Jane Forxworthy

by Paul Kelly

  She passed a door on the upper landing and made her way towards the end of the corridor, where she could see the light streaming out from below the door of the room that she wanted to enter. She knew which room it was. It was the one that she had seen alight from where she stood in the shadows under the fir tree outside, but her heart was heavy as she realized that someone must be in there, awake . . Someone in there was waiting for someone . . . . as someone did for her . .so long ago . . . She touched the door handle tenderly and her heart stood still for a second as she closed her eyes and wished it had been her he was waiting for, but that was all a dream and her anger returned. She pushed open the door and rushed inside, screaming in the silence of the evening, throwing herself forward with her fists in the air, ready to attack anything or anyone who came into her sight, . . .but her violence and her anger was short lived as she stood back in horror. Her right hand was smeared in blood and her skirt too, where she had wiped it from the front door handle downstairs . . . and she had thought it to be rain. . . . She gazed at the bed and her eyes widened as her face went pale. She stood still for a few seconds, before she lowered her hands to her side and fainted. . . . . .

  ***

  Evie had decided she had better close the shop at six thirty, having given Miss Foxworthy ample time to return after her urgent mission . . It was so unlike her not to get in touch if she had intended to stay longer than she had anticipated, but Evie had Danny to consider . . .

  “I’ll just telephone home and find out if Wills has returned yet, Danny. I don’t fancy walking all the way to your grandfather’s house and Wills could pick us up and take us there.”

  Danny smiled, but there was fear in her eyes as she pulled Evie’s sleeve when she was about to make her phone call. “What is it Darling? I won’t be two minutes making the call and . . .”

  Danny’s fingers halted Evie’s conversation.

  “My grandfather is in trouble Evie . . I know it. Please try to get me home as soon as possible.”

  “But Darling . . . How can you know this? We haven’t seen your grandfather for some time and I think you are worried that he will be annoyed when you eventually see him, but I told you I would explain everything.”

  Danny lowered her eyes, but she would not leave Evie’s hand.

  “I must go home, Evie. I must go now,” she emphasized.

  “Alright Love. It doesn’t seem as though we’ll see Miss Foxworthy again this evening. Just let me telephone Wills and then I’ll lock the shop.”

  Willson Slade had completed his business at the factory and had just returned home when the telephone rang.

  “Hello Wills . . Oh! I am so glad you’re there. Could you please come to Miss Foxworthy’s shop and take Danny and me back to old McPherson’s place. Jane hasn’t returned here, although she said she wouldn’t be long when she left about 3.30 and the evenings are getting so dark, that I’m afraid something might have happened to her.”

  Wills rubbed his forehead with his fingers.

  “It’s been dark since just after four Darling. I think there’s a storm coming up. O.K I’ll be at the shop in a few minutes, but I thought you were taking Danny back to her grandfather this afternoon?”

  “Yes, that was what I had planned to do, but Jane needed me to look after the shop urgently and I decided to take Danny with me. It gave us a chance to be together . . and you know how I like that.”

  “O.K. But we come straight home after we’ve dropped the little girl off . . No messing about looking for Jane Foxworthy. I’m weary and very very hungry.”

  “You’re always hungry,” Evie commented as she grinned at Danny, “I promise we’ll come straight home and I’ll cook you something really nice . . O.K?”

  Wills arrived at the shop as he had promised, ten minutes after he put the telephone down in ‘Brigadoon’ to find Evie and her young companion standing in the shade of the front doorway of Miss Foxworthy’s sweetie world. The rain dripped from the guttering above their heads, but the wind had calmed down and Evie was able to see the car as it turned the corner by the end of the High Street. She leapt forwards and shoved her hand in the air as Wills came to a halt and flashed his headlights a couple of times.

  “Do you know how to get to Mr. McPherson’s place, Wills?” she asked as she bundled Danny into the back seat and jumped in beside her.

  “I think so, but Danny can tell me if . . . .” he stopped suddenly realizing the little girl’s infirmity and stared into the car mirror where he could see Evie’s face glaring at him.

  “I know the way . . just keep driving,” she said as she squeezed Danny’s hand.

  ***

  “What the hell’s going on here?” Wills gasped as he drove up to the front of the old man’s cottage, where a police car shone it’s headlights at him as he came nearer and Danny sat bolt upright with her eyes shining with excitement and fear. Evie remembered what the little girl had said to her about her concern for her grandfather, but she tried to console her by rubbing her hands pressing her close.

  “There, there now. Don’t worry Danny. Wills will find out what this is all about, so just stay where you are . . alright?”

  The little girl closed her eyes and nodded, but Evie was afraid as Wills left the car to be escorted into the house by a young policeman. She waited for what seemed an eternity before he came out again and his face was grave.

  “I think Danny should stay with us tonight, Darling,” he said slowly as he stepped into the car and looked again at Evie’s face in the car mirror.

  “What is wrong?” Danny enquired with her fingers, but Evie pulled her closer and stroked her hair.

  “Wills will explain, Darling. We are going home to ‘Brigadoon’ now.”

  Danny struggled to get out of the car, but Evie restrained her lovingly and with tears in her eyes. She too, was at a loss to explain the mystery of the police being at old McPherson’s house, but she was resolved to spare Danny from any inconvenience or worry, for whatever it was . . Danny was not a part of it.

  ***

  Evie came down stairs and sighed heavily as Wills drained his brandy glass and stared at the wall.

  “The little one’s asleep now Wills. I feel so bad. I wanted to cook something as she must be very hungry, but everything has happened so quickly . . and I still don’t understand what happened. Do you think she will be alright?”

  “Yes, I think it’s best that she should sleep . . There is nothing we can do tonight,” he said soberly, “But I can’t understand all this and I’m sure I saw Miss Foxworthy earlier this afternoon. I nearly knocked her down when she stepped out in front of my car and it was only after I had passed her that I knew it must be she. The clothes, you know. Those clothes gave me a clue. Nobody else dresses like that, do they? My God, Evie . . . We come up to this remote part of Scotland, where everything, it would seem is so quiet and yet, it’s like a hornet’s nest . . a smouldering of trouble . . something that we never ever found in Richmond . . Did we?”

  Evie did not answer immediately, but kept looking at the stairs . . thinking about Danny and wishing Miss Foxworthy had never left her shop that afternoon to do her special business, and anxious to know what had happened.

  “What were they doing there Wills? The police, I mean?”

  Wills looked at the brandy decanter.

  “Do you want one?” he asked as he filled his glass again.

  “No . . No thanks. But what was the trouble there at the old man’s house?”

  Wills gulped his drink and shuddered as he closed his eyes.

  “I don’t know. They wouldn’t tell me, but I think someone is dead. There was a chap there who kept nattering about rigor mortise, but the policeman only asked my name and address. Someone had telephoned them to say that there was an accident at the house . . a young girl from the sound of it, they said.”<
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  At that moment the telephone rang and Evie jumped as Wills put his brandy glass down on the coffee table and lifted the receiver.

  “Hello . . . Yes . . Yes, of course. No . . . Yes, I’ll do that. Goodnight.”

  Evie fidgeted where she stood.

  “Who was it Wills?” she asked nervously.

  “The police,” he said, “They want me to go down to the station tomorrow to make a statement of some kind. I don’t know how I can help them as I only turned up when they saw me. They must know I couldn’t know anything about what happened at the old man’s place this evening, surely . . .”

  Evie looked troubled.

  “You must be hungry Darling. You said you were before you came to pick us up. I’m sorry, I was neglectful . . It’s just all this worry . . and we seem to be in the dark. I’ll cook you something now. What do you fancy?”

  “No thanks Darling. I’ve lost my hunger now. I think I’ll just have a another brandy and then I’ll hit the sack . . what about you?”

  She smiled, but her face was sad.

  “Yes . . maybe I will have that drink with you, Darling and then we’ll both hit the sack . . “

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  DANNY CRIED FOR HOURS when she heard that her grandfather was dead and that Jane Foxworthy was being accused of his murder. The police had taken a statement from Wills but there was nothing incriminating or enlightening there, however, when they enquired about Miss Foxworthy’s movements on the day of the murder and she had no alibi for the time she was absent from her shop, there was a strong suspicion of her guilt when she could give no reason for her visit to Angus McPherson’s cottage and also the fact that she had gained entrance there so easily.

  Jane would not enlighten them about the key . . . that would have meant more probing into her personal life and she didn’t want that and besides, Cynthia was still missing . . with the ring . . .

  Wills moved slowly across the lounge to look out of the window, as if something out there would give him some clue to the mystery, but he was as perplexed as ever.

  “There doesn’t seem to be any reason . . . any motive why that dear old lady should do such a thing,” he murmured before he turned to Evie who was already warning him not to say too much in front of Danny, but the little girl sat quietly with thoughts of her own.

  “What will happen to . . “ Wills spoke in a low voice as he nodded towards Danny, but Evie was too worried to even think of the consequences as she went quickly towards the little girl and put her arms around her.

  “I’m going to get dinner ready and then we’ll all have a run out into the country . . in the car . . I think that would do us all a power of good,” she said, “And you Darling, can help me set the table eh?” She helped Danny to her feet as she spoke and they both went into the kitchen.

  ***

  Jane Foxworthy was put on remand on suspicion of murder but she offered no defence to the accusation. Instead she sat with her head held high and gave a little wink from time to time, like she was thinking some weird and wonderful plot that would suddenly emerge where everyone would realize how stupid they were and that of course . . she could never have done such a thing. Even the police were baffled, for they too knew Miss Foxworthy well. Yes, she was an eccentric, everyone accepted that, but a murderess . . .? It was out of the question, except for the damning evidence stacked against her and she had never professed verbally to have liked Angus McPherson, but then, few people in the village had . . . On the other hand . . .few people had loved him either . . . She had a key to his cottage and nobody could hazard a guess as to why she should have that and she certainly wasn’t going to tell anyone of her clandestine affair with the old man over thirty years ago when she was young. What would Danny think if she heard that? What would Cynthia think . . and where the hell was Cynthia anyway she thought . . as she winked again. How could she ever explain the blood stains on her hands and on her skirt and how was it that the blood group was the same as old McPherson’s . . the same blood as the police found on the sledge hammer that had burst his skull wide open.

  She sat staring into space and winking the time away.

  ***

  “Would you like to come home with Wills and me to Richmond, Danny . . Just for a little holiday and until we can arrange something where you may be able to stay somewhere here in Scotland,” Evie stammered, knowing very well that the prospects for the little girl were very bleak indeed . . .but her mind was active on that score and she had ideas of her own. . .

  Wills had completed his investigations for the Company and Mark was installed as the new General Manager so there was nothing to detain them any longer at Glenfarach . .

  “All this probing and I don’t think I’m any farther ahead, except that now they have a new Manager and he has very definite ideas of how things should be . . well, maybe.” Wills said quietly, “I think we’ve had more to investigate in the Jane Foxworthy affair than we’ve ever had with Deacon and Old . . .Strange isn’t it. We came up here to do a job and landed ourselves with another . . more intense and more important than the one we were sent to settle. “

  Evie grinned and cuddled Danny,

  “Yes, but we may have resolved our own problem,” she said proudly.

  “What problem?” asked Wills and Evie turned to face the little girl who was sitting quietly beside her.

  “I’ve always said it would be lovely to have a daughter . . didn’t I, Wills?” she said and he could see her blushing.

  ***

  Five Years Later

  Evie shoved the cutting from the newspaper under the cushion of the settee to concentrate on the letter that she had received that morning from Mark, where he had written in large letters across the top of the envelope, Private & Confidential. Danny had left for the Day Centre and was delighted that her promotion had come through just in time for her twenty first birthday.

  “Oh God . . I’ve lost my bloody specs again. Where the hell did I leave them?”

  Evie groped about on the settee, feeling deeply into the sides of the cushions where invariably she could find anything she had lost. There was always a selection of various coins there, no matter when she looked and crumbs were an inevitable find, she was ashamed to admit, but regretfully the spectacles were not to be found. She strained to look across the room at the coffee table to see them there, on top of the Radio Times where of course, she had left them.

  Mark wrote about twice a year, but he was always a faithful friend and had visited Wills and Evie twice since they left Glenfarach and they had returned there for his wedding to Chantal two years before.

  Dear all, (the letter began, as always) I hope you are all well and happy and in the best of health. I am delighted to hear that Danny has been successful in her course at the Day Centre. She will make an excellent teacher to the deaf and dumb . . we all know that. Give her my love and a big hug. Everything is continuing fine here . . a few little hiccups from time to time but nothing I can’t deal with and certainly nothing at all like it was when Wills came up to do his ‘reform’ The men still talk about him, but with affection and actual gratitude, so I know he will be pleased to know that.

  The other local news is not so good I am afraid. Do you remember Miss Foxworthy? The lady who was charged with the murder of old Angus McPherson and who was later acquitted? Well, it seems now that things were not as they appeared at the time of this tragedy. Her niece Cynthia went missing round about the time of the murder and there was suspicions that she could have had something to do with it, but she was never found. The rumours were that she had gone away to get married as she had boasted of a ring and a proposal, even if she was only sixteen at the time, but last week, the police found Miss Foxworthy dead. She had committed suicide by hanging herself with her scarf from the kissing trees in the copse and she left a note to say that she had indeed murdered A
ngus McPherson. She had been in love with the old man when they were youngsters and that he had proposed marriage to her and had given her a ring, but then had spurned her in favour of her sister and it seems that the old fellow was the one who had proposed to Cynthia . . . not knowing that she was his grand daughter. You can read all about it in the enclosed cutting from the Highland Echo . . . but the young girl must have discovered that the old man was her grandfather from some old diary she found lying about and went into a rage. You see, the old man couldn’t read or write, so he would never have known what was written in that diary. Anyway, she tried to kill him but only half did the job and ran off before Jane Foxworthy came on the scene. The old lady finished the old chap off and then went to find Cynthia . . .and the rest is history now that they have found the young girl’s body buried in a shallow grave out on the moors. I think Jane Foxworthy told them where to go to find her niece’s body.

  I am very sad about all this, as I really had a soft spot for old Miss Foxworthy. She was a kind old soul. A bit dotty, but then which one of is entirely sane and would we have done much as she did, if we found ourselves in that situation?