by Jessie Keane
‘If you can accompany us to the station, Mr Miller, and assist us with our enquiries . . .?’
‘You what? What enquiries?’
‘It’s pertaining to a robbery. And Miss Darke, is she here . . .?’
‘I’m here,’ said Ruby, stepping forward.
‘Both of you, please. Quick as you can.’
Kit and Ruby looked at each other. ‘Daisy . . .’ started Ruby, snatching her coat from the hall stand.
Kit looked at Fats and Daniel. This was Daniel’s brother they’d been talking about. But Kit reckoned he knew where Daniel’s loyalties lay. He lowered his voice so that only Fats and Daniel could hear him.
‘Get to Daisy. Hear me? Get to her quick and make sure she’s safe.’
105
It had been a frightening drive down to the Hampshire countryside. Leon was a crazy driver, darting at breakneck speed between cars, shooting through gaps that Daisy herself would never have attempted. All the while, he’d been talking. And none of what he’d said made her feel good.
‘I bet it was nice, wasn’t it?’ he asked her.
‘What?’ she snapped back, grimly tensed for impact as he swerved the Mini around a ten-ton truck.
‘Growing up in the lap of luxury.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ said Daisy.
‘Yeah, you do.’ He glanced at her.
Look at the road, you fool, thought Daisy. Keep your damned eyes on the road!
‘I mean, being raised in the ancestral pile. Nice place, yeah?’
Daisy didn’t reply. Everything Leon said was sneering and sour. They’d passed Ashok coming into the drive as they were coming out, and Daisy had cursed her luck. If she’d come downstairs ten minutes later, she’d have avoided this and been sitting here with Ashok instead. She watched the road, and wished a police car would come on the scene, wished someone could tell this idiot to slow down.
‘Must have been good, getting the full five-star treatment,’ he said.
Daisy’d had enough. She swivelled in her seat and stared at him. ‘What the hell are you talking about?’ she asked hotly. ‘Why do you have to mock things all the time? What’s wrong with you?’
‘Me?’ Leon grinned, and she could see he was pleased he’d got a rise out of her at last. ‘Nothing wrong with me, Daisy. Just wondering what it must be like to have all that. As opposed to nothing.’
Daisy straightened in her seat. The road flashed by, cars honked. Christ, she’d be so glad when they got to the house.
‘Your family are OK,’ she said, thinking of his dad, Harry. She’d loved Harry. He’d been so welcoming to her, right from day one.
‘What? My mum’s a whore and my “dad” was a washout. A nobody, all his life.’
Daisy was startled by that. ‘Harry was a nice man.’
‘Where the fuck does “nice” get you in this world?’
‘It gets you further than being a complete pain in the neck,’ said Daisy.
‘Is that a dig?’
‘Take it how you want.’
They’d turned off the main roads now and Leon was speeding along curving country lanes. Daisy was tense as a bowstring, anticipating tractors, horses, bikers. Any one of which could spell disaster. They careered over the bridge where the gin-clear river fed the watercress beds, and she nearly cried with relief when he turned the Mini into Brayfield’s drive. They shot past the gatehouse and Leon roared on up the driveway, bringing the Mini to a skidding halt inches from the Neptune fountain at the front of the house.
‘Whewee!’ he said, killing the engine, looking up at the vast building in front of them. ‘What a place, eh?’
Daisy pulled her hands through her hair, feeling shattered. ‘You’re a moron, Leon,’ she said tiredly, reaching for the door.
Leon shot out a hand and stopped her. Daisy looked at him.
Leon leaned in close. His face wasn’t friendly. ‘You had all this,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘And I had fuck-all.’
‘Leon—’ Daisy started, not knowing what to say.
‘Poor little sis, so bewildered by it all,’ Leon pouted.
He saw the question in her eyes and shook his head.
‘I’m not calling you that because you were married to Rob – briefly. God, that was sad, wasn’t it? Poor old Rob. But not to worry, I think Daniel’s ready and willing to step into the breach.’
‘That’s a filthy thing to say,’ spat Daisy.
‘But true, yeah? Just like it’s true that you’re my sister, Daisy. You and me, we got the same blood, but you did better out of it than me, didn’t you?’
Daisy stared at him. ‘You’re mad,’ she said, hoping that Ivan or Vanessa would have heard the car on the drive and would come to investigate. She’d always found Leon annoying, but today he was behaving so strangely. And he was talking crazy too. She actually felt threatened by him.
‘Not mad, no. Given the shitty end of the stick? Oh yes. Certainly.’
‘What do you mean?’
Leon released her hand. His grip had been crushing. Daisy flexed her fingers.
‘Oooh, sorry, did I hurt woo?’ Leon asked in a baby voice, pooching his lips. Mocking her.
He was always taking the piss. She was sick of it.
‘You didn’t hurt me, Leon. You just do my head in, that’s all. Now explain to me what you’re saying. It doesn’t make any sense.’
‘Well, how can I say this delicately?’ Leon made a face as if thinking. He tapped his chin. ‘Got it. Right.’ He turned to her with a bright smile. ‘Once upon a time, about twenty-four years ago, your father fucked my mother. They had an itsy-witsy baby boy: me. So my lovely “dad” as you put it, is not my dad at all.’
106
Daisy was shaking her head. ‘You’re telling me that my father had an affair with Eunice? How is that possible? How could he have even known her?’
‘What, how could he have known a common little nobody like her? Well, she skivvied up at the family pile in London. And bad old Cornelius no doubt saw my mother’s very appealing arse wobbling around the place behind a Hoover and thought, Hey, that looks good, why not shag it?’ Leon’s eyes were suddenly sharp on Daisy’s face. ‘He paid my mother to have sex with him, you know. Your dear old dad. Of course, my proper dad was a pauper. And I’m guessing a bit underpowered, sexually. So my lovely mother got a double whammy from Cornelius Bray. A nice bit of hard aristocratic cock to liven up her dull little life, and a juicy payout.’
‘This can’t be true,’ said Daisy, shocked.
‘She told me. My dear mama. On my sixteenth birthday I got a bike, I remember. I expect your dad paid for that. Never forgot that bike. Dark blue. I was standing right by it, out in the front garden, when she broke the news. Told me who I really was. It was a bright sunny day. I dropped the bike and hit her. Called her a filthy whore. Which she was, and is. And I never rode that bike. Couldn’t face it. Left it there ’til it was nicked. Which didn’t take long, where I grew up.’
‘That’s awful,’ said Daisy. Maybe it even went some way to explaining why Leon was always such a pain in the rear. ‘Did Eunice tell Harry?’
‘No.’ Leon leaned his head back and exhaled slowly. ‘But I did. On his deathbed. As the last breath was leaving his body. I was the only one in the room at that moment and I. Just. Couldn’t. Resist.’ Leon smiled as he emphasized each word. Daisy felt sick at the thought of Harry lying there, dying, having to listen to Leon’s bile. ‘He looked puzzled, that was all. He looked like the loser he was. And then he died. I would have liked more of a reaction, really.’
‘That was bloody cruel,’ said Daisy. ‘You didn’t have to do that.’
‘I sort of enjoyed it,’ said Leon, turning his head toward her, smiling. Then he looked at the house. ‘What a fucking place,’ he said, his voice low with wonder. ‘I’ve seen it before, you know. Followed my mother here, when she was putting flowers on dear old Dad’s grave.’ His head turned and once again their ey
es met. ‘You know what’s occurred to me, Daisy?’
Daisy shook her head: no.
‘This sounds a bit wicked, but bear with me. You know what?’ His voice was light, thoughtful. ‘It crossed my mind quite a long while ago that if anything happened to you, anything sort of fatal, who would get all this when Lady Bray kicked off and died?’
Daisy took a breath. Her head had gone light and her heart had speeded up to a wild pace while Leon spoke, and now she was praying for Vanessa or Ivan to show up, stop this. He must be completely insane, given the terrible things that were spewing out of his mouth.
‘And what about Kit?’ Leon mused, pursing his lips, thinking it over. ‘You were the only acknowledged child of Cornelius Bray, but then – you see – how about this? Lady Vanessa is such an honourable sort. And I’ve got a feeling she might even push things Kit’s way, if anything happened to you. Don’t you think so?’
Daisy shrugged. Christ, he really was mad.
‘They can prove parentage now, can’t they?’ Leon was saying, almost to himself. ‘Well, Cornelius Bray is lying in that mausoleum down by the lake – right over there – and my mother leaves flowers at his grave every year. I saw her do it. Again and again. Every year. Dozy cow. Probably imagined herself in love with that bastard. His remains are laid out there. So I could prove the link, couldn’t I? I could prove I’m his son, and Mummy dear would back me up, she’d agree to it in a heartbeat, she’d do anything to win back her little boy, you know.’
‘You’re mad,’ said Daisy shakily.
‘No, it all makes perfect sense. So if you had some sort of accident – such a shame, but these things do happen, don’t they – then Kit would have to go too, in case he made a claim.’
‘Patrick and me, we agreed we’d take out Rob and that stupid photographer bloke. What a twat. All I wanted was for him to carry on the drugs stuff, but he was getting jumpy. He said he reckoned Rob was on to us, that he was going to tell Kit, and so he wanted out. Oh!’ Leon sat up straight. ‘Hang on. I’m forgetting the kids. Your little twins.’ He made a clicking noise of regret with his tongue. ‘It’s not very nice, is it? But the fact is, they’d have to go too, wouldn’t they? Sad but true. Or they’d get all this – and you know what? I’m not going to let that happen. Not when I’ve finally got the chance to make things swing my way.’
She couldn’t listen to any more of this. He’d been in on killing Rob, his own brother, and that poor sod the photographer. And having told her all this, was he going to let her live? She didn’t think so, not for a moment. Daisy wrenched open the car door and scrambled out. She crossed the drive and ran up the steps, but she could hear Leon hot on her heels. He was right behind her, and coming fast.
107
Daisy let herself in with her spare key – no time to rap on the door, no time to wait for Vanessa or Jody to answer it. She flung the door open and almost fell into the hallway, pushing the door closed behind her. Or she tried to. Leon stuck his foot out and shoved forward. Daisy staggered back several paces and he came in, closing the front door quietly behind him. He was smiling.
‘What, weren’t you going to ask me in? That’s downright rude, Daisy, and I thought a girl who’d been raised in Posh Towers would know better.’
Daisy backed up until her shoulder blades hit the carved newel post at the foot of the grand staircase. Then a female voice from overhead called, ‘Daisy?’
She turned her head and there was Jody, coming down the stairs, her face curious. And – oh Christ! – there behind her came the twins, Matthew and Luke.
‘What’s going on? I didn’t expect you today,’ said Jody. She looked at Leon. ‘Oh! Hi, Leon.’
Daisy didn’t even recognize her own voice when it came out. It was ragged with panic and desperation. ‘Jody!’ She tried to calm herself. If she told Jody to call the police, or Kit, Leon could kill her right now. If she could keep him talking, keep him engaged, maybe she had a chance of survival. ‘Listen, Jody, everything’s OK. But there’s been a security alert. So go upstairs to the nursery, take the twins in there and lock the door.’
And call Kit, she thought, but daren’t say it.
Jody’s smile froze on her face and her foot hovered over the next step down. Then Daisy’s words sank in and she stepped back. Matthew was shouting ‘Mama!’ and coming down. Luke was following.
‘Do it!’ shouted Daisy when Jody hesitated. ‘Don’t let them down here!’
Jody grabbed Matthew’s hand. And Luke’s.
‘Where’s Vanessa?’ Daisy called up. And Ivan, she thought. She desperately needed Ivan, right now.
‘They went out – up to town, I think,’ said Jody, tugging the boys behind her up the stairs and along the landing. A moment later she was lost to sight. Daisy heard the nursery door shut, heard the key turn in the lock. She looked at Leon.
‘Not very sociable,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘My nephews, yeah?’
‘They’re nothing to do with you,’ said Daisy coldly. ‘Just as I am nothing to do with you.’
Leon stepped away from the door. ‘So,’ he said, flinging his arms out. ‘What now, Daisy?’
‘You’ve never been inside here before, have you?’ said Daisy, thinking fast.
‘No. Strangely enough, I’ve never been invited.’
‘Well,’ Daisy gulped, ‘let me show you around this place you covet so much and see if you still feel the same afterwards.’
Leon stared at her, and for a moment she thought he was going to say, No, don’t bother.
‘Why wouldn’t I feel the same?’ he asked instead.
‘Because it costs a fortune to run, you know. It’s crippling, keeping the place going. Vanessa’s opened part of it to the public to try and help with the running costs. But it’s a struggle.’
‘My heart bleeds.’
‘The roof needs replacing, but all we can do is patch it because of the expense involved. A total refit would run into millions.’
‘You’re making me cry,’ said Leon.
‘Come on,’ said Daisy, starting off along the hall. ‘I’ll show you.’
108
The phone was ringing at Ruby’s. Ashok picked up.
‘Can I speak to Kit?’ said a woman’s voice.
‘Who’s this?’ asked Ashok.
‘Jody. The twins’ nanny. It’s urgent.’
‘He’s not here. Nor is Ruby. Can I help?’
Jody told him about Daisy turning up with Leon, that she’d said there was a security alert, and that Daisy seemed nervous.
‘You know what? This might sound stupid, but I think she was scared of him,’ said Jody. ‘Of Leon.’
Ashok looked at the phone. He didn’t know what the fuck was going on. ‘Listen, Daniel and Fats are on their way down there. They left about an hour ago, so they should be with you soon.’
‘All right,’ said Jody, and put the phone down.
Would Leon follow? wondered Daisy. Or would he drag her to a halt and break her neck right now?
She knew he could do it. Easily.
Fear was making her tremble, but she knew she had to stay outwardly calm in order to buy as much time as she could. She walked into the blue-and-gold drawing room that led out onto the garden with the long borders. It was Vanessa’s favourite room, strictly private, never opened to public view.
Leon let out a low whistle. Daisy turned and looked at him, seeing the stark avarice in his eyes.
‘Jesus, look at this,’ he murmured.
Daisy was staring at the fireplace, wondering if she could get across the room fast enough to snatch up one of the implements hanging there. She didn’t think so. ‘It looks fabulous, I grant you, but see – the ceiling mouldings are cracked from the damp and the tapestries badly need a clean, they’re full of dust. It all costs, Leon. And it’s not cheap, not on this scale. Come on.’ Daisy walked past him, back out into the hall, and went into another room, even grander than the first, decorated in rose-gold and with muted pink brocades
on the furnishings. ‘This one doesn’t get used much. The public are allowed in here.’
‘Is that . . .?’ asked Leon, indicating a large painting hanging over the fireplace of a big, handsome, blond man wearing ermine and long flowing robes.
‘That’s my father. Cornelius Bray.’ Daisy indicated the other paintings hanging all around the walls of the big room. ‘And all these are his forebears. Grandfather. Great-grandfather. And so on, right back to the eighteenth century. That’s Vanessa, when she was twenty-one, right there.’
‘She was a looker,’ said Leon.
‘Yes. Come on,’ said Daisy, and led the way back out into the hall on unsteady legs.
What else to show him?
‘This is the library,’ she said, opening a door into a massive wood-panelled room lined with books.
‘Christ, how many books in here?’ he asked, gazing around in wonder.
‘About five thousand.’
Daisy stepped back out into the hallway. She wanted to get away from him now. He made her feel sick. He was intending to kill her, she knew that.
Leon stepped out of the library, pulling the door closed after him. Their eyes met. Hunter and hunted.
‘What’s up, Daisy?’ he asked her. ‘You going to run now?’
‘Yes,’ she said, fear and panic suddenly overwhelming her.
She ran.
109
‘How far now?’ asked Fats.
Daniel, at the wheel with his foot pressed hard on the accelerator, glanced at him. ‘Couple of miles, that’s all.’
‘You think he’s done anything?’ asked Fats.
‘I don’t know. Leon? Anything’s possible,’ said Daniel grimly, thinking of Daisy, alone and unprotected, down in the country with his fuckwit brother for company. It wasn’t a cheering thought. Bearing in mind all that he now knew, he was afraid Leon would do something desperate and that Daisy might not come out of it alive.
He floored the accelerator and hoped to Christ the police didn’t stop him. The speedo was on eighty-five miles an hour. It didn’t seem fast enough. He pushed it to ninety.
