Mr Vex informed you of the article he was about to publish.’
‘No, the magazine did. I think they were slightly worried that crowds would rush this way and I would be angry about it and take it out on them. They called me last week. Said it was all speculation and it was indicated in the article. I asked them to send me a copy so I could see for myself. And they did.’
Guinevere was stunned. ‘So you actually read it. Ahead of time. You know what clues Vex has.’
Her mind whirled. Did that also mean Bolingbrooke had been able to work out the goblet’s hiding place?
Bolingbrooke waved a dismissive hand. ‘Well, I wasn’t the only one. Wadencourt knew for sure Vex had it figured wrong. So he read the article. Probably even before I did.’
Max had said somebody else had figured out the clues for Wadencourt. Was there some vital lead in Vex’s innocuous-looking article anyway? ‘You read it? So you have it here?’
Bolingbrooke overturned a paper and read. ‘Hmmm, no, this isn’t the right goblet either. A couple of centuries worth of possessions in here. Doesn’t make it any easier.’
‘If you had just put things into a computer,’ Oliver said. ‘Then all you’d have to do now was search for the right keyword.’
Bolingbrooke grimaced. ‘I can manage.’ He pulled a stack towards him, which collapsed with a crash, sending papers sliding under the table. Dolly ran over and nuzzled them.
‘Jago,’ Bolingbrooke said crawling under the table to retrieve his papers. His voice sounded dampened as he continued, ‘I saw activity on the beach. From the tower, with my field glasses. I saw you carry a body onto the beach. Jago’s boat was moored there, at the pier, so it wasn’t hard to guess the rest. The island was full of talk about his drinking lately.’
Bolingbrooke appeared again with the recovered papers. He rearranged them, his eyes sad. But his mouth was firm as he continued, ‘You shouldn’t try and protect me all of the time, Oliver. I’m not old and fragile. My heart can still stand a shock or two.’
Oliver didn’t reply. His posture betrayed he would rather have avoided this moment a bit longer. His father seemed to be taking it well, but as Oliver was cut from the same no-talk-about-feelings cloth, he could no doubt guess that the casual behaviour was just an act.
Guinevere asked quickly, ‘Meraud told me that Jago had borrowed a book from her, about Cornisea, about genealogy, and the Bolingbrooke family. Jago intended to show it to someone here on Cornisea. Was he going to show it to you?’ They might as well start their elimination process right here and now.
Bolingbrooke blinked. ‘To me? What on earth for? I have enough material here.’ He gestured around him. ‘And I’d never ask Jago to borrow anything from Meraud. You know how that stubborn woman and I don’t see eye to eye about anything.’
Guinevere sighed. That much was true. ‘I just don’t understand where the book can be now. It was not in his boat or on his person. So if he did bring it here last night, for this supposed meeting with someone, where is it?’
‘Maybe he handed it over before he died?’ Oliver held her gaze a moment.
Guinevere wondered if he was thinking the same thing as she was. Had the person who had accepted the book got rid of Jago? Because of what the book said, about Lady Rose and the goblet? Had the same person then gone to find the goblet and take the stones?
Bolingbrooke said, ‘If that book is somehow related to the quest for the goblet, it’s logical to assume Jago wanted to show it to someone interested in the goblet. Wadencourt, his photographer, or Lady Serena. Her mother has been here, several times. Allegedly for a holiday but in truth to look around for her so-called property. At the time she engaged Jago to show her around. I think he also put her in touch with a cartographer who has a collection about Cornisea.’
Guinevere held his gaze. ‘But Lady Serena’s mother never found anything? Max said that the places where the stones had been were rusty and they might have been removed earlier. Suppose it happened around the time Lady Serena’s mother was here?’
‘That doesn’t make sense,’ Bolingbrooke said with a shake of the head. ‘If her mother has the gemstones, there wouldn’t have been any need for Lady Serena to return here now.’
Oliver said, ‘But consider this: Lady Serena’s mother might have told her to go see Jago and ask for his help now that they want to make a claim again.’
Guinevere nodded thoughtfully. ‘That’s possible. We should ask Lady Serena if she’s been in touch with Jago and knows anything about the book he borrowed from Meraud. About a possible connection between that book and the goblet’s finding place. Do you have any idea where Lady Serena is staying?’
‘Probably in the best five-star hotel in the region,’ Bolingbrooke said with a grimace. ‘Nothing is good enough for her.’
Oliver pulled out his mobile phone and placed a call. He asked for Lady Serena.
Bolingbrooke looked at Guinevere with a hitched brow. ‘Does he have the best five-star hotel in the region on call?’
Oliver thanked someone and disconnected. He smiled at them. ‘Lady Serena is staying at the B&B here on the island. Which means she could have met Jago here last night or even early in the morning.’
‘Lady Serena staying at the B&B?’ Bolingbrooke echoed in disbelief. ‘I know it was changed after the Morgans left, but … It can’t be to a fancy city woman’s taste.’
‘Which makes it all the more interesting to find out why she’s staying there.’ Oliver gestured at Guinevere. ‘Are you coming? Time for a stroll down the hill and a casual talk with the new proprietor about her distinguished guest, before we tackle the lady herself.’
‘If you’re thinking of accusing Lady Serena of anything,’ Bolingbrooke called after them, ‘you’d better make sure you have evidence to back it up. She has a whole arsenal of lawyers to draw on, and I don’t want to get into a pointless lawsuit that will just suck us dry. Oliver! Oliver! Did you hear me?’
Oliver grinned at Guinevere. But he was serious when he said, ‘He’s right, you know. We have to tread carefully. Lady Serena is a powerful woman.’
‘Powerful enough to think she can kill someone and get away with it?’
Chapter Seven
The B&B door had been painted a bright blue. Pots with lavender stood on either side. In the entry hall the reception desk was covered with wood panelling and there were seaside views on the walls. A woman with a shock of blonde hair and make-up in pastels stood leaned over the registry. She looked up as Oliver and Guinevere cam
e in. ‘Well, hello there. The new arrivals? Oh, what a cute dog. What’s his name?’
‘Her name’s Dolly.’
The woman leaned over the counter and cooed, ‘Hello there. You’re a cutie.’ Then she gestured at the registry. ‘If you’d care to write down your names and addresses right here. A small formality. Then I can offer you the welcome cream tea. The scones from our local bakery are delicious. It’s all set up in that room.’
Through an arch Guinevere caught a glimpse of a table set with fine china and a vase full of pink peonies.
Dolly squeaked as if she already smelled the scones on offer.
Oliver said, ‘I’m Oliver Bolingbrooke of Cornisea Castle. We just talked on the phone.’
‘Oh, right.’ She reached out her hand. ‘Mildred Reeves. My husband and I have taken over this place. We’re not completely set up like we want to, but we’ve come a long way.’ She gestured up to the ceiling where Guinevere detected plaster flowers and crowns in the four corners. Gold leaf added some accents.
Mildred enthused, ‘A friend of my husband made those. So good with his hands.’ She smiled at Guinevere. ‘And you are Mrs Bolingbrooke?’
‘This is a friend from London, helping out for the summer at the castle. Guinevere Evans.’ Oliver gestured at Guinevere and continued in the same breath, ‘So Lady Serena is staying here?’
‘Yes.’ Mildred beamed. ‘We are so hoping she’ll recommend us to all of her friends. We know the rooms here aren’t big and we don’t have a spa and all, but the island is a great place to stay, really authentic. And we did hire a chef to do the cooking at night. French cuisine it is, like you are in Marseille.’
‘Why come to Cornisea if you want to eat French food?’ Oliver asked.
Mildred seemed stunned a moment. ‘Well, people like to be treated, don’t they. And we try and give that to them. Having a B&B has been our dream for so long. My husband retired early so we could buy this.’
‘That must have been wonderful,’ Guinevere said quickly although she was a little taken aback by the changes compared to the way in which the old B&B had looked. ‘And Lady Serena now choosing your place to stay … She must have brought a ton of things and some people to assist her.’
‘No, she’s here all alone.’ Mildred lowered her voice to a conspirational whisper. ‘I was surprised at that, you know. I had thought she would bring a friend or maybe even a maid. But she didn’t have a lot with her and she’s travelling all alone.’
‘Maybe she knows people here on the island,’ Guinevere suggested cheerfully to keep the talkative hostess chatting.
‘I didn’t have that impression.’ Mildred frowned. ‘I don’t think she has ever been here before. She took all the brochures that we have there.’ She pointed at a rack with information about the region. ‘And she asked who knew a lot about regional history.’
‘So you sent her to The Cowled Sleuth,’ Guinevere said, naming Meraud’s bookshop. ‘That’s a treasure trove for local information.’
‘I mentioned it to her, but she said she wanted to talk to someone who had lived here for all of his life. Who knew everything that had ever happened here.’
Guinevere’s heart skipped a beat.
‘Like Jago Trevelyan?’ Oliver supplied.
‘Yes, she seemed to have heard of him already. At least, I had that impression when I mentioned his name.’
Mildred looked puzzled a moment, then shook her head. ‘I was busy you know. The phone kept ringing and it’s so awkward having a conversation when you’re not fully focused on it. On her. I was so happy with a guest like that and then you have …’ Her cheeks flushed, and her hand came up to fidget with her necklace of large pink see-through beads that matched the colours in her patterned jacket.
Oliver asked, ‘Lady Serena wasn’t satisfied with your services?’
‘Oh, no, it wasn’t me. Us. The B&B. It was that terrible man. He came in here and started a row with her.’
‘A man started a row with Lady Serena?’ Guinevere pounced at once. ‘Jago?’
‘No, I would have kicked him out of here.’
‘But you didn’t kick out this man?’ Oliver surmised.
‘I couldn’t. He’s a guest as well.’ Mildred spoke low while she kept pulling on her necklace. ‘He checked in two hours before Lady Serena did. She wasn’t glad to see him. She asked him to leave, but he refused. I think they knew each other in London and she had hoped never to see him again. That they had to run into each other here in my B&B of all places!’
‘And what was his name?’ Oliver asked.
Mildred gave him a prim look. ‘We keep our guests’ information confidential.’
Oliver said, ‘But Lady Serena is at the police station right now to make a statement.’
‘About their fight in here? She is complaining about my B&B?’ Mildred gave such a vicious tug at the necklace that it broke and the beads rained to the floor. She turned fiery red as she leaned down to collect them.
Guinevere held Dolly back so the inquisitive dachshund wouldn’t go after a rolling bead.
Mildred panted for breath as she crawled across the floor collecting the beads. ‘Oh, why does this have to happen when we’ve just opened and are still building our reputation?’
She halted a moment to spy for any missed beads. ‘I’m sure though Lady Serena will explain to the police it was all Mr Vex’s doing.’
‘Mr Vex?’ Oliver and Guinevere echoed in unison.
Dolly perked her ears up and yapped in support.
Mildred looked at them. ‘Why, yes, do you know him?’
‘My father has had some trouble with him as well,’ Oliver said smoothly. ‘And he’s on the island now? Staying here?’
‘Yes, he checked in yesterday around three. And when Lady Serena arrived, he was waiting for her.’ Mildred rose to her feet and counted the beads in her palm.
Guinevere asked, ‘Could you hear what their argument was about?’
‘First thing she said was that he had a lot of nerve to show up here.’
‘Aha. And more?’
‘They walked out of the door. But I watched them and she was waving her hand at him and arguing and he tried to touch her but she brushed him off.’
Guinevere nodded. ‘I see.’ It sounded quite personal for two people who had just run into each other after a casual acquaintance in London. What was the relation between Mr Vex and Lady Serena? Had they agreed to meet here? ‘And what did they do after that?’
‘They left. They haven’t eaten here either. I had prepared such a lovely menu.’ Mildred looked dejected that her efforts to provide haute cuisine had gone to waste.
Oliver asked, ‘What time did they get back to go up to their rooms?’
‘I don’t know.’ Mildred returned to the desk and put the beads from her broken necklace into a small metal bowl. ‘The door is open until eleven, and after that guests have to let themselves in with a special key.’
‘And they had access to this special key?’
‘We have several that guests can take along. So yes, I think both of them had such a key.’
Oliver looked at Guinevere. She bet he was thinking the same thing she was. Lady Serena and Mr Vex, who had written about the goblet in that gardening magazine, had both been on the island the night before, away from the B&B, and nobody knew for sure at what time they had returned.
They could have met Jago.
They could have been present when he met his end.
Either one of them could even have actively participated in giving Jago that end.
Opportunity. And motive if the elusive goblet had been at stake.
Guinevere asked, ‘How did Lady Serena seem this morning at breakfast?’
‘She didn’t come down to the room so I took her breakfast up to her. She looked terrible, complaining about a headache. But right after that she left in a hurry. Then she didn’t look ill at all.’
Oliv
er nodded at Guinevere. Lady Serena had gone to fetch LeFevre and make her claim about the goblet at the castle. Why had she first let breakfast be brought to her and why had she then rushed off?
‘And Mr Vex?’ Oliver asked.
‘He was in the breakfast room. He was piling scrambled eggs onto his plate and said to me everything looked and smelled so good.’ Mildred grimaced. ‘I guess he was trying to make up for the bad impression he made the other day getting into this row with Lady Serena, but I didn’t buy into it. I don’t like him.’ She crossed her arms over her chest.
‘So he was in a good mood?’ Guinevere asked.
‘Yes, looking bright and ready for the day. In an exaggerated way.’
‘Triumphant maybe?’ Oliver suggested.
‘Yes, you could call it that. I suspected him of having something to do with the fact that Lady Serena rushed off. I thought he had insulted her again. I was horrified at the idea of this taking place in my B&B. All of our savings are in it. My husband wasn’t really happy about that. He had wanted to travel when he retired. I talked him into buying this. With all of the changes I went a little over budget perhaps.’ Mildred’s worried gaze travelled to the gold leaf on the plaster overhead. ‘But if you do something, you have to do it right.’
‘And where’s Mr Vex now?’ Oliver asked to lead the conversation back to what they were here for.
‘I have no idea at all. He left right after breakfast. He was carrying a big bag like you use for golf clubs.’
‘Golf clubs? But you can’t play golf here on Cornisea.’
‘That’s what it looked like.’
Oliver thanked her and gestured to Guinevere to leave. Outside he said, ‘She need not have put all of her savings into it, gone over budget too, to make all those changes. It was nice enough the way it was. Did you see that over-the-top plaster with the gold touches? Like she was re-creating a palace. It’s just a country B&B.’
‘She wanted to put her own stamp onto it, I guess. She did a good job with the cream tea. It looked really inviting.’
Oliver shook his head with a tight expression. ‘Kensa would feel like the B&B as she ran it wasn’t good enough.’
Rubies Among the Roses Page 9
