Lord James Harrington and the Cornish Mystery

by Lynn Florkiewicz

  Although he was weary, James felt that he was getting through to Bevis and in some respects, Colm. The unacceptable kidnappings by Tristram had served a purpose. What a shame that Kushal wasn’t here. Not only could he have helped these men but he was sure that Tristram needed guidance too. Although he seemed so happy and carefree, it was clear that his experience as a child had stayed with him. His ears pricked. Footsteps. He didn’t realise how tense he was until that moment. He turned to welcome the police.

  But his delight was soon shattered when he looked up to see Tristram.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Bevis backed against the wall, his feet scrambling to push him further than he could. Colm edged away. Enoch remained silent and still.

  James pushed himself up and rubbed the dust from his hands. His heart was in his mouth as he spoke. ‘Ah Tristram, I was just beginning to wonder what your plans were?’

  Tristram’s angry glare darted from James to the three men. He scowled at the loose bindings and empty bottles. James watched as the young man struggled to think through his next step. If he tried anything now, he was against four men. Yes, three of them were exhausted but it’s surprising how much strength one can find when coming up against adversity.

  Tristram turned to James. ‘You shouldn’t ’ave done that. You shouldn’t ’ave untied them. They have to stay here.’

  ‘To what purpose, Tristram? What’re you going to do?’

  ‘Teach ’em a lesson, that’s what. Teach ’em you can’t treat people like they do.’ He jabbed a finger at James. ‘Tie ’em back up.’

  James straightened his shoulders and looked him in the eye. ‘I’m not doing that. These men need medical attention.’

  ‘They had food; I didn’t starve ’em.’

  Colm sprang to his feet. ‘You might just as well ’ave. Half a pasty here, half a sandwich there. I need to eat, I need to see my Evelyn.’

  ‘And do what?’ Tristram scowled. ‘Make her suffer like you always do? Little digs here, little digs there, sapping her confidence?’

  Enoch eased himself up. ‘ENOUGH.’

  The bellow silenced everyone and appeared a good deal louder within the confines of the mine. As the echo subsided, James started at an unnerving pop above them. Their eyes turned up to where a new rupture ran the length of the cave.

  Enoch turned. ‘We need to get out. Now.’

  ‘No,’ said Tristram, his eyes darted back and forth, desperately seeking a way to keep control.

  James yanked him to one side. ‘It’s not safe, Tristram, you’ll get us all killed.’

  Dust floated down; Bevis leapt up as a chunk of rock gave way and showered them with rubble. James turned and ordered everyone out. Colm, Bevis and Enoch scrambled over the debris. James went to head up the tunnel but Enoch’s grip twisted him back. He swung round to see Tristram’s leg trapped under a slab.

  ‘Oh lord.’

  The young man winced in agony as the colour drained from his face. ‘I think my ankle’s broken.’

  To James’ astonishment, Enoch, Bevis and Colm dashed forward to help and between them heaved the slab away to pull their captor free. Colm manoeuvred Tristram into a fireman’s lift and headed up the tunnel, followed by his fellow captives.

  As further rubble began to fall, James grabbed his rucksack and sprinted up the tunnel while considering the actions of the men. If they were happy to rescue their kidnapper, things must be looking up.

  Emerging into dazzling sunlight, the men stumbled from the mine, shielded their eyes from the brightness and gratefully breathed in the fresh air. Colm eased Tristram off his back, fell to the ground and closed his eyes.

  James squatted alongside Tristram. ‘Those men just saved your life.’

  Tristram acknowledged James exhaustedly. The man rolled his eyes. ‘I don’t know what I was going to do, Lord Harrington. I wanted to teach these men a lesson; I didn’t know what else would do it. Hilda kept telling me about these women who came to the WI; how frightened they were. They had bruises on their arms, and I saw Evelyn once with a black eye. I hated it.’ He turned to Colm. ‘How can you do that to someone? She’s half your size. She’s a woman for God’s sake.’

  Colm kept his eyes shut, then covered them with his arm.

  James asked Tristram about his father. ‘That’s where this stems from, isn’t it?’

  ‘Dad hit Mum all the time. When I was ten, I hit him with a poker. He’d ordered me to stoke the fire, pushed me toward the flames. He’d slapped Mum across the face for serving dinner late. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I stoked the fire with the poker, let it get good and hot, then, when he was close enough, I swung out and hit him. Twice. He slapped me so hard I went flying across the room.’

  James winced. He couldn’t begin to imagine the effect that would have on such a young lad.

  ‘Dad stormed out and Mum went straight upstairs and packed our bags. We went to live with Gran. She was strong and assertive but loving – a big bundle of love and support.’

  ‘Like Hilda?’

  He gave an enthusiastic nod. ‘Yeah, like Hilda.’

  ‘You can’t kidnap everyone, Tristram. You can’t right every wrong.’

  Tristram ran his hands across his head and blinked back his frustration. ‘I know. I know. This got me so mad though. It seemed a good idea at the time. I knew I’d have to let them go, face the consequences. I just wanted them to know what it’s like - to live in fear. To be so terrified of what might happen that you’re physically sick. To shake like a jelly as soon as that person comes in the room.’ He wiped tears as they trickled down. ‘I always wanted to be a son that went for a pint with his dad. I don’t even know where he is but if I saw him now, I’d spit in his face.’

  James glanced at Enoch. The old fisherman examined the ocean but it was clear he was listening. James peered over Tristram’s shoulder and closed his eyes in relief as PC Innes came into view. An ambulance was parking up to one side. Behind Innes was Beth, who rushed to his side.

  ‘Oh, James, are you all right?’

  ‘I’m perfectly well, darling, and I believe that with a little sustenance and help from the medical team, these men will survive their ordeal.’ He turned to Innes. ‘Be careful with your man. I believe he has a broken ankle.’

  Tristram held his hands out for Innes to pull him up and snap the handcuffs on. He hopped on one leg and faced the men. ‘I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.’

  James pulled him close and whispered. ‘If it’s any consolation, I do think you made a difference. But I wouldn’t make a habit of this sort of thing.’

  Tristram forced a smile and allowed himself to be taken away. Two ambulance men scurried toward the three men.

  Beth linked an arm with him and flicked grime away from his clothes and hair. ‘Are they going to be all right?’

  ‘No physical injuries, but I believe those men are walking away from here with something to think about.’ He turned to her. ‘You took your time. I was beginning to wonder where on earth you were.’

  Beth described her visit to the police station, saying that Wormstone was not due back until later. ‘PC Innes was at lunch and sits as far away on the harbour wall as you can possibly get. I didn’t realise it would take me so long.’

  He laughed. ‘All’s well that ends well. Let’s get in the Austin and go to that farm. I know I look a mess but I could murder a decent cup of tea and soak up some of this sunshine.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  The following evening, James, Beth and the Merryweathers were seated in The Sardine. Jonah had decorated the table with candles, colourful place mats and thick cotton napkins.

  It was early evening and Luke and Mark had stayed with the caravan site owners to help make fairy cakes for an upcoming birthday party later in the week. Anne playfully punched James on the arm.

  ‘Beth and I were ensconced in that house helping the WI and all the time you were having all the fun.’

  ‘I’d hardly call it f
un,’ said James.

  ‘M-me and the boys had fun on our f-fishing trip. They caught a d-dab and they had it for tea.’

  James congratulated him and suggested they all go fishing when they got back to Cavendish. ‘We’ll get the lads on the riverbank and see if we can nab a trout.’

  Jonah approached and distributed menus to them. ‘I can’t believe Tristram was responsible for those kidnappings. He’d have been last on my list.’

  ‘A-Agatha Christie says that she always goes for the most unlikely suspect when writing her novels. I-it clearly happens in real life too.’

  They ordered their drinks and James insisted they push the boat out. ‘Have a cocktail. Jonah, you have some spirits behind the bar, don’t you?’

  ‘I’ve a few, yes. I can’t do the unusual things but I can do the popular ones.’

  After some discussion, they settled on Vodka Martinis. Jonah jotted the order down and added that he was secretly quite pleased about what Tristram had done. He slipped his pencil behind his ear.

  ‘I’ve not been a saint myself but hitting women is cowardly. I’ll get your drinks.’

  James and Beth updated them on what had happened since they’d seen the Merryweathers the previous evening. That morning, they’d provided a statement to Inspector Wormstone and, under his glaring eye, received a dressing down about going off half-cock and entering the mine.

  ‘You should have waited’ he’d said. ‘A few hours wouldn’t have made any difference. You could have got yourself killed. I spoke to DCI Lane about you earlier and he said you don’t pay any heed to the authorities.’

  James had accepted the telling off with a bemused look.

  Anne was of the same mind. ‘You had two attempts on your life just a couple of days ago. If Tristram had gone down that mine armed, well, I don’t want to think about it.’

  ‘You’re forgetting something important,’ said James. ‘Tristram hates violence. He doesn’t like to hurt anything or anyone although he was taking a chance cutting my brake-line. He knew I understood cars but I don’t think he realised how dangerous it was. Snipping a brake cable is just as dangerous as cutting it. The attempts were supposed to be scare tactics. He asked that boat owner to speed by as closely as possible. He might have tied me up in that mine but he wouldn’t have killed me. It’s not in his nature. He said he was physically sick when he slapped those men in the mine.’

  ‘But how did he manage to lure these men away?’ asked Anne. ‘That was what piqued your interest in the first place; I mean, he’s not a big man.’

  ‘He’d planned it out. He’d already established a place to keep them. The tin mine was nearby and he’d found it easy to navigate. He kept Colm in a different part of the mine until the police had done their cliff-top search. They did check it but not thoroughly. And the festival helped with his plans. Tristram took part in all of the parades but had his van parked up a side-street. He was in costume the whole time and had medication on him from the vet’s office up at the Sanctuary. Where Colm and Bevis were concerned, he crept up behind them, injected them with something to make them drowsy and led them to the van where he blindfolded them. There were so many people milling around that no one took any notice. He had the needles up his sleeve. No one saw anything and the dose was high enough that they were willing to be led anywhere.

  ‘With Flora, it was a little difficult. She wasn’t in the parade but he left the procession just after he passed her, hid in a recess and then came up behind her.’

  ‘A-and Mr Atherton recognised the v-van you say?’

  James confirmed that the senses of a blind man were far superior. ‘He felt Flora beside him. Even felt it when she reached for her neck. That was probably when Tristram injected her. There are relatively few vehicles down here and he knows them all. A hum in the engine, the pop in an exhaust. He even mimicked the sanctuary’s Morris Minor. Quite extraordinary.’

  Jonah came to the table with a tray of Vodka Martinis. He took their order of Dover sole, fresh garden peas and new potatoes. ‘Be with you shortly.’

  Anne questioned why Flora was released.

  ‘Don’t forget that Hilda was Tristram’s fount of information. She’d told him about Flora and her nagging ways and he’d taken it the wrong way. Hilda was with Vic when he’d reported her missing. She told Tristram that Vic was devastated. I think he realised that he’d made a mistake.’ He raised a glass. ‘Listen, that’s enough about mysteries. We’re sitting here for a reason. Stephen and Anne, you are two wonderful people who’ve become valued and close friends. Happy anniversary and may you have many more to come.’

  ‘And,’ Beth added giving Jonah a quick wave, ‘we have something for you that we purchased when we were in St Ives. Hopefully, it’ll remind you of our holiday.’

  Jonah reached down behind the counter and brought out a brightly wrapped frame. Anne clapped her hands and accepted it from him.

  ‘How lovely. Stephen, help me open it.’

  They tore the paper off to reveal a beautiful painting of Polpennarth and the coastline beyond.

  ‘I-it’s lovely, thank you s-so much. That’ll take pride of place in the f-front room.’

  Jonah placed a bottle of sparkling wine on the table. ‘On the house, your Lordship. An anniversary gift and a well done for solving the mystery.’ He returned to the kitchen.

  ‘Have you seen Hilda?’ asked Anne.

  ‘Yes,’ said Beth. ‘She’s as proud as punch of Tristram.’

  The Merryweathers exchanged astounded looks.

  ‘She didn’t realise what he was up to, of course, but she’s going to stand by him.’

  James added that the villagers he’d spoken to were, on the whole, supportive of what he did. ‘He’s a popular chap and according to the Inspector, a lot of them have been giving him grief about charging him. The WI ladies have even signed a petition.’

  ‘H-how extraordinary! What about th-the men who were kidnapped? I’m sure they don’t f-feel the same.’

  ‘That’s the odd thing. They haven’t pressed charges,’ said James. ‘They appear to have come out of this experience changed. The fact they dashed to Tristram’s help when he was trapped in the mine was quite a turning point I think.’

  He went on to explain how Bevis and Debra had already departed for a couple of days away to fix their problems. ‘I don’t believe Enoch will change much but he has contacted his daughter, hasn’t he Beth?’

  ‘I spoke with Edith this morning. She was one person who was devastated by what Tristram had done and she’s horrified that the details of their marriage are common knowledge, but, she had to admit she’s delighted that Enoch’s made the first move in repairing his relationship with their daughter.’

  ‘A-and Colm?’

  James explained that Colm had his work cut out. ‘Learning to be a more tolerant, patient individual will take time and we must pray that Colm has the discipline to see that through.’

  As if on cue, Colm and Evelyn entered the restaurant. Evelyn was dressed in a beautiful sky blue summer dress with a blue cardigan. Colm was in jeans and a loose short-sleeved shirt. He’d shaved and his demeanour was that of someone out on a first date, a man trying his best to impress.

  Evelyn still had an air of suspicion around her; as if this new attitude was bound to end once the novelty had worn off. Colm struck a rather nervous pose and held out a chair for her. He avoided eye contact with them and sat opposite his wife where he reached across and held her hand with an apprehensive smile.

  ‘L-Let’s hope they’re able to m-make a go of it.’

  ‘And presumably,’ said Anne, ‘Tristram is going to jail.’

  Their dinners came out as James explained that although the men hadn’t pressed charges, obviously some charges would be made. ‘I’m not sure how the courts will view it. The Inspector believes he’ll get off lightly. His boss at the Sanctuary has promised him his job back if he has to go to jail, such is the popularity of Tristram Roscarrock. The fishermen ar
e not so forgiving but they’re in the minority.

  ‘But something happened down that mine that none of us will understand and those men will not speak about it to a stranger. I can only assume it was of some good, otherwise they would surely have pressed charges.’

  As they ate, they reminisced about their holiday; the people they’d met, the delicious food and drink, the vibrant festival, the characters and, above all, the beautiful views and coastline. James felt in his pocket.

  ‘We have one more evening left. I’ve got us all tickets for The Minack tomorrow night. Luke and Mark too, I hope that’s all right?’

  The Minack was a unique theatre built into the cliff-tops just along from Penzance. It had been built back in the 1930s and offered panoramic views of the Atlantic as a backdrop to the stone stage.

  ‘That is the perfect end to our anniversary,’ said Anne, ‘thank you.’

  ‘Y-yes, I’m so p-pleased you came. And you didn’t g-get withdrawal symptoms from playing the sleuth.’

  ‘And you go back to a new kitchen,’ added Anne.

  ‘Goodness,’ said James, ‘I’d forgotten all about that.’

  Beth said that she hadn’t and was looking forward to trying out her new cooker. ‘I may have a go at a Cornish pasty. Doesn’t your grandmother have a recipe like that?’

  ‘The closest thing we have is the Hiker’s Lunch. Pasties are synonymous with Cornwall. I think every region has its own dish. Granny used to do something called Sussex Pond pudding.’

  Anne pulled a face. ‘That doesn’t sound very appetising.’

  ‘It’s an odd recipe but tastes better than its name. It’s called a Pond Pudding because it has the unfortunate trait of looking like a pond when you dish it up. I’ll give you the recipe when we get home and you can give it a try.’

  ‘And,’ said Beth, ‘your granny’s scone recipe is just as delicious as those we had at the farmhouse.’

  ‘Yes, I think you’re right, although I may add a dash more vanilla. That made all the difference.’

  At the end of the evening, Stephen knocked on the table. ‘James, w-were those lights you saw definitely o- out to sea?’