by Issy Brooke
“Why do you appear to be arresting my wife? What is going on here?”
“I am, indeed, as you so astutely observe, arresting your wife. Lady Buckshaw has demonstrated herself to be guilty of the crimes of murder – twice – though I will concede she is likely to be unable to account for her actions. Such a sad case, don’t you think? Doctor Netherfield, isn’t it?”
Doctor Netherfield said, “I can assure you that Lady Buckshaw is entirely innocent and indeed incapable of having performed the dreadful deeds you claim. Entirely! On what basis do you make these baseless and insulting accusations?”
The Inspector walked slowly over to Felicia where she sagged between the matron and the policeman. She was sobbing, and as he got closer, she raised her head and screeched at him in an unearthly way. A chill went down Adelia’s spine. Percy leaped forward and inserted himself in front of his wife.
“You, sir, may keep your distance!”
“Indeed so, for I should not want to risk my life,” Inspector Wilbred replied. “You know, I was suspicious when I first encountered the poor lady in her fit of hysteria – do you remember? She all but confessed to the crime, but I put it to one side, thinking it was merely her feminine emotions overwhelming her. It was when the presence of Doctor Netherfield was reported to me that our focus really began to fall on Lady Buckshaw in true earnest. Until then, we were happy to consider that both deaths were the work of one of your servants and that was a matter for you to look into unless you invited us to investigate further, and that your wife was simply mad in the usual sort of way.”
“And when you considering it was one of the servants, you were content to drop the case, because servants are worth less? This is not the middle ages,” Theodore spat out, making Adelia proud of him. “They are not vassals.”
Inspector Wilbred shrugged. “Because we do find that when we interfere too much in a rich man’s household, we make enemies and very rarely get any information that is useful. My time is limited and my resources also; I assigned the policeman to remain here, of course. We were hardly washing our hands of the affair. But I hardly expected to make much progress in the case, and I didn’t much care one way or the other.”
Adelia gasped at the sheer brazenness of the man. The ideas that he expressed were hardly unusual but most people did not speak them out loud. It showed his lack of breeding. The middle classes, she thought, really were awful. And she ought to know, having come from the upper end of the middling sort herself.
Inspector Wilbred grinned at her gasp and carried on with his smug and self-important explanation. “I had asked the policeman to watch everyone in the household. After all, although my feeling had been that the culprit was a fellow servant, I am too experienced a policeman to rule anyone out – no! Not one person was excluded from my enquiry but I took pains to ensure that you did not know that every single one of you was under observation. With a particular eye, of course, upon this lady here.”
Percy could not contain himself. He said, “Of course we knew your lackeys were watching us all.”
Wilbred dismissed it with the merest shrug. “And so when the good doctor here arrived, I was informed immediately. A mad woman in the house! Not just hysterical at the finding of a body, but consistently mad enough to warrant outside help! Ah, suddenly things became clear to me. The first murder was a strange one, inexplicable, of apparently no motive or purpose. Who would do such a thing? A mad person!” He cackled to himself.
No one cackled with him.
Theodore began to say, “But you didn’t even believe that the house steward’s death was a murder at all...”
Inspector Wilbred ignored him. “And the second murder was quite clearly an attempt on the poor afflicted woman’s husband’s life. Who else wants a man dead but his own wife? Isn’t it almost always the case?”
“You speak the most vile things and I am sick, sick to my stomach. Get out!” Percy roared. He stepped towards the inspector. The policeman to one side of Felicia let go of her and grabbed hold of Percy. Percy tried to wrestle him off and the policeman pulled out his truncheon.
Percy stopped.
Inspector Wilbred dropped his voice and it took on a cloying tone of fake sympathy. “I understand, I really do. This must be terribly difficult for you all and I would just like to say that we do realise she isn’t accountable for her actions. She isn’t of sound mind, is she?”
“Yes, I am!” Felicia said weakly.
“In that case,” Wilbred said, “You will hang for your crimes rather than spend the rest of your days in an asylum.”
That triggered another bout of keening and crying.
“And my point is proven,” Inspector Wilbred finished with glee. He clicked his fingers and headed out towards the open doors. Felicia was dragged along by the fearsome matron, and the policemen closed around them, preventing anyone from getting close.
Adelia felt as if she had been stuck to the floor. Theodore was at her side, and he held onto her arm. It was as much for his own comfort as for hers.
Percy watched them go and then ran after them, standing helplessly on the top step outside, his shoulders shaking.
Doctor Netherfield glanced around and then went up to Percy’s side. Percy struck out with one hand and the doctor nodded and stepped away, leaving the man in his grief and his shock, alone, but watched by his family and friends.
“I cannot believe he has done this,” Theodore whispered to Adelia.
“I can,” she replied, bitterness making her words taste bad in her mouth. “I have the measure of that weasel-like little man now. He wants to be correct and he will stop at nothing to make the facts of the world twist and distort until they fit what he wants them to be. And with the law at his disposal, I think that even your Commissioner Rhodes will be unable to undo today’s evil deed.”
Twenty-two
Four men now crowded into the room above Percy’s study and library. Theodore was a little nervous about revealing to Percy exactly how much he had changed in the makeshift laboratory, but Percy’s mind was quite clearly elsewhere. He didn’t seem to care at all about the shifted furniture and ransacked cupboards – and he remarked that if it meant that Theodore could prove Felicia was innocent, “You may as well knock down every wall in the castle to that end.”
Along with Percy and Theodore were Doctor Netherfield and Captain Everard. Captain Everard had come rushing up to the castle in the hours after the shocking arrest of Felicia, saying that he would offer any assistance possibly as any matter that concerned Lady Agnes was a matter that concerned him, too. Percy had bristled slightly at that, but again, soon passed over it. It had become clear to Percy that his aunt was embarking on a love affair, and though he might have had an issue with that, he also recognised that he could do nothing about it. Yes, she was technically under his protection as a spinster female relative, but no one could imagine Percy standing in her way. And it was a minor issue compared to the fact that Percy’s own wife was now locked in a cell.
Although, due to Theodore’s incomparable wife’s forthright actions, Felicia was not exactly in a cell.
“Adelia has gone back to Plymouth again,” Theodore told the other men while a servant brought them in a tray of food and drink, mostly spirits and wine and a pot of very strong coffee. “She followed Felicia of course, but when Felicia went to the police station, Adelia went straight to Commissioner Rhodes’ office, and I rather pity the man who would have suffered under my dear wife’s full wrath. Anyway, the result is that Felicia is now housed under constant guard in Rhodes’ own house rather than the cells of the police station. A matron is in her room at all times, and policemen are stationed outside in the corridor. It’s not liberty, but it’s something better than incarceration at any rate.”
“It will not do! It is a scandal, a disgrace, an insult to me and my family and our very name!” Percy thundered.
“Listen to me,” Theodore said in as commanding a voice as he was able to muster.
; To his surprise, Percy stopped and looked at him, and there was something like pleading in his eyes. Theodore thought back over all the things he had spoken about with Adelia. Percy was a lost sort of man, he realised. He wanted direction or he would forever vacillate. Theodore decided therefore that he would give the direction that Percy so clearly needed.
“Listen,” Theodore said again, as everyone’s attention now focused on him. “I can tell you exactly who the culprit is. The only likely suspect in this matter, for both deaths, is Oscar Brodie.”
“He keeps getting mentioned – I know that he is something of a bugbear to you – but I cannot see why,” Doctor Netherfield said. “Would you explain what evidence you have?”
“Let’s find the lad and drag him here and make him confess,” said Percy, leaping up towards the door.
“Sit down. We must not do anything that might prejudice the investigation.”
“Inspector Wilbred could not inspect his own face in a mirror.”
That was the politest way of putting it, but it certainly accorded with Theodore’s own views. He said, “Should this come to court, and it will, then we need to be absolutely above reproach with every step that we take, or it will be seized by the defence as an excuse to throw everything out and acquit the guilty party. Don’t you see? We are up against the law and must be perfectly correct in all of our dealings. So, we cannot force any kind of confession out of Brodie and we must have watertight evidence. Sadly, at the moment, all I have is a sneaking suspicion.”
“A man cannot be convicted on a suspicion,” Captain Everard said. “But tell us what they are.”
Theodore knew that he had to choose his words very carefully. Percy was on a short fuse and liable to grasp anything to give himself an excuse to run out after Brodie and potentially jeopardise everything. He said, “Oscar Brodie is a fatherless young man in his early twenties who has not learned the rules of society. He did well at school, by all accounts, at least in academic subjects.” He looked at Percy for confirmation.
Percy nodded. “I paid for his schooling. I got the reports back from the headmaster and his housemaster every year, and they said his academic achievement was excellent. He was a duffer at sport, though, and not terribly well liked. I wasn’t paying his fees for him to be liked, though, so I thought it was all right, really.”
“But he has always lacked direction. Who knows from where that lack of drive springs?” Theodore nodded at Doctor Netherfield. “Is it something in the blood that he inherited from his feckless father? Or a lack of a role model now?”
Percy interrupted angrily. “I say, I have tried to be that figure to him.”
“Indeed you have – when you have been here. But wait, listen. Now is not the time for recriminations. When you have been here, he has followed you around, has he not?”
“Yes. He was always something of a pest, if I’m honest. Could never shake the lad off, and just when you thought you’d evaded him, you’d turn around and there he’d be, lurking and watching, just waiting for a chance to come up to you and talk again.” Percy shuddered. “He is my sister’s son and my own flesh and blood. I ought to love him more. After all, he’ll be my heir if Felicia cannot...”
Doctor Netherfield held up his broad hand. He seemed to know exactly where things were going. “There are many more years yet ahead of you to consider such things and I am confident that your good lady can be returned to health.”
Percy thinned his lips and stared at the wall. Captain Everard looked from one man to another but wisely kept his own counsel on the matter.
Theodore pressed on, reluctant to talk any more about the sensitive topic. He said, “It is a fact, then, that Oscar Brodie has a lot of time on his hands and he is known to hide in hedges and eavesdrop and watch all that goes on in this household. Of that, we can all agree.”
The men nodded. “Even I have noticed this,” the doctor murmured.
“This time, Percy, has Brodie been as demanding of your time as on your previous visits home?”
“I do not visit home – I live here, and visit other places,” Percy said.
Theodore did not reply. He allowed his words to sink in until Percy went a little pink. Finally Percy said, “Perhaps I can see why you said that. Anyway, it is irrelevant. As to Oscar, he has seemed a little confused this time. He has followed my steps almost as much as usual but he has also tried to follow you. And he is certainly less – less, um, less keen to hang on to my every word in the way that he used to in the past.”
Theodore nodded.
The doctor said, “He is obviously looking for a father figure. Doctor Freud has a lot to say about this kind of thing.”
Theodore had read some of the mind-doctor’s wilder theories, and he had always felt obliged to hide the books in case Adelia stumbled across them. He said, hastily, “Indeed he has and that would be a discussion for a more appropriate setting, but not here and now. I suspect that it would baffle laymen.” As it often baffled him. “It is my suggestion that, in the course of his lurking and lingering, he has seen something to do with the lapis lazuli in the ice house that has interested him. Perhaps the house steward was using the space for other purposes such as the storing of stolen goods, but I have not yet found any evidence around that. It is my first sticking point.”
“The lapis?” Percy said.
“The fake lapis. The ice house is full of worthless rocks.”
Captain Everard gasped. Percy looked grim. “So your wife told me,” he said to Theodore. “Are you absolutely sure? I confess I doubted her.”
“Yes. I can show you with chemical experiments if you wish.” Theodore waved at the glassware and wooden racks that littered the tables.
Percy scratched his head. “No, no, I shall accept it, but it confuses me utterly.”
“Why? It makes more sense to me,” Theodore said. “Surely it is nonsense to imagine that you have been keeping valuable and saleable minerals in an insecure location? Why would you do that?”
Percy shrugged. “Because that is where it has always been, and the market collapsed, and so... I don’t know. I don’t know!” he yelled, suddenly. “I never questioned it! You don’t, do you? No one does! If it is something that your family does and has always done, you keep on doing it! I don’t know much but I sure as hell know that! That’s what it means to be an earl or a duke or a baron or anything! That’s the responsibility, isn’t it? That’s what I am supposed to do!”
He was quite red in the face. Everyone was silent, allowing his words to sink in. Theodore thought that the passion in his speech revealed the very core of Percy’s troubled character.
And perhaps it hinted at some of the things that they had not yet uncovered.
“I have to say that it does sound rather odd,” Doctor Netherfield remarked mildly.
Captain Everard snorted but once again kept his thoughts to himself.
“I have been looking through the business records and family records, such as they are,” Theodore said. Percy looked startled and began to protest but Theodore spoke over him firmly. “There are huge gaps. The records start to show gaps around 1820, actually, and it peaks with massive chunks missing around thirty years ago. The records return to what I expected to see from around five years ago.”
“Yes, of course, I take care to oversee the accounts especially now I am a married man with responsibilities.”
“But can you account for the previous gaps?”
“From before I was born? No, of course not.”
“Someone can,” Theodore said. “Your grandmother, The Countess herself.”
“No, now listen here – that’s simply not on. It wouldn’t be fair. We can’t possibly involve her. Anyway,” Percy went on, with some embarrassment, “She’ll just start talking about the curse and it won’t make any sense, you know?”
“The curse?” Captain Everard asked.
“Hasn’t Lady Agnes told you all about this? Well, well. You would do well to ask her.”
“I certainly shall. Would you care to enlighten us?” Captain Everard clearly didn’t think much of Percy and it was showing in his voice.
“It’s nonsense, utter poppycock. It’s all to do with the collapse of the markets and how we lost money but it’s really not relevant because, as you can see, we’ve improved our fortunes since.”
“How?” said Theodore.
“Excuse me?” Percy’s voice rose.
“How have you improved your fortunes? You certainly haven’t sold any precious minerals. They were never worth anything. So, where has the family fortune come from?”
Percy opened and closed his mouth. Everyone looked at him expectantly.
No one spoke for a short time.
“I – can’t really say.”
“Can’t, or won’t?”
“Can’t! What are you implying, Captain Everard? I can assure you that my family’s business dealings are all entirely legal and correct!”
“I am implying nothing,” Captain Everard said. “I merely wish to ascertain the truth, for your own wife’s sake. For, if what Lord Calaway is saying is correct, these murders could be linked to your own family.”
“Hang on one minute – we were pinning this all on Oscar Brodie a moment ago!” Percy said desperately.
“And we still are,” Theodore said. Certain things had been adding up in his mind as they had been speaking and he had watched Percy carefully. “He is your family. So, we don’t know where the family’s money has come from in recent times; let us assume it is all legitimate, however. Fair enough. But the human mind is naturally predisposed to search for rather more exciting explanations. Take the curse, for example. Money was lost – businesses failed. That’s a normal and rather dull and everyday sort of thing. We humans do crave excitement and what could be more exciting than to attribute it all not to bad management, but to a curse? The womenfolk of this family seem particularly inclined to believe it and perpetuate that.”
“Are you suggesting my grandmother is a superstitious woman?” Percy asked.
