12 Naughty Days of Christmas 2020

by Megan McCoy

  “Oh my,” Gabby said, her heart racing. “That is amazing.”

  “Stay here while I see what’s inside,” Fergus said. He slid through the opening, then poked his head out. “Give me a candle.”

  Once he had the candle and had disappeared again, Gabby followed him in. There was no way she was missing out on this. Inside she found Fergus in the middle of the small space. There was a cot with a broken leg. Against the far wall was a chess set, covered in dust. Near the cot was a tiny table. Sitting on the table was a box.

  “I don’t think I could spend much time in here,” Gabby said.

  “Malcolm and I would spend hours in here, playing chess by candlelight.” He bent and picked up a chess piece. “It kept us from having to do chores, and it got to be somewhat of a joke. Like I said, I doubt Bonnie even knows this place exists.”

  He put the chess piece in his pocket and ran his fingers over the box. “Not much dust,” he said.

  “That means it’s fairly new to the space,” Gabby said.

  “Which means Malcolm put it here.”

  Gabby stepped closer to him, just to let him know she was there. She could feel the pain rolling through his body, feel the anger.

  “Let’s take it up to the library and see what’s inside,” she said. “This place makes my skin crawl.”

  “You never would have made it through hide and seek,” he said.

  Between the two of them, they lifted the box out of the priest hole. Once it was on the table near the chairs, Gabby went around and lit the candles Fergus has left unlit earlier. While she did that, her husband built a fire, and soon the room was bright and warm.

  “Here we go,” Fergus said as he lifted the lid off the box. Inside was an envelope with Fergus’ name. Under the envelope were necklaces, bracelets, rings, several unset stones and… three snuff boxes.

  “Fergus, look.” She held up one of the snuff boxes. “And there’s thousands of pounds worth of jewelry in here. Stolen from Bath?”

  “And other places, I’m sure.” Fergus had the letter in his hand. “Something tells me Malcolm knew he was going to die.”

  “Oh Fergus, I’m so sorry.”

  Fergus nodded, then sat down in front of the fireplace. Gabby took the space next to him and watched as he broke the seal on the envelope. He took out two sheets of foolscap and unfolded them.

  “Hold a candle near me so I can see better.”

  Once she’d done as he asked, Fergus started to read.

  “Dear Fergus, as trite as this sounds, if you see this I’m probably dead. I’ve given the priest the snuff box and asked him to give it to you, to remind you of the box where we used to hide.”

  A cry of anger escaped Fergus’ mouth. “I should have realized Malcolm had something to do with the box.”

  “Why?” She put her free hand on his leg. “The priest didn’t really give it to us. He just left it on the pew. You had no reason to think Malcolm left it for you.” When he didn’t answer, she said, “Continue reading.”

  After a few moments, he sighed and continued. “I was in Bath with my beautiful Evie, when this all started. Jewelry started to disappear from houses, and people started blaming each other. The authorities were questioning people and advising that parties be cancelled. But Evie, my beautiful Evie, she is not the type to let someone tell her what to do. She has a mind of her own, and a curiosity that won’t be satisfied.”

  Fergus glanced at Gabby. “She sounds like you, imp.”

  Gabby laughed. “Keep going.”

  “Evie had an idea that we search out the thieves and turn them in. We started going around questioning people who had been victims, seeing what they had in common. The one thing that matched on all of them was a spiritualist named Honoria. We searched her out and started to follow her. We found where she lived. When she was out one night, we stole into her place and found the items in this box.”

  Fergus shook his head. “It sounds like something you would do.”

  “I’ve come through all my adventures unscathed,” she said, and then she winced. “Oh Fergus, I’m so sorry. I never should have said that.”

  “But it’s true,” he said. “Let’s see what else Malcolm has to say.”

  The letter continued that they left the items where they were, and tried to decide what to do. “We had no evidence, except the stolen items, that would link the spiritualist to the thefts. So, we sent her a letter telling her we knew she was a thief. We didn’t identify ourselves, but two nights later Evie’s maid was killed in her home.”

  Ferus paused, then continued. “It was obvious the two were connected, but we had no way to prove it. So, once again, we stole into Honoria’s home, but this time we took the jewels. I brought them here to hide, and I am going back to Bath to help Evie prove Honoria is a murderer. How we will do that, I do not know. But I have, as I said, left the snuff box with the priest. If anything happens to me he is to give it to you. I think you will realize the box refers to the hold where we spent so much time. You will be able to find the spiritualist, and see that she is charged with murder.”

  Gabby leaned against Fergus. “He doesn’t mention Freddy.”

  “Something tells me he didn’t know about him,” Fergus said. “I’m going to find him, and rip the man’s throat out.”

  “No.” Fergus had started to stand, but Gabby pulled him back down. “Somehow this couple found out who had their ill-gotten gain and followed Malcolm to Scotland. They poisoned him. We need to put the jewels back and talk with the Scotland Yard detective. We can show him the letter, and see where we go from here.”

  Anger radiated off her husband, and she wanted to hold him, hopefully, to calm him down.

  “Fergus, we cannot underestimate these people.”

  His exhale was audible. “You’re right, of course. We can’t let them know that we know.”

  Moments later, with the stash hidden once again and the priest hole closed, Fergus took her hand.

  “Now, about that orgasm.”

  Chapter 7

  “So why is this,” Bonnie looked over her shoulder, and Gabby thought she was searching for just the right word. Finally, she said, “Intriguing man here?”

  Det. Colin Markham was not what Gabby had expected, and she supposed he was intriguing. She knew Mariella had a great deal of contact with the officer, but Gabby had thought he would be young, and that he and Mariella had more than working relationship. She’d been wrong. Colin Markham was close to sixty, Gabby thought, and she could tell by the way they talked to each other that there was no attraction between him and Mariella.

  But Bonnie was different. The moment he walked into the house two days ago, Bonnie seemed brighter than she had for all of their visit. The way he looked at her, told Gabby he returned her feelings.

  “He’s friends with Mariella,” Gabby said. Once it was clear that a news story was unfurling, she and Mariella had decided the newspaper manager should stay. The eyewitness report would sell many papers.

  Bonnie frowned. “And what is she doing here?” When none of them answered, Bonnie put her hands on her hips. “I have a right to know what is going on in my own house.”

  “You’re right, you do,” Fergus said. “Come and sit with us, and you’ll hear what we’ve discovered since we’ve been here.”

  A maid delivered tea, and when they were alone, Gabby nodded in Fergus’ direction. He related the story, including what they’d found in the priest hole.

  “Priest hole?” Bonnie glanced at Fergus, then Gabby, then back to Fergus, her eyes wide. “What are you talking about?”

  “There’s a priest hole in the upstairs library,” Fergus said. “It’s where Malcolm and I used to use hide when we were children.”

  “I never knew,” Bonnie said. “And Honoria, she’s not really a spiritualist?”

  “Did she ask you about the house, about going through Malcolm’s things?” Fergus asked.

  “All the time,” Bonnie said. “I told her his thi
ngs were in his rooms. I haven’t touched them. But the rooms are locked. No one has been in there.”

  Everyone was silent for a moment before Gabby said, “I have an idea. I think having Honoria and Freddy here for the party would be incredibly dangerous. But if we go to the pub tonight and let it be known, by talking loudly, that we’ve opened Malcolm’s rooms and found a casket of jewels, well, they will try and come take it back.”

  “A dangerous idea,” Colin said. “But it could work. The barmaid said Freddy came in every night?”

  “Yes,” Fergus said. “We tried for two nights, but didn’t find him, but that doesn’t mean we won’t.”

  Gabby toyed with her teacup. Once again something was gnawing at the edge of her mind.

  “I recognize that look,” Fergus said. “What is on your mind, my love?”

  “How did they poison Malcolm?” Gabby focused on Bonnie. “Did he ever have contact with Honoria?”

  “Not that I know of,” Bonnie said. “And he stayed close to home.” She sniffled. “He always expressed concern for me.”

  “When did Honoria first appear?” Fergus asked.

  “Not until after Malcolm died.” Small tears leaked from Bonnie’s eyes, and Colin took her hands in his and squeezed gently.

  “Who was here, besides the staff?” Colin asked.

  “The doctor,” Bonnie said. “He came to see if things were fine here. Actually, he came quite a few times.” She paused and said, “You don’t think… He wouldn’t, he’s a doctor.”

  “If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that the offer of money makes people do things they wouldn’t normally do,” Colin said. “I would like to talk to this doctor. Summon him, please.”

  Before anyone could move Colin said, “Oh, and bring me the snuff box the priest left for you. I’d like to see if I can put it to use.”

  Hours later, Gabby, Fergus, Bonnie, and Mariella sat outside the library, listening to the murmurs of questions floating out through the door. They’d been standing, but after thirty minutes, Bud and members of the staff had brought chairs for them to sit on while Colin questioned the doctor.

  Gabby had never met the man, and when he’d arrived, he’d seemed small, and frightened. He’d tried to leave when he’d realized he’d been called on false pretenses, that Bonnie was not feeling well. But Colin had produced his credentials, and the doctor had given in to questioning.

  “I think the amount of time they’ve been together is a good thing,” Mariella said. “The doctor is giving up information.”

  “We can only hope,” Gabby said.

  At that precise moment the door opened and Colin stepped out. “Lady Bonnie, Doctor Montgomery has something he wants to say to you.”

  The four of them went into the library were Dr. Montgomery sat, his head bowed his shoulders moving in silent sobs.

  “I’m so sorry,” he finally said. “I had no idea it would kill him. They told me it would put him to sleep so they could come in and search for the casket.”

  That damn box of ill-gotten gains has caused a lot of grief, Gabby thought. She clasped Fergus’ hand in hers, because she felt her husband, whose body was tense, would launch himself at Montgomery.

  “You’re a doctor!” Bonnie stepped toward him. “You should have known! Why did you do it?”

  “Money,” Colin said. “He was paying off his debt from an illegal card game.”

  The doctor continued to sob, his gaze focused on the floor.

  Colin went to Bonnie and once more took her hands in his. “They’ve been in your house, searching.”

  “I think I may be sick,” Bonnie said. She stumbled and Colin put his arms around her. He helped her to a chair and asked Gabby to summon a maid. Once they’d ordered tea, the officer brought a chair near Bonnie and sat down beside her.

  “They haven’t been here since the first night you arrived,” Colin said to Fergus. “The party is tomorrow night, correct?”

  “Yes,” Fergus said.

  “Then we lure them in here tonight.”

  “But how?” Gabby asked. “If they haven’t been here since we arrived, how are we supposed to attract them to the house tonight?”

  Colin picked up the snuff box. “With this.”

  “Do you think it will work?” Mariella asked.

  “Oh, most definitely,” Colin said. “I believe Malcolm took all of their stash, and they need it back so they can disappear. The doctor is going to take the snuff box to Freddy, and tell him he came to see Bonnie because she was ill. Tell me again, doctor, what you’re supposed to say.”

  “That I overheard Fergus and Gabby arguing about a snuff box they found in Malcolm’s room, and that it didn’t belong to any of them. They think Malcolm was up to something, and will be questioning the staff to get to the bottom of it.”

  Colin nodded at Mariella. “They will either come tonight, or tomorrow while the house is full for the party. Tonight, you need to be on the watch. If tonight doesn’t work, we’ll have men on guard tomorrow to make sure they don’t get away. We will catch them.”

  Bonnie sniffled, and Colin put down the box and put his arm around her again. “We will get justice for your son. I promise.”

  The house shone brightly with candlelight as the party guests arrived. The delicious smell of roasted goose, vegetables, and of course, Bonnie’s plum pudding filled the air. Gabby wondered if Bonnie had spent her entire year’s budget on food for this one event. But Bonnie didn’t seem to care. She was happy.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many people here at one time,” Fergus said. “And look at Bonnie. She’s smiling, actually smiling.”

  Gabby looked to where Bonnie stood, with Colin at her side. The officer had his hand on the small of her back, an intimate touch that, Gabby thought, had brought the smile to Bonnie’s face. It certainly wasn’t because they’d caught Honoria and Freddy, because they hadn’t. The pair had stayed away last night, which really hadn’t surprised Gabby. If she wanted to search a house she would wait until it was full of people, which would be a distraction.

  Mariella was upstairs, waiting in Malcolm’s room with a member of the local constabulary. Gabby had objected to her friend and co-worker staying up there, but she had insisted. Colin had said if they were not at the party, they would be missed, and Honoria and Freddy would know something was happening.

  The festive atmosphere made Gabby smile, even though she knew Fergus was on edge. Malcolm’s loss was hard on him, and he had other things on his mind, she knew.

  “Should we invite Bonnie to come live with us?” she asked, even though she wasn’t keen on the idea. To her, the best thing would be to find Bonnie a house of her own in London, and close up the one here for a while. The staff could move with her, if they wanted.

  “I don’t think we’re going to have a problem with what happens with Bonnie.” He nodded to where she stood with Colin. “While we were waiting for our unwanted, and no-show, guests, Collin spoke with me last night. He wants to court her.”

  Gabby giggled. “I’m not surprised at this turn of events, just at the timing.”

  “He told me at their age it was best not to wait around,” Fergus said. “Of course, I gave him my approval, not that he really needs it. Bonnie can think for herself.”

  “I think it’s wonderful news,” Gabby said. At just that moment she saw Juliette standing near the doorway. The maid cocked her head toward the stairs, and Gabby knew what she meant.

  “They’re upstairs,” she whispered. “We’ll take the back way.”

  “We need to tell Colin first,” Fergus said.

  Gabby nodded, but when she looked in his direction, she could see he already knew. Tom, one of the footmen, was whispering in Colin’s ear. Colin glanced at them and Fergus nodded.

  “Stay here,” Fergus said to her.

  “Not on your life.” She started after him as he headed for the back part of the house. As they made the top of the stairs, she heard angr
y voices and the sound of flesh hitting flesh. They reached Malcolm’s room just Colin arrived. What they saw made Gabby gasp.

  Honoria was on the floor. Mariella stood over her, a fire poker in her hand. Bud wrestled with a man whom Gabby figured was Freddy. Bud was screaming about how the man had killed his master, and he deserved nothing more than to die himself. Several men she didn’t know, charged into the fray, and moments later, both Honoria and Freddy wore manacles.

  “Put them in separate rooms and leave a footman to guard them,” Colin ordered. “We’ll question them after the party.”

  “Don’t question us, he made me do it all!” Honoria screamed. “He threatened to kill me. He killed the woman in Bath, and he and the doctor killed Malcolm.”

  “Liar!” Freddy lunged for her, but Bud held him back. “It was all her idea. She killed the woman, and the man here. I had nothing to do with it at all.”

  “I do love killers who turn on each other,” Colin said. “The hangman can tie two nooses as easily as one.”

  Gabby wanted to say he could tie three, because she felt Montgomery needed to be added to that list, but she stayed silent.

  “Despite their confessions, they stay here until after the party,” Colin said. “The local constabulary does not have a jail. I will take them back to London tomorrow.”

  “We’ll go with you,” Fergus said. “Taking Bonnie’s carriage will be better than taking them on the train, I believe.”

  “I agree,” Colin said. “They will face the charges soon, and be dead before the first of the year.”

  “It’s so wonderful to be back in our own bed,” Gabby said. She dropped her dressing grown to the floor and slid in, naked, next to her husband. It was Boxing Day, and she had a great deal of gifts to give to their staff, both here and at the newspaper office, that afternoon.

  But right now, they were exhausted. Instead of taking Bonnie’s coach, they’d hired two. Gabby and Fergus rode with Freddy and a hired man in one; Colin, Bonnie, Mariella and a second hired man rode with Honoria in the second one. They’d changed horses at several different locations and rode through the night, making it to London in a little more than twenty-four hours’ time.