The Case of the Missing Morris Dancer

by Cathy Ace

  The young woman smiled indulgently and said, ‘The doctor will be here in a minute,’ then she pulled aside the curtain and left.

  Carol held out a hand, as best she could, toward her husband. ‘Come over here – I don’t have as many attachments this side,’ she said gently.

  A few moments of silence ensued, and Carol thought she could sense David’s anxiety growing again. Sure enough, ‘Where the devil is that doctor?’ was out of his mouth before five minutes had passed.

  ‘She’s probably with someone who really needs her,’ said Carol.

  ‘You need her.’ David launched himself from his seat. ‘I’m going to track her down and find out what’s going on. What’s her name? Who am I looking for?’

  Carol sighed. ‘Sorry, love, the name didn’t stick. I’m sure the nurses will know. But listen, before you go stomping off, could you get permission for Mavis and Althea to pop in for a mo?’

  ‘Why?’ snapped David.

  ‘Because they are my friends and I’d like them to see that I’m OK,’ said Carol pointedly.

  David climbed off his high horse and sounded contrite when he said, ‘Oh, alright then, I don’t suppose it can do any harm. But I don’t want them tiring you out.’

  ‘We’re not all going to have a game of rounders, David. I just want a few minutes with good friends, thank you.’

  ‘Promise?’

  ‘Cross my heart – no running about the ward in my beautiful backless gown, I promise,’ said Carol with what she hoped was a whimsical smile.

  ‘Right then,’ said David as he swooshed the curtain aside then marched out of Carol’s sight.

  A couple of minutes later Carol was relieved to hear Mavis saying, ‘Knock, knock. Can we come in?’

  ‘Please do,’ said Carol, beaming as her friends entered her tiny ‘private’ space.

  ‘Good color, that’s a relief,’ were Mavis’s first words as she made her way straight to the monitors beside Carol. ‘What have they said?’

  ‘Thanks to you both for bringing David here, and for getting him so well organized,’ replied Carol. ‘They’ve said I’m fine, the baby’s fine, but they might keep me in overnight for observation. How are you?’

  ‘We’re fine too, dear,’ said Althea. ‘It’s you we were worried about. You and the baby. It’s wonderful to know they think you’re going to be alright. And one night’s not the end of the world. It’s such a relief to see you looking so healthy. What do the machines tell you, Mavis? Anything?’

  Mavis didn’t turn to look at the women. ‘Everything seems to be good,’ she said with authority. ‘All your vital signs are within normal parameters, as are those for the bairn.’ She finally gave her attention to her bedridden colleague. ‘So, tell us exactly what happened.’

  ‘I checked out the police report on the van, and discovered …’

  ‘Ach no,’ snapped Mavis. ‘Not work. You. What happened to you?’

  Carol said quietly, ‘I just slipped on a tiled floor and fell on my bum. That’s all.’

  ‘Did you lose consciousness at all?’ snapped Mavis.

  Carol knew she didn’t dare hold anything back. ‘I think I might have done, but only for a moment or so.’

  ‘And you’ve told the paramedics this, and the doctor too?’ Mavis was on a roll.

  ‘Yes, Mavis, I did. My health, and the well-being of this baby are my first priority, you know. I’m not going to tell fibs just so they’ll let me go home. There is no way I’m taking any chances with this baby.’ Carol sounded more angry than she’d meant to, but she was getting a bit fed up with people seeming to assume she didn’t understand how serious all this could have been.

  Mavis stood down from full-on bossy-nurse mode and smiled at her friend. ‘What will we do with you?’

  ‘Sorry,’ said Carol, and she meant it. She didn’t want to be in a hospital bed, and she knew the whole situation had really arisen because of her temper, but she decided to not mention that. ‘I did overhear something I think is important – I must tell you before David gets back.’

  ‘Very well then, spit it out,’ said Mavis tartly.

  ‘All my notes and photos about the van are already in emails to you all. But at the Morris farm I met Herbert Morris – Aubrey’s grandfather’s brother, and his niece, Netta Roberts. They mentioned that a female at the Morris farm was also missing and they suspected she’d be with Aubrey. I don’t know who they were referring to, but they said something along the lines of “they never stopped” which suggests to me that Aubrey and this girl had a relationship.’

  Mavis looked thoughtful, and Althea said, ‘The letters! They must be referring to Boudica.’

  ‘Boudica?’ asked Carol.

  ‘Briefly, we found some letters written in a combination of Welsh and Latin at Aubrey’s house. They were written to him as Caradoc from a Boudica. Christine’s working on the Latin translation and we were hoping you’d take a look at the Welsh.’

  ‘Happy to,’ said Carol. ‘I’m not doing anything else. Have you got them here?’

  Mavis shook her head. ‘I sent you photos. Have you got your phone?’

  ‘I made sure they brought my handbag, and my phone’s in there. I think they stuffed it behind my bed. If you could reach it for me I could do the translation while I’m sitting here …’

  ‘And what translation would that be? Something to do with a flamin’ case?’ snapped David as he reentered the suddenly-crowded curtained area. ‘You are supposed to be resting! Mavis, what are you thinking, asking her to work when our child’s life hangs in the balance.’

  Carol could tell that Mavis was struggling with her natural inclination to respond to David sharply. She was relieved when her colleague said simply, ‘No, I am not asking her to work. I simply wanted to check that certain information had got through to her on email.’

  You’re a pretty good liar, Mavis, thought Carol, relaxing a little as her husband’s face softened.

  ‘Hmm, well, alright then. But no work. No way. Agreed?’

  Both Mavis and Carol nodded their agreement, leading David to raise his eyebrows toward the dowager duchess who said, ‘Oh absolutely. Nothing to do with me, David. As you know, I was merely the one with the car. But I wonder, I’ve been quite some time without a drink of anything, do you think that maybe you, or Mavis might be able to rustle up a cup of tea for me? Am I being a terrible old bother asking that?’

  David looked at Mavis suspiciously. Carol judged he wasn’t about to leave her alone with his wife again.

  ‘Why don’t David and I do that together?’ said Mavis brightly. ‘You can have the chair for a few minutes, Althea. I’m sure you’ll feel better after a cuppa and a wee sit down, won’t you? I’ll put an extra sugar in it, if we can find any at all. Come away with you now, David. You know very well that if I’m with you I cannot encourage Carol to do anything she shouldnae be doing.’

  ‘Will you be alright?’ asked David solicitously of his wife.

  ‘To be honest, I wouldn’t mind a cuppa myself, if they say it’s OK,’ replied Carol. She knew it was the encouragement her husband needed.

  ‘Right, we’ll get teas all round,’ said David holding open the curtain for Mavis. ‘Back as quick as we can.’

  Once alone, Althea leapt into action, and, with Carol’s complicity, they achieved a great deal in the ten minutes that followed. When David and Mavis returned with four cardboard cups containing what purported to be tea, Althea fluttered her eyes, as though on the edge of sleep, and then made an effort to rouse herself to drink the reviving beverage. Carol inwardly applauded the dowager’s acting skills.

  When the doctor arrived about half an hour later, Mavis and Althea hugged Carol then left the couple to listen to what the medic had to say. Several moments later David emerged to confirm he’d be staying with Carol overnight. Ian had brought the bag from the car which David had hurriedly prepared according to Mavis’s instructions, and it was agreed that Mavis and Althea would return home, while
David would telephone Althea when plans were cemented for Carol’s discharge in the morning – if that was when it was to be. Althea promised she’d make arrangements for someone to collect the Hills from the hospital and have them taken to their home, as well as getting somebody from the estate to collect Carol’s car from the Morris farm. Car keys were found and secured by Mavis, and Carol began to suspect that Althea was, truly, flagging.

  Finally, Carol asked a nurse to hold open the curtain so she could wave goodbye to Mavis and Althea. With David’s back to her, Carol also gave a double thumbs-up to Althea whose eyes, she noted, glinted with schoolgirlish wickedness.

  NINETEEN

  In the car once again, heading to the Dower House, Mavis and Althea sat in the back seat and kept their voices low.

  ‘Were you able to get her to do some of it?’ hissed Mavis.

  Althea nodded.

  ‘And did you get anything useful?’

  Again, Althea nodded. Mavis saw her shoulders jiggle as she suppressed a giggle. ‘This is fun,’ she said, eyes wide with excitement.

  ‘We’ll talk properly at home,’ said Mavis with a wink. ‘But can you give me any hints?’

  ‘Boudica and Caradoc are not just firm friends, but good, old-fashioned sweethearts too,’ replied Althea meaningfully. ‘It appears she addressed him as Cariad for good reason; he’s her Dearest, and she’s been soppy about him for years. Carol said the word gwraig was used – which means “wife”. She really only scanned the last letter, but she thought it said something about being excited to be his wife.’

  Mavis said thoughtfully, ‘So, a possible elopement.’

  Althea squeezed her friend’s hand and whispered gleefully, ‘How romantic – to be young and so much in love.’

  The two women settled to watching the lights of the houses of Hereford through the sleet. As they left all signs of human habitation behind them and entered the blackness of the true countryside, all Mavis could do was reflect on the follies of young love, and then that she’d been pleased to see a small-scale and apparently well-run hospital taking excellent care of Carol.

  The motion of the car through the darkness was soporific, and Mavis realized she wasn’t concentrating on anything except the glutinous white sleet on the glass, so she was startled when her mobile phone rang.

  Answering it swiftly she listened to Annie babbling on about something she couldn’t understand.

  ‘Slow down, dear,’ Mavis began. ‘Now start again, more slowly. You say Tudor Evans just telephoned you?’

  ‘Yes,’ replied Annie, sounding very far away. ‘Can you hear me?’

  ‘Yes, dear, but you’re fading in and out a little. What did Tudor say?’

  ‘The Anwen Morris stuff has been … at Chellingworth Hall.’

  ‘It’s been what?’

  ‘Delivered to the hall.’

  ‘All of it?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Any sign of Aubrey?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Any sign of Aubrey?’

  ‘No … tomorrow morning … best thing.’

  ‘I’ll phone you from the Dower House. Bad reception.’

  ‘OK.’

  ‘What?’ said Althea, tugging at Mavis’s arm. ‘What’s happened?’

  ‘I think the gist of it is that the Anwen Morris artefacts have been delivered to Chellingworth Hall, and that they are intact, but there’s still no sign of Aubrey,’ replied Mavis, tucking her telephone into her capacious handbag.

  Mavis watched as Althea gave the matter some thought. Leaning forward the dowager said, ‘Ian, please take us directly to the hall. I’d like to find out what’s going on, and by far the best thing to do is go there ourselves.’ Mavis watched as the woman tried to get some light on her wristwatch. ‘When we get there it’ll be time for dinner. I’m sure Cook Davies will be able to rustle up something for us, so why don’t we plan on dining with Henry and Stephanie, and maybe they could get you something in the kitchen, Ian?’

  ‘I could drop you off at the hall and run on down to the Dower House to let them know what’s happening if you like, Your Grace,’ replied Ian. Mavis liked the way he was always so sensible – he reminded her of one of her own sons, Duncan.

  ‘Good idea, thank you, Ian,’ replied Althea.

  ‘I’d much rather grill Henry about it all face-to-face than on the telephone,’ said Althea with relish.

  ‘Ach, all this talk of “grilling”? You’re spending far too much time with our Annie.’

  ‘Nattily-angled fedoras were all the rage when I was young, you know,’ said Althea impishly, ‘and I was told they quite suited me. Sometimes I miss the days when men wore hats. Proper ones, not the things they wear nowadays. And a belted mackintosh? I remember thinking Bogie was very handsome in his. So dashing.’

  ‘Dashing can bring a world of trouble,’ said Mavis sagely. ‘My late husband was dashing, so I should know.’

  ‘Ah yes, the draw of a man in uniform,’ said Althea quietly, ‘though my late husband wore velvet and ermine, not khaki and brass.’

  ‘I dare say either would do at a pinch,’ said Mavis with a smile.

  Both women sighed deeply, each looking out of the window nearest them, lost in their own worlds.

  ‘Just about twenty minutes now, Your Grace,’ announced Ian eventually.

  ‘Thank you,’ replied Althea automatically. Turning toward Mavis she clutched the woman’s arm and said softly, ‘I’m so glad to have you as a friend. There’s no one who understands a widow like another widow. It’s wonderful to see Carol and David at the beginning of their journey toward building a family, and of course Christine is so full of youthful vigor with that terribly handsome Alexander falling all over himself to get on her good side.’

  ‘I’m not sure it’s her good side he’s interested in,’ observed Mavis wickedly.

  Giggling, Althea added, ‘Poor old Annie’s a worry though. Even Eustelle is lucky because her husband’s still alive. But us? Like I say, no one understands a widow like another widow. None of them understand how it feels. Well, how could they?’

  ‘True,’ replied Mavis. The headlights from an approaching car flashed across their faces, shining on Althea’s face for long enough for Mavis to see tears in her friend’s eyes. Patting Althea’s arm she whispered, ‘I bet a lot of people don’t think that a duke and a duchess can possibly have a truly loving marriage, like we normal folks do. But I know how you felt about him. And when the man you love dies, it rips a hole inside you that you cannot explain, you can only feel. Words don’t do it justice. The tears that come unbeckoned, the reminders that tap you on the shoulder when you least expect them, thinking you see the back of his head in a crowd. It’s all called grief, but just because it has a name doesn’t mean it’s understandable by those who’ve not felt it. I’m grateful to be able to sit quietly with you of an evening, firm friends in understanding, Althea. It’s a great gift you’ve given me.’

  ‘My husband would have loved all this enquiring. But my son? Too bothered with appearances. My fault, I suppose. He’s not keen on me being involved with you lot. Thinks it’s not seemly for a dowager. A bit too serious for his own good is my son,’ said Althea sadly.

  ‘Aye, my husband was too. Dour chap some said, but I knew he was loving and reliable. Not an ounce of inquisitiveness in him, though,’ replied Mavis. ‘That’s no’ something they care for much in the armed forces,’ she added.

  They sat in silence for the rest of the trip.

  TWENTY

  ‘Her Grace has just alighted from her motor car at the front entrance, Your Grace. She has said she will be joining you for dinner.’ Despite the fact that Edward managed to make the announcement sound totally neutral the duke began to feel his neck throbbing.

  ‘For goodness’ sake, who else will be here before the night’s over?’ said Henry to Stephanie in exasperation. ‘Very well, Edward, you’d better tell Cook we’ll be an extra two for dinner and she can serve it as soon as possible be
cause that Evans man will be here to collect the Morris dancing gear before too long.’

  Edward retreated and Henry thanked his stars it wasn’t he himself who had to tell Cook to cater for even more at dinner than she’d imagined.

  ‘How did the nurse seem to you, Stephanie?’ he asked his betrothed. ‘I don’t have much experience in that sort of thing myself, though I know you told me it was a good agency.’

  Stephanie pondered her answer as Henry watched. They’d both changed for dinner, of course, and he liked it when she wore a dress. Shapely calves, a neat waist and what he knew people referred to as ‘childbearing hips’ – he almost blushed at the thought – meant she looked very presentable as she hovered beside a hurriedly set-up arrangement of drinks on top of a sideboard in the drawing room. Henry wondered if any rooms at all would be useable by Friday – it was as though Chellingworth Hall was shrinking about him, and this in a place that had 268 rooms. Of course most of them were never used at all, but the ones he enjoyed all seemed to be out of bounds to him. Henry sighed and waited for Stephanie to answer, then wondered why she hadn’t. He realized her attention was being given to something behind him, so he turned to see his sister, Lady Clementine, being pushed into the room in a wheelchair. Her right leg was fully extended, encased in plaster and swathed in magenta chiffon, which proved to be more of a draw to the eye as opposed to being effective as any sort of camouflage.

  ‘Henry, it’s so wonderful to see you again,’ called his sister, stretching out her arms as if she expected him to run to her.

  Henry didn’t move. He thought it best to remain in front of the fireplace and stand his ground. ‘There you are, Clemmie. Edward told me you arrived about an hour ago. Where have you been?’

  His sister’s tone had already informed Henry she was going to play the tragedy card. He sighed, waiting to be bludgeoned to within an inch of his life by what he knew would be her unyielding self-pity. It didn’t take long for her to land the first blow.