by Helena Dixon
‘Ah, my dear sweet Kitty, you see now what a brain I have, and the great honour I did you by asking you to be my wife. Though truth to tell, that was luck as well as genius.’ Walter cackled. ‘I have many connections through my job as a reporter. I was asked to look at the passenger lists of a certain liner as a very famous film star was supposed to be aboard and coming unheralded into the country. A nice little scandal involving a secret baby and a married member of parliament. Well, I found my lady, and I also found your father. Your surname is not that common, and a few checks soon helped me put the pieces together and helped me to plan.’
‘And how did you know about the ruby?’ She had definitely heard a tiny sound, closer this time.
‘I have sources in America and the obliging Colin of course.’ Walter stopped talking and peered into the dark body of the church behind Kitty and her father. ‘Who’s there?’
No response came back. He moved to press the switch which would illuminate the main part of the church. Before he could flick the switch, her father had moved also, making a dive for Walter’s arm. As they grappled together, the gun went off with a deafening roar and the light bulb above their heads shattered, sending shards of glass raining down on them as they were plunged into blackness.
Chapter Thirty
Kitty froze, trying to work out their positions in the darkness. The only light showing now was the faint gleam of candles just inside the secondary door to the church, near the pew where she had sat earlier with her father.
‘Papa!’ She cried out. The two men were still scuffling and, in the gloom, she couldn’t see who was who. She tried to edge around the protagonists but stumbled against what she realised must be Colin’s prone body.
‘Kitty, the door,’ her father called and she heard something metallic hit the floor. Acting swiftly, she dropped to her knees and groped around for what she hoped was the key. If she could just find it and get the door open, hopefully Greville’s men would be outside.
As her fingers closed over the large metal key, a heavy foot crunched down on her hand and the electric light in the main body of the church came on. She looked up, wincing from the pain in her fingers, to see Walter leering down at her.
‘I don’t think so, do you?’ He waved the gun at her. ‘Get up.’ He released her hand and she scrambled to her feet. Her father was slumped against the stairwell to the upper level, the wound to his face pouring more blood, red and sticky, down the side of his face.
‘Papa!’ Where was the person they’d heard in the church? There had been someone in there with them. Or had she imagined it? ‘What have you done to him?’ She went to go to her father.
‘Stay where you are. He’s all right,’ Walter commanded. She derived a degree of satisfaction from noticing that Walter himself had not escaped unscathed from the fight. There was a streak of blood below his nose and one eye had started to swell.
Her father groaned and moved. Relief raced through her. Walter jabbed Edgar hard in his ribs with the barrel of the revolver. ‘Time to move.’ He turned to Kitty. ‘You too.’ She picked her way past Colin and went to her father’s side so he could lean on her for support. Her fingers hurt where Walter had stamped on her hand and she wondered if her little finger was broken.
‘Move.’ He waved the gun at them once more and forced them to walk in front of him towards a small side door.
Kitty had the bulk of her father’s weight against her as they walked, and his breath sounded raspy in the cool air.
‘Walter, this is madness. What do you plan to do?’ She received a hard poke in her back from the nose of the gun for her question.
‘My plans do not concern you any more, my dear Kitty. You refused my offer of marriage, remember? Now you must live with the consequences. Or rather, not.’ He giggled as if he’d said something amusing. ‘Open the door.’
That awful giggle, high and girlish, must have been what Mrs Craven had heard. Reluctantly, she stretched out her hand to unlatch the door in front of her, trying to delay the moment for as long as she dared. She knew that once they were inside whatever room or cupboard lay behind the door, their fates would probably be sealed.
Just then, she heard a great hammering and rattling at the door of the church behind them. ‘Police, open up.’
Walter scowled. ‘Open the door, hurry,’ he barked.
The thuds at the medieval door grew louder. Her hand fumbled the key below the latch, and it dropped to the floor with a metallic ping. Walter’s attention was distracted between the noise at the front door and trying to hurry Kitty along. Her father appeared barely conscious.
‘Pick that up,’ Walter snarled. She awkwardly leaned her father against the wall and bent to do Walter’s bidding. As she did so she saw movement behind Walter in the shadows. Whoever had entered the church earlier had worked their way around to get closer to them. It had to be Matt. She scrabbled for the key, deliberately making her actions clumsy.
‘Get a move on or your old man gets a bullet now,’ Walter pointed the gun at her father.
‘My fingers hurt from where you stamped on them,’ Kitty said.
At that, a figure burst from the shadows and slammed into Walter, knocking him to the floor and sending the gun out of his hand and skidding towards the foot of the stairs.
‘Kitty, the gun,’ Matt commanded.
She ran forward, leaping over Colin, and grabbed the revolver. ‘Stop!’ She pointed the barrel at Walter and tried to keep her hands steady. Walter froze in the face of the merciless weapon, allowing Matt to kneel on top of him, pinning him to the floor.
‘Good work, Kitty.’ Matt grimaced and she could see the pain he was in from his injured shoulder. She kept the gun trained on Walter who wriggled futilely under Matt’s weight as she collected the key to the main door from the floor. In a few seconds the door was open and Inspector Greville’s men piled in from the porch.
As soon as Walter was in handcuffs and Kitty was relieved of the gun, she hurried to her father’s side.
‘Papa.’ She assisted him to a pew as Matt limped across to join them. Walter was half led, half dragged between two burly constables to the waiting police car, swearing and screaming.
‘Doctor Carter is on his way. I sent a message to him as soon as I received your note.’ Matt closed his eyes and drew in a breath through his teeth. ‘Thank God I found an open window. What the hell did you think you were doing?’
‘Catching a murderer.’ She watched as the police directed the ambulance men to move the verger, who had now come around, out to the waiting vehicle. They then returned with a stretcher for Colin. ‘I didn’t kill him, did I?’ she asked.
‘Unfortunately, no. Though no doubt he’ll face the hangman along with Walter Cribbs for all his crimes.’ Inspector Greville stood looking at the three of them. ‘I’ll need statements from all of you when the doctor has attended you.’ He moved away to supervise his men.
Doctor Carter entered the church clutching his dark brown leather medical bag. The vicar accompanied him, wringing his hands as he inspected the doors and the church for any damage. Doctor Carter’s round, cherubic face was flushed pink with excitement. ‘What on earth has been happening?’ he asked as he placed his bag down carefully on the pew next to Edgar.
‘It’s a long story, Doc.’ Matt winced as he spoke.
The doctor pursed his lips, a frown creasing his forehead. ‘I see you didn’t follow my instructions.’ He popped open his bag and began to attend Edgar first, cleaning the wound on his face and checking his reflexes. ‘No lasting damage, and you have escaped sutures.’ He applied a dressing to his head and secured it with a bandage.
‘I have quite a headache,’ Edgar complained meekly.
‘Compared to what it could have been, a headache is nothing.’ Kitty felt sick when she thought of what could have happened.
‘I suspect Colin’s head will feel far worse when he comes around. You broke your umbrella, my dear,’ her father observed, wryly.
&nb
sp; ‘So, it was you who bashed Colin over the head. I might have guessed,’ Matt winced as the doctor looked at the strapping he’d applied earlier to Matt’s chest and shoulder. He grunted as Doctor Carter tutted and clucked while adding more strapping to his torso.
‘Now, Miss Underhay, your injuries, if you please.’ The doctor tied the knot firmly on a fresh sling around Matt’s neck and turned to Kitty.
‘My hand. Walter stamped on my fingers. I can’t move my little finger very well.’ The doctor gently eased her fingers straight so he could examine them.
‘I think they are just badly bruised. Pop along to the hospital tomorrow and we can take a look in case it needs splinting. I’ll strap it for now and I suggest some cold compresses to keep the swelling down.’
Inspector Greville returned. ‘It’s very late. I suggest you return to the Dolphin to get some sleep and I’ll be there at ten tomorrow to take your statements.’
Kitty glanced at her watch and was surprised to see it was almost one in the morning.
‘Allow me to give you a lift back to the hotel. My motor car is in the street.’ Doctor Carter fastened his bag and beamed at them as if it were they who were favouring him rather than it being the other way about.
The doctor assisted Matt to the front passenger seat while Kitty aided her father to the backseat. ‘Off we go then.’ Doctor Carter started the engine and they hurtled through the deserted streets the short distance back to the hotel.
‘Thanks, Doc,’ Matt said as he carefully negotiated his exit from the car. Kitty was thankful the journey had been so short. Doctor Carter appeared to have two speeds, fast or at a standstill. She suspected longer journeys might be quite terrifying.
The night porter admitted them to the lobby. His shocked expression at their bloodied and battered state almost made her smile.
‘Father, you had better take my room on the floor next to Matt and I’ll sleep in Grams’ suite again tonight.’ She led the way to the elevator. The night porter came to assist with the metal cage to permit them entry. She accompanied them to the top floor and said good night to Matt before taking her father to her room. There was a strange emotion in Matt’s eyes as he bade them good night, but she didn’t have the energy to consider it just now; she had used up her stocks of bravery for the night.
‘Thank you, Kitty.’ Her father took her hands in his. ‘You were very brave this evening. I’m so glad you came to no harm.’
She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. ‘Me too.’ She freed her hand from his and felt inside her coat. ‘By the way, I have something for you.’ She reached inside the secret pouch she had fashioned in the lining and took out the handkerchief containing the ruby. She pressed the bundle into his palm. ‘Take it, do what you will with it, so long as it is gone where it can cause no more trouble.’
His eyes, damp with emotion, met her gaze. ‘I promise it will cause you no more grief, child. You look so much like your mother, and you have her courage and spirit.’
To her surprise she saw tears cloud his vision. ‘My darling girl.’ He stooped and kissed her forehead. ‘Good night.’
She left him in her room, promising to send a maid with a tray of tea and toast in the morning before the inspector came to take their statements. She made her way to her grandmother’s suite in a state of exhaustion. Her fingers hurt and her body ached. At least now that Walter was in custody, the danger was over. Soon her grandmother would be back with her aunt Livvy, and she might be able to persuade her father to stay a little longer now he was no longer under the threat of arrest.
Chapter Thirty-One
Kitty woke the next morning to the rattle of the door of the suite opening, followed by a soft knock at her bedroom door.
‘Good morning, Miss Underhay, tea and toast.’ Alice, the little red-haired maid, set the tray down on top of the bedside cabinet. ‘Shall I open the curtains and let the day in, miss?’
‘Please. What time is it?’ She tried to peer blearily at her wristwatch which she’d removed and placed next to her bed.
‘Eight thirty, miss. Can I do anything else for you?’ The girl turned back from opening the curtains and smiled cheerfully at Kitty.
‘No, thank you.’ She pulled up her pillows, wincing when she forgot the strapping Doctor Carter had applied to her fingers, then helped herself to tea and toast.
An hour later, bathed and breakfasted, she hummed to herself as she hurried upstairs to tap at her father’s door. Receiving no answer, she tried the handle and discovered the door unlocked.
‘Papa.’ She walked in to see the bed neatly made and everything in perfect order. Two envelopes were on her dresser, one addressed to her and the other to Inspector Greville. There was a tap at the door, and she turned her head to see Matt’s tall frame.
‘He’s gone, hasn’t he?’ she asked.
‘You sound like you expected it?’
She nodded. ‘I hoped he might stick around for a little while.’ She touched the corner of the envelope he’d left for her with the edge of her bandaged hand. Her father’s departure was disappointing but not unexpected. She had a feeling that he was a man who never lingered anywhere for very long.
‘Has he taken the ruby?’ Matt asked as he edged into the room and sat down carefully on a chair, nursing his injured arm.
‘I hope so.’
He smiled. ‘I’m sure life will be simpler with it gone.’
Kitty sank down on the edge of her bed. ‘He left letters, one for me and one for Inspector Greville.’
‘Inspector Greville will be here soon.’ Matt stood and groaned. ‘I’m starting to think jumping on top of Walter Cribbs probably wasn’t my most sensible move last night.’
Kitty collected the letters to take down to her grandmother’s suite. ‘I’m very grateful that you did.’
They made their way together slowly down the stairs. ‘Last night was so surreal.’ Kitty paused outside the door of the suite. ‘This strapping is annoying.’ She fumbled with the key to unlock the door.
‘Don’t talk to me about strapping, I’m hoping no one looks too closely at my shave this morning.’ Matt followed her inside the room.
She placed the letter for Inspector Greville on the bureau and used the paperknife to open the letter with her name on it.
‘I’ve ripped it.’ She tugged the note free of the envelope.
My Dearest Kitty,
I’m sure you’ll understand that I can’t stay. Your grandmother and aunt will be home soon, and I suspect that I’m not the houseguest your grandmother would wish to receive. I promise you that I will write with my address once I am back in America. I hope that you will hear from your aunt Hortense and cousin Lucy. I think you will like Lucy; she is a very modern young woman I believe. I expect that my leaving in this fashion will cause your grandmother to say that a leopard does not change its spots. Perhaps she is correct. But always remember, my darling girl, that this old leopard loves you dearly.
Till we next meet, take care, all my love, your affectionate Papa xxx
Kitty blinked and fumbled for a handkerchief. ‘I know he’s a disreputable old rogue, but there’s something about him.’
‘Who are aunt Hortense and cousin Lucy?’ Matt asked.
‘Lady Medford is my father’s sister. Rather unsurprisingly they are estranged, and he has only just told them about me and me about them. They have an estate near Exeter.’
Matt pursed his lips and let out a low whistle.
Kitty laughed. ‘I know.’
There was a knock at the door and Inspector Greville was shown in by one of the portering staff. He raised his hat politely to Kitty, and, at her invitation, removed it and took a seat.
‘Will Mr Underhay be joining us?’ he asked as the maid returned with a tea tray and biscuits.
‘My father left this for you.’ Kitty handed him the note addressed to him.
The inspector opened the envelope and removed several sheets of paper. He read them in silence, only the occa
sional raising of his eyebrows indicating his thoughts on the contents. When he’d finished reading, he refolded the note, returned it to the envelope and tucked it in the back of his notebook.
‘Your father appears to have left a complete and detailed statement of events, Miss Underhay. Naturally I shall need to take a statement from you and Captain Bryant about the events of yesterday evening.’ He looked at Kitty as she proffered him the plate of biscuits.
‘Of course.’ She took a biscuit herself and nibbled at the corner.
‘Mr Cribbs is in police custody, although he has been seen by a psychiatrist and there is a feeling that he may be sent to an asylum. The events of last night appear to have sent him completely over the edge.’ The inspector brushed crumbs from his tie and looked hopefully towards the biscuit plate. Kitty took the cue and offered him more biscuits.
‘Colin Wakes is under police guard at the hospital. He has now regained consciousness and is happily singing like a canary about Walter Cribbs.’ The inspector bit down on his biscuit with a contented sigh.
‘I’m glad Kitty is safe now, and Cribbs is locked up.’ Matt set his cup back on its saucer.
‘Will you be remaining at the Dolphin, Captain?’ the inspector asked.
Matt exchanged glances with Kitty. She hadn’t given much thought to what would happen now it was over, and the mystery was solved.
‘Mrs Treadwell and her sister arrive today, so I will need to discuss things with her now that the immediate terms of my employment have been fulfilled.’
Kitty’s spirits fell unaccountably at the thought of Matt leaving. It may have been dangerous and scary over the last couple of weeks, but she had felt more alive than she had for a long time. She also enjoyed Matt’s company, even if he could sometimes prove annoyingly protective.