A Study in Stone
Page 11
Alan tucked the paper back into his pocket, and both men stared straight ahead, lost in thought.
Dan rubbed at the corners of his eyes. “He would’ve liked that. Gordon Kenning, I mean. I don’t suppose he ever came here himself, but it feels right somehow.”
“Yes. Unfinished business.”
“It was good of you to come with me,” Dan said. “And I’m glad you did. You read that very well.”
“Thank you. Years of reading aloud to my class. I suppose you get a feel for it eventually. Not that this was the same.” Alan hesitated. “What are you going to do with your copy of Private Murphy’s letter? I thought I’d put mine in a frame and hang it up in the kitchen—somewhere where I’ll notice it from time to time.”
“My copy’s gone,” Dan said simply.
“What do you mean? You’ve lost it?”
“No. I don’t hold on to things. I can’t stand to drag all that clutter from place to place. So once I’d reread the letter a few times, I posted it; sent it to the one place where it might do some good.”
Alan nodded thoughtfully. From his expression, it was clear that he didn’t need any further explanation, and Dan was glad of it. They could talk later, but for the moment, the important thing was just to be there, to be present, and to stand, their heads bowed, in silence.
EPILOGUE
Knightsbrook House
In the quiet corner of the garden, Martin Kenning ran his hands over the slab of stone. It had cleaned up nicely, and the builder had done a good job of fixing it back in place. Deborah had complained, of course, when he’d removed it from her café, but he’d calmed her down and made her listen to reason. He’d told her to take down that nonsense about the saint too. She’d probably dream up some other fanciful tale to put in its place, but that couldn’t be helped.
He thought of his own historical display back at the house. It was not without fault. He’d asked Arthur to remove Cyril’s uniform from the display until he could figure out what to do with it. It raised too many questions, and the visitors to the estate wanted nothing more than a genteel day out in the English countryside; they weren’t ready to face the realities of war. He’d probably donate the uniform to a military museum. There was one in the neighbouring county of Dorset, and they could make a proper job of telling Cyril’s story. And told, it must be. There was no doubt about that.
In the meantime, Gordon’s carved message was back in its rightful place, just where he’d wanted it. And below it, on the back of the new oak bench, a brass plaque gleamed in the sunshine, its message written out in plain English:
IN MEMORY OF CYRIL KENNING
A BELOVED BROTHER TAKEN TOO SOON
BY THE FOLLY OF A SENSELESS WAR.
AFTERWORD
Thank you for reading A Study in Stone. I really hope that you enjoyed it. This story is my first mystery, and although there were certainly challenges along the way, I enjoyed writing it immensely. I had some fun with the characters of Corrigan and Hargreaves, and at this point, I feel like they’ve limbered up and now they’re raring to go. This pair have a certain chemistry, and I’m looking forward to throwing some more problems at them. I hope you’re looking forward to more mysteries too.
In the meantime, here are a few notes that I hope will answer any questions you may have. I’ve also provided a list of reference links on my blog, so if there’s a particular aspect that interests you, you can follow it up:
View the reference page.
Is Embervale a real place?
This story is set in the Dartmoor area where I’ve lived for over twenty years, but the village is entirely fictional. When I’ve used real places such as Exeter and Bovey Tracey, I’ve fictionalised them to some extent. I used the real name for the church in Bovey Tracey, but the names on the gravestones are fictional. The Aquifer Café is entirely fictional, but the Eggplant Café is inspired by a real-life vegan café in Exeter, and yes, they do have a well in one corner. In Exeter, the museum is real, but I’ve never been lucky enough to see behind the scenes, so I had to imagine that setting.
Was there really a Saint Sidwell?
The legend of Saint Sitwell hasn’t been altered for this book, but like any legend, there are several versions of the tale. Sidwell is the patron saint of Exeter, and there is still an area of the city named after her.
How about Knightsbrook House?
This is a fictional stately home, but it has been inspired by several National Trust properties here in Devon. Ugbrooke House can only be visited via a guided tour, and they have a small military museum. Castle Drogo was built on the proceeds of commerce, but a chain of grocery stores was the source of wealth rather than pharmacies. Knightshayes is a grand house that lent part of its name to the story.
Are the military details real?
This is a tricky area to get right, but I wanted to use real regiments. The Second Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment were awarded the Croix de Guerre for their outstanding bravery, and the story is both fascinating and chilling. More details can be found via the reference page on my blog.
Similarly, I spent some time looking into military executions. Some of those shot had committed crimes, but some who were found guilty of cowardice or desertion were almost certainly suffering from what we now call PTSD. In one case, the soldier, a young man of nineteen, had only been absent for a few hours. He claimed to be suffering from confusion, but he had donned civilian clothes. He was executed, and the whereabouts of his body are unknown. In his hometown, his name has never been added to the war memorial. In another case, the young man was only sixteen years old when he lied about his age to enlist. Later, having seen many of his fellows killed, he left his post to comfort a friend. When he was executed, he was just seventeen; still too young to be a member of his regiment.
It took the British Government ninety years to issue a group pardon to all those who were executed in World War One; a war that was also called The Great War for Civilzation.
On that sombre note, I’ll sign off. Thanks again for joining me on this journey. I hope I’ll have the pleasure of your company again very soon.
All the best,
Michael Campling
Devon, 2019
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THE KENNING FAMILY HISTORY
Timothy Kenning marries Hester Williams 1899
Cyril born 1899
Gordon born 1900
Timothy dies in 1905
Cyril awarded the Croix de Guerre 1918
Cyril dies 1919
Gordon marries Diana Muir 1923
Gerald born 1925
Gerald Marries Helen Barker 1947
David is born 1948
David marries Julia Normanby 1968
Martin is born 1969
Deborah born 1970
Gordon dies 1972
Diana dies 1983
Gerald and Helen die 2005
In 2019:
David Kenning is 71
Martin Kenning is 50
Deborah Kenning is 49
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
“We will remember them” quote from For the Fallen (Robert Laurence Binyon)
“We are returning by the road we came” quote from To My Brother (Siegfried Sassoon) Sassoon, Siegfried. The Old Huntsman and Other Poems. New York: E. P. Dutton & Company, 1918; Bartleby.com, 1999. www.bartleby.com/135/.
Special thanks to my excellent beta readers:
Philip
Ilse
Sue
Julie
Saundra
Netty.
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Trespass
Jake was too smart to believe the rumors about Scaderstone Pit, but now he’s in more danger than he could ever have imagined. The pit is so much more than an abandoned quarry, and the risks are not rumors but real. Read on, but remember: Somewhere, sometime, the stone is waiting.
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C0NTINUE? - A Downlode Trust Prequel
CHEATC0DE - The Downlode Trust Book I
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Colony B Series:
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Wall - Colony B Book I
Trail - Colony B Book II
Control - Colony B Book III
Rift - Colony B Book IV
Colony B Box Set Books I-IV
The Darkeningstone Series:
Breaking Ground - A Darkeningstone Prequel
Trespass: The Darkeningstone Book I
Outcast—The Darkeningstone Book II
Scaderstone—The Darkeningstone Book III
Darkeningstone Trilogy Box Set
The Short Horror Collection
After Dark - Thoughtful Horror Book I
Once in a Blood Moon - Thoughtful Horror Book II
A Dark Assortment - Thoughtful Horror Book III
Other Fiction
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Destiny’s Hand
The Expanding Universe 3
The Expanding Universe 4
About the Author
Michael (Mikey to friends) is a full-time writer living and working on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon. He writes stories with characters you can believe in, and plots you can sink your teeth into. His style is vivid but never flowery; every word packs a punch. His stories are complex, thought-provoking, atmospheric, and grounded in real life.
Michael’s work spans several genres and you can explore the full range via his website: michaelcampling.com. Alternatively, you can start reading his work for free with his starter library which you’ll receive when you join Michael’s readers’ group, which is called The Awkward Squad. You’ll receive free books and stories, plus a newsletter that’s actually worth reading. Learn more and start reading today via Mikey’s blog at:
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Copyright
© 2019 Michael Campling All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the copyright holder, except as permitted by copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Timestamp: 2019-06-10 13:42