Rose McQuinn 7 - Deadly Legacy

by Alanna Knight

  Almost before Vince was out of sight, watching the carriage hurtle down the road towards Waverley Station, carrying him back to his duties as physician to the royal household and out of my life once more, the fleeting nature of our few hours together hit me. These visits, twice a year at best, so often left many important things remaining unsaid, forgotten in the moment - incidents to make him laugh or raise his eyebrows in despair, the ones marked aside in my mind with the tag 'must remember to tell Vince that when I see him'. Alas, none of the Faros were great letter writers, and these visits aside, we had no other means available to stay in touch, although the invention of the picture postcard had been a godsend to Pappa, enjoying his retirement by travelling abroad with his writer companion, Imogen Crowe.

  I went inside, closed the door and reread the two letters that had arrived. The impending visit of Mr Hayward and a note from Jane, indicating that the bodies of the two women having now been released, presumably after the Procurator Fiscal had recorded his deliberations, there was a funeral for me to attend.

  And I was not looking forward to that either.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Arriving for a funeral at Duddingston Kirk by bicycle somehow did not seem dignified or appropriate. It might well raise eyebrows among the mourners - if mourners there were in any number.

  So with my hair confined beneath a bonnet and instructed not to show one solitary wild yellow curl I set forth, accompanied by a brisk breeze along the road past the loch, and parked my bicycle at a discreet distance from the church, namely near the fourteenth-century Sheeps Heid Inn, still doing a roaring trade, especially when the working day was over.

  Through the kirk gate, the bell tolling forlornly, I looked for recognisable faces awaiting the arrival of the two coffins. There were maybe twenty other mourners - mostly women and all strangers to me, possibly neighbours - sombrely attired, the men in tall hats, the women in black bonnets and bombazine.

  Few to mourn Mrs Lawers and her faithful maid. In dying Mrs Lawers had indeed fulfilled her reputation to the very end of being a private person. I took in my surroundings: Duddingston's twelfth-century church, at the gate its 'loupin' stane' to assist worshippers to mount their horses, alongside the grim 'jougs', a forcible and public punishment for local transgressors, very unpopular with surprised fornicators.

  A hand raised in greeting. Two figures extracted themselves from the small group, Amy Dodd and Jane Hinton. I joined them, and a nearby couple, whose name I did not catch, were introduced. Hands shaken, a solemn bow from the gentleman.

  Amy was looking round for someone else to introduce me to when the hearse with its black-plumed horses arrived and we followed the two plain wooden coffins into the church. I looked around and wondered if the unpopular neighbour who Amy called 'the Frenchie' was present.

  As the organ played dolefully I studied the interior of the kirk. Such an ancient building with its original Romanesque nave and chancel had known its days of fame. In the manse garden Sir Walter Scott, kirk elder, had penned part of The Heart of Midlothian, while in living memory the kind and much loved minister, Rev John Thompson, gave rise to a new phrase for Scots: 'We're a' Jock Tamson's bairns.' A keen painter in his leisure hours, naming his garden studio after the Scottish capital meant that his housekeeper could quite truthfully inform would-be visitors or informal callers, 'The meenister is in Edinburgh the noo.'

  The service ended, a procession to the graveside, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, the committal over, and as the small group dispersed I caught a glimpse of two familiar figures. Chief Inspector Gray and Sergeant Wright, hardly recognisable out of uniform, intent on studying tombstones and trying hard to look invisible.

  Amy obviously had not seen them and said, 'Jane and I have laid on a little collation. Will you join us, my dear?'

  I couldn't think of any appropriate words of refusal; besides, my curiosity was aroused for any further developments in the empty house next door and I still had questions to ask Jane.

  I guessed there would be little chance of that since Amy's invitation seemed to have been extended to the neighbourhood, now being ushered into the parlour.

  Jane, receiving the mourners, wiped away a tear. 'Poor Aunty, I'll miss her.'

  Amy gave her a sympathetic hug, drew me aside and whispered, 'You'll never guess what's happened. The police came and d'y ken what? They took away the Frenchie.' A dramatic pause.

  Overhearing her, Jane said, 'Just for questioning.'

  'How do you know that?' Amy demanded sharply. 'They know he did it.'

  Jane shook her head. 'Then why wasn't he in handcuffs if they were so sure?'

  Amy nodded sagely. 'Aye, but they know he did it right enough. Just you wait and see. He'll not be back. That's the last we'll see of Monsieur Debeau, as he calls himself. Good riddance to bad rubbish I call it.'

  And raising her hand in a gesture across her throat, eyes heavenward, she began slicing another loaf of bread.

  The sandwiches were delicious and interesting - I wished I could have said as much for the company. Amy Dodd must have been a shining star among her neighbours, all of whom were agog that the Frenchie had been taken by the police, which became their sole topic of conversation. All of them full of hate and derision for no better reason than because he was different - and because he was French; although the Napoleonic wars were long distant, for many France was the enemy, still regarded with suspicion. There was one ancient chap who declared, incredible as it seemed, that he 'had been a lad at Waterloo'.

  The other reason for their dislike was that M Debeau did not gossip, he kept himself to himself, and that was unforgivable. As I had earlier discovered with Amy Dodd, the neighbours liked a good gossip and in a small close-knit community anything that seemed faintly different to their conventional lives was seized upon and shredded very finely indeed.

  I angled myself into a position close to Jane. She saw me, smiled and I said, 'I must leave soon.'

  She glanced round the assembled mourners, now almost jolly with their post-funeral refreshments. 'I could do with some fresh air. I'll walk back with you.'

  I explained about the bicycle and, unperturbed, she laughed. 'Maybe I can run alongside, work off some of those enormous sandwiches.'

  As we left I wondered if I would be the centre of discussion once the door closed, and hoped that Amy would put in a good word for this strange woman who lived up the road in Solomon's Tower. Glad I had concealed the bicycle from prying eyes, I said to Jane, 'There are some things I'd like to know, if you have a minute.'

  She nodded. 'Then let's have a seat by the loch - at least the swans are mute. I'm leaving soon, nothing to stay for now.' And I got the feeling that she would not be sorry. She waited for me to speak.

  'Was there anything in your aunt's letters about Mrs Lawers that might give some hint about - about what happened to them both?'

  Jane was silent for a moment, studying the geese who, after a flurry of interest, had decided that there was no food forthcoming and had grumpily retreated to the water's edge.

  'She said Mary was getting a little odd. Blamed it on age - that sort of thing.' Turning, she looked at me. 'She said she hoped Mary wasn't going barmy because she was so scared - "scared of her own shadow", she put it. And she had never been the nervous kind.'

  'When was that?'

  'Oh, in the last letter I had a couple of weeks before ... all this happened.'

  'Did she ever mention why she was scared - for instance did she mention any strangers calling at the house?'

  'Not directly, only that she was in some kind of danger.'

  'Something to do with a legacy?' I suggested.

  Jane shrugged. 'I never heard that she had anything of value to leave.'

  I was almost tempted to tell Jane the whole story then. I might well have done so had not the sky, which had been clouding over and steadily darkening, decided to unload a heavy shower.

  Neither of us were prepared for it - Jane had no coat - and we
both leapt back up the road, bade each other a hasty farewell and I rode back swiftly homeward. The conversation with Jane had been disappointingly vague and my thoughts had taken a new turn regarding Mrs Lawers' legacy.

  The police arrest was an unexpected development. What did they suspect? Were the killings of the two women linked with M Debeau? Would Mr Hayward's researches reveal some connection with the unpopular Frenchman that Mrs Lawers perhaps had reason to suspect and fear?

  Was the presence of Chief Inspector Gray significant, lurking about the kirkyard, in company with Sergeant Wright? Had the pair slipped into the back of the church during the service, finding it necessary to attend the women's funerals in search of clues to their murders?

  I had just removed my wet cape when I heard the sound of a carriage followed by the front doorbell. To say it rang would be an overstatement; the sound was more like a rusty croak. Wondering if I had got my times mixed up and this was Mr Hayward, I opened the door to Mrs Blaker and, holding her hand, Meg Macmerry.

  Full of apologies about the informality of this call, Mrs Blaker said, 'I am taking Meg into Jenners to buy some suitable clothes, and as I was passing the door, I thought we might call and see if Mr Macmerry was at home ...'

  It crossed my mind that coming from Joppa via Arthur's Seat would not have been my chosen route or even a direct one to Princes Street. But as Mrs Blaker responded eagerly to my invitation to come inside, I guessed, as she looked around, that curiosity regarding where Meg's father lived was the main reason for the visit.

  I smiled down at Meg, who was regarding her vast surroundings wide-eyed and critically, with almost grown-up caution.

  'Mr Macmerry isn't at home. He is away for a few days--' And I remembered Jack had promised to write a note saying that he would call on them on the way back. 'Have you not heard from him?'

  Mrs Blaker shook her head and I felt a moment's wrath with Jack as they followed me into the kitchen.

  Thane rose from his rug politely and waited to be introduced.

  'Big doggie,' Meg chortled and rushed towards him while Mrs Blaker cried, 'No, Meg!' and added a shriek of terror.

  I put a restraining hand on her arm. 'That is Thane, he is good with children.' A lie, I'd never seen him with children, but it was the best I could think of as Meg had already thrown her arms around him as if she had encountered a more-than-life-sized toy. Thane regarded these overtures politely from under those magisterial eyebrows, with what in human terms would be regarded as a fond smile. He made no move, no licking, nothing. Thane knew his manners.

  Mrs Blaker shuddered. 'You're sure?' she asked me. I nodded and she whispered, 'He is fearsomely big for a pet dog, looks as if he might swallow her in one gulp.'

  Thane darted an injured look in her direction that said clearly to me 'pet dog, indeed', as she eyed me up and down and added, 'Why, he is almost as big as you, Mrs McQuinn.'

  I couldn't deny that.

  Meg had lost all interest in the grown-ups. She had found a soulmate and was chattering away to him, twenty to the dozen. Mrs Blaker relaxed, shook her head and looked amazed.

  'We have a wee Pomeranian called Posie.' And I remembered having heard distant barking when I called on them. 'But Meg has never shown the slightest interest in Posie.' She shook her head regretfully. 'I fear they will never be friends.'

  And that did not surprise me. Doubtless Posie had been suitably spoilt before this new interloper invaded what she regarded as her territory and became one of the household. She had been there first and doubtless was consumed with resentment and jealousy.

  Mrs Blaker refused the offer of tea but had taken out a fan and was applying it vigorously.

  This surprised me, as the temperature of Solomon's Tower on an autumn day hardly merited such action, although she did look quite pale and said, 'May I trouble you for a glass of water?'

  I produced one. Sipping, she said, 'I was feeling a little faint.'

  I looked at the richly corseted shape and realised this was a common affliction of highly fashionable ladies that, after my long years as a pioneering woman, had fortunately passed me by.

  I asked, 'Are you sure you feel able to continue your journey into Edinburgh? Perhaps you would care to rest for a while.'

  She straightened her shoulders, the corsets giving the faintest of creaks as she handed me back the glass. 'Thank you, but I am quite recovered and we have the carriage. We are meeting a friend in Jenners. She also has a small girl, called Teresa, and we hope the two little ones will become firm friends, and my friend's advice will be invaluable on what to buy.' Regarding Meg critically, 'What colour do you think would suit her best?'

  I had not the slightest idea but ventured, 'Blue perhaps?'

  Mrs Blaker nodded eagerly and said, 'We must go or we will be late.'

  I looked across at Meg, so involved with her new live toy, and longed to talk to her. We had never exchanged more than the few words when she had made a flattering reference to my unruly curls.

  I realised that I desperately wanted Jack's little girl to like me too. Perhaps Mrs Blaker recognised that wistful smile.

  'I am sorry this is a short visit, but please come and have tea with us one afternoon, perhaps with Mr Macmerry when he returns.' She stood up. 'Come along, Meg dear. Time to go.'

  Another hug for Thane, a whisper in his ear and Meg came obediently to Mrs Blaker's side, took her hand and stared up at me.

  Mrs Blaker put an arm around her. 'Would you like a doggie like that?'

  Meg grinned from ear to ear, nodding vigorously. Both looked at me and Mrs Blaker said, 'I don't suppose we could borrow--'

  'No,' I said sharply, and although I didn't expect her to understand I added, 'Deerhounds need a lot of space, we have it here and on Arthur's Seat. I would never recommend Thane's breed as a domestic pet. Besides, he is more than that. He is a member of the family.'

  She frowned and said, 'Yes, of course.' And to Meg, 'Perhaps Mrs McQuinn will let you come often and see your new friend.'

  An eager look and I said, 'Of course, Meg. You come at any time. And your pa will be delighted to see you too.'

  That brought a shadow across Mrs Blaker's face. 'Please tell Mr Macmerry we are hoping to get the adoption business completed as soon as possible.'

  I opened the door. The carriage was waiting.

  'Goodbye, Meg,' I said and held out my hand. She regarded this doubtfully.

  'Aren't you going to give Mrs McQuinn a kiss, dear?'

  Poor Meg, I thought. Mrs Blaker knew even less about the feelings of small children than I did, or guessed, seemingly unaware that they perhaps found such demands unpleasant and quite embarrassing.

  However, Meg rose to the occasion. I knelt down - I didn't have that far to go to be on her level - and she put her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. It made me want to cry - I have no idea why - but I hugged her, kissed her forehead and said, 'Please come again, Meg.'

  Thane had accompanied the departing visitors and she darted a longing look in his direction and blew him a kiss.

  'Bye, Thane.'

  If dogs could bow in a gentlemanly manner, Thane would have done so. We watched them go and looked at each other.

  'Well, what do you think of that?' I asked, and as Thane had no human words available, there were volumes that had to remain unsaid.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Mr Hayward arrived punctually for his appointment next day, and following me into the kitchen he walked over to the sideboard, and saying, 'May I?', he again took up the photograph of Vince with Pappa and the Queen at Balmoral that had fascinated him on his previous visit. Replacing it, he sighed and shook his head.

  'This house is full of memories.' And turning to me he went on, 'There is one other interesting fragment of information regarding the previous owner of Solomon's Tower, my old friend Sir Hedley Marsh.' And from his pocket he withdrew a framed photograph which he handed to me.

  'This is Hedley, as a young man.'

  I lo
oked at it, looked again, stared. The resemblance to Vince was unmistakeable.

  Hayward smiled wryly and said, 'I can see what you are thinking. The same thought struck me on my earlier visit.' Taking a seat at the table, he said, 'I told you Hedley believed he had a son. Tell me about your stepbrother, if you please.'

  'Vince was illegitimate; his mother was a servant in a big house in the Highlands, seduced - raped - by one of the guests. She bore Vince, who never forgave or forgot the blight of his birth--'

  Hayward held up his hand, shook his head and interrupted. 'He was not the child of rape, or of seduction. Hedley, even as a young man, had high moral principles. This was no philandering middle-aged gentleman; he was the kind who loved only once in his life and that love, if lost, was lost for ever.'

  Again he paused, shook his head, his face full of sadness. 'Poor Hedley. He fell deeply in love with that servant girl, came back for her, but found she had left and, as happened with extra servants acquired for the shooting season, no one knew where she had gone. He wanted to marry her and continued his exhaustive search over many years without success, disappointment turning him into a recluse, an embittered old bachelor.'

  He stopped and smiled. 'I thought you would wish to know the truth about the previous owner. Whether you tell your stepbrother or not is up to you. Now, I must not detain you further. With your permission, shall we proceed to the reason for my visit?'

  And so saying, he opened his case and spread out the documents for my appraisal with a restrained air of triumph that hinted at some success.

  'I have been diving into the depths, Mrs McQuinn, and have come up with some interesting facts, some acquired from the National Archives, in fact. The Jacobite Rebellion was a troubled time in our history and there are some facts which have gone unknown to general researchers.'

  He paused, sighed. 'Fortunately I have friends in high places.' He produced a pen and tapped the papers. 'First of all let us regard the map, drawn, most likely, by the prince himself, at a table, perhaps something like this one, in the house at Duddingston.' He spread the two pieces side by side, leaving a gap of some six inches between them.