“Are you really so sure of that, Robbie? Poisoning with cyanide? That sounds exactly like something the Triads would get up to if they wanted rid of somebody who was in their way. Alex was against the deal right up until your last conversation with him. Now he has gone, everything will go through smoothly. It is all very convenient that he has been murdered so close to the launch,” said Victoria.
Robert gave Victoria a reassuring smile and as he did so, felt his mother’s weight leaving him as Lady Elizabeth regained her self-control and sought the comfort of the hearth. He knew that he needed a diversion to take things away from the inconvenient and tragic truth.
“Come on, Vicky, with everything you have been through at the Art School and Alex’s death, your emotions are in tumult. Cheung is just too smart to get involved in anything which would make him an obvious suspect for Alex’s death. Clearly, the police will want to speak to you. But that will not be for the first time, Vicky, after your run in with that Polish madman. So, Mama, you see, I am not the only Roxburgh who has had more than their share of excitement in recent days.”
Robert knew it was the last thing his mother wanted to hear, but also that it was the perfect way to deflect Victoria from any further uncomfortable questions.
“What is this, Vicky?” demanded the dowager.
Vicky pierced her elder brother with a look before answering her mother, “It’s nothing, Mama. It was just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time as I left the School of Art yesterday. Thankfully, Detective Sergeant Thoroughgood was on hand to, em, take care of the situation.”
Turning to her brother she added quickly, “We have not spoken of the most important matter of all, Robbie, and that is, when we will bury Alex?”
Lady Elizabeth fingered her pearls as her emotions finally buckled and her body was wracked by huge sobs before Victoria could draw her close. It was a question that Robert knew they all needed an answer to, and now the findings of the post mortem had been made public, one that must be resolved.
He said, “My proposal is that we dedicate the launch to Alexander and use it to inform everyone who needs to know that his funeral will be early next week, with the date and time to be confirmed once I have reached agreement on the church service with the Reverend Brunton. Of course, Alex will be buried alongside Father in the bluebell wood, but first we need the rest of the t’s crossed and the i’s dotted.”
Lady Elizabeth pulled herself away from Victoria and faced her eldest son, “Yes,” she said, “that would be good.”
The throaty roar of a high performance sports car punctured the moment. Robert turned round instantly and gasped his shock when he saw who the driver was. “Raymond Cheung.”
28
A WAVE of apprehension swept over Roxburgh as he tried to work out how best to deal with his uninvited guest and the impact that the Triad leader was likely to have on his mother and sister.
His predilection for poker got the better of him and Roxburgh attempted a bluff. Turning from the window he smiled warm reassurance and said, “Yes, Raymond Cheung,” and looking down at his Rolex, added, “right on time too, 3pm. Now if you give me a minute, Mama, Victoria, I will meet our visitor at the door and save Macintosh the bother.”
Roxburgh swivelled on his heels in a manner that would not have been out of place on the parade ground and made his way out into the flag-stoned reception hall, just as Macintosh opened the front door.
Beyond the entrance the Oriental’s slightly nasal tones could clearly be heard, “My name is Raymond Cheung and I have come to see Viscount Roxburgh.”
A shudder ran through Roxburgh and he prayed that for once Macintosh would not attempt to produce one of his usual condescendingly tepid welcomes.
“You may indeed be Mr Cheung, but is the Viscount expecting you?” inquired the butler.
Materialising at his shoulder, Roxburgh took control, “Indeed he is, Macintosh. Now, if you don’t mind, coffee and tea will be taken in the Scott room. Leave Mr Cheung to me,” he said crisply before throwing a warm smile in the direction of the Triad leader. Roxburgh observed that Cheung’s intimidating bodyguard had thankfully remained in the driver’s seat of the white 5 Series BMW.
Macintosh gave a slight nod of the head in the direction of Roxburgh and bade an “Excuse me,” before slipping away in the direction of the Hall’s kitchens.
“Come in, Raymond,” said Roxburgh, offering his hand and administering a warm greeting to Cheung. “I’m sorry, if I had known you would be visiting us I would have made sure of a suitable welcome.”
Cheung’s dark eyes scrutinised Roxburgh with a searing intensity.
“It is I who am sorry, Viscount Roxburgh, to have arrived unannounced. News of the post mortem is out and as you know, I must make sure our investment has not been undermined. I realise you have suffered personal loss, but the Gwai Lo have too much invested in this, as do you, my dear Viscount Roxburgh, to see it all turn to dust,” said Cheung, whose words may have hinted at reassurance and support but whose delivery did precisely the opposite. “The other thing I do not appreciate,” he added, “is a visit from the police without forewarning, my dear Viscount. A Detective Inspector Pigeon called at my offices this morning and suggested I would be happy to have seen your brother removed from this life, and the opposition he had to our plans gone with him. I wonder how he came by that information? Forgive me if I have placed extra importance on meeting you all personally to make sure we, how is it the Detective Inspector so sincerely put it? Ah, yes, are ‘singing from the same hymn sheet.’”
Cheung’s revelation sent a shockwave of uncertainty through Roxburgh as, he recalled that the ruthless Triad leader had warned him to keep his younger brother firmly in line . . . but would Cheung murder Alexander and jeopardise everything? Roxburgh dismissed the thought as a flight of fancy.
“Thank you, Raymond, I can assure you the Roxburghs are made of stern stuff. We have centuries of family history invested in the Hall and in the reputation of our whisky. Nothing will stop us doing all we can to preserve both,” said Roxburgh in a slightly rushed manner, betraying the tensions that were engulfing him.
“Precisely,” said Cheung. He paused and his next words were edged with menace as he continued, “Which is why I have come to the Hall personally, to meet Lady Elizabeth and your spirited young sister, Victoria, who has become quite the plucky heroine according to the Evening Times. It also had the story that your brother was murdered.” With that, Cheung slapped a copy of the paper into Roxburgh’s midriff and strode unannounced straight into the Scott room.
Lady Elizabeth remained seated as Cheung glided through the doorway in his silk suit with Roxburgh immediately behind him. “Mama and Vicky, may I introduce you to Raymond Cheung, head of the Gwai Lo in Scotland,” stammered Roxburgh trying to provide a veneer of etiquette to Cheung’s unexpected arrival.
The Triad leader remained deliberately oblivious to Roxburgh’s words and made his way over to the chaise longue where Lady Elizabeth sat, bowing deeply before offering one hand, which she shook in a clearly lukewarm welcome, before he produced, with a flourish, the bouquet of flowers he had held behind his back until that point.
“Lady Elizabeth, may I offer my sincere condolences and those of the Gwai Lo. May I also take the opportunity to offer my unstinting gratitude that you have decided to continue with the joint venture of The Dark Ocean, in these most trying times for you and your family,” before adding for good measure, “The tales of your enduring beauty, Lady Elizabeth, have not been exaggerated.”
He smiled at Victoria and again, bowed his respect and offered his hand, “I am honoured to have met you, Miss Victoria. It is rare that one so young combines such beauty and courage with the type of innovation and enterprise which Viscount Roxburgh has made me aware will be vital to the launch of our new liqueur.”
Victoria met Cheung’s flattery with a smile and returned the compliment, “It is we who must thank you, Mr Cheung, for agreeing to doing
business with us and putting your faith in the Roxburgh name at such a difficult time. We appreciate the time you have taken to come to the Hall and offer your condolences.”
Cheung shook his head courteously before relocating himself with a languid grace to the fireplace that seemed to draw all who entered the Scott room to its warmth.
The Triad leader swept all three of the Roxburgh’s with his inscrutable gaze, “I thought it was vital that I came to visit you all, not just to offer my condolences, if you pardon me, my Lady, but so that I may also stress the level of commitment and investment we are putting into the launch of The Dark Ocean and the relaunch of an exclusive edition of ‘The Roxburgh’ single malt,” said Cheung.
“In Beijing we have a 15,000 square foot, four storey building which is in the process of being branded and liveried as the Ludovic Roxburgh House, in honour of your father-in-law, the great war hero. This will act as a club for, what is it you would call them? Ah yes, discerning, that is the word, whisky lovers. It stands in a quiet courtyard just a stone’s throw from Tiananmen Square. The Gwai Lo’s intention is to burnish the Roxburgh brand, extolling its long tradition and then present exclusive opportunities to enjoy and associate with the excitement of the new Dark Ocean liqueur. Did you know, my Lady,” said Cheung, addressing Lady Elizabeth as if they were the only two in the room, “That 80 percent of Chinese millionaires are under 45? They love brands with history, heritage and provenance.”
For the first time that afternoon Lady Elizabeth smiled, her composure recovered. “My dear Mr Cheung, I am so glad you came to the Hall and allowed us to see what a skilled businessman you are, and the true level of your commitment to our brand and the Roxburgh name. I must be honest with you, Mr Cheung, you have surprised me on more than one level.”
Cheung smiled benignly and nodded before continuing, “There is more,” he said, addressing himself to Robert. “I must ask that Stephen Luker, your master blender, be flown out with our party to Beijing, in order to add his personal touch to our launch at Ludovic Roxburgh House. To further whet your whistle, as you might say my dear Viscount,” he smiled, “Each bottle of The Dark Ocean and The Roxburgh will have its own wheeled leather trunk, so that it can be rolled tableside in the private dining rooms of our new establishment. A nice touch, I am sure you will agree,” Cheung paused and lost himself in the flicker of the flames.
Victoria Roxburgh broke the silence, “Mr Cheung, you have literally taken our breath away with your innovations and belief in the Roxburgh name, and I can assure you that the launch, here at the Hall, won’t disappoint you. As you can see the main marquee is already up and Vanessa Velvet’s people are due any minute to begin putting things in place for her charity fashion launch. I’m sure that along with The Dark Ocean launch we’ll make the pages of Hello! and the Sunday magazines.” She continued, “May I say the choice of our grandfather as the name and identity for your Beijing establishment is brilliant,”
The warmth from Cheung’s smile was also brilliant as he replied, “But best of all, we have uncovered a painted advertisement from the 1930s, proclaiming the virtues of ‘The Roxburgh’ that will be the focal point of our first floor and again stress the whole heritage and history of your brand. We believe, with Mr Luker accompanying us, we can teach our customers the art of whisky and to that extent, I think the analogy of blending whisky and blending tea could be vital, particularly, as you will appreciate, in China. Exclusivity through limited editions, accompanied by certificates and personal editions will all play a key part in making a visit to Ludovic Roxburgh House absolutely unique, and a must for our elite Chinese market.”
Roxburgh broke into a luminous smile, “This is truly unbelievable Raymond. Together, I have no doubt, the future of the Roxburghs and the Gwai Lo is very bright indeed.” With that, he strode over to Cheung and offered him the warmest of handshakes.
Keeping one eye on Lady Elizabeth and her daughter, Cheung afforded himself a smile of satisfaction. The deal was safe. And the death of Alexander Roxburgh was no longer a threat to it.
29
AS THE sleek BMW sped away, down the gravel drive, Roxburgh felt he could breathe once again. His relief was heightened by the sight of his mother climbing the stairs towards her bedroom, but as his thoughts turned to a medicinal dram he was brought back to reality with a jolt. Standing outside the library door was Victoria.
“We need to speak now Robbie,” she said urgently, “because there is stuff bubbling away under the surface that is making me feel sick. Can we talk in the library?”
“Of course,” said Roxburgh and followed her into the room.
He sat down on the large leather settee and smiled as Victoria handed him a whisky; the smile disappeared when she passed him the copy of Ivanhoe and asked him to read the message scrawled in their grandfather’s handwriting.
Roxburgh read aloud, “To my darling Jill from your own true Ivanhoe! signed LVR, dated 01.12.42.”
“Do you know anything about this?” demanded Victoria.
Roxburgh ran his right hand through his golden hair and at that moment realised he had betrayed his knowledge by doing so. Clearly there was no point in any prevaricating and Robert Roxburgh found himself recalling the moments before his final meeting with his younger, now deceased, brother.
Clearing his throat he began, “Yes, I believe I do, Vicky. There is only one place to start and that is at the beginning,” said Roxburgh wincing at his unintended pun. “Shortly before Alex came to my office on that fateful day, and quite by accident, I uncovered a set of war-time journals belonging to our grandfather. In them, it was made quite clear that he was having an affair. He referred to her only as his ‘darling J’, but we now know she was his girlfriend and she was called Jill. There were four journals in the set, but only three spilled from the secret compartment I accidentally triggered in the drinks cabinet. The diary missing was the one spanning the years 1942-43. Sadly, it was clear from the first two diaries that I have had time to read, that Grandfather was besotted with this woman and that they indulged their mutual passion for each other at the Dorchester in London, at the same time as Churchill was staying there. It’s incredible really,” concluded the Viscount balefully.
Victoria sat down next to him and he immediately put his arm around her. “I can’t believe grandfather would betray Grandma Margaret like that,” she murmured.
“Unfortunately there is no doubting that he did, but . . .” Roxburgh hesitated before ploughing on; his need to unburden himself had become too great to hold back. “It’s worse than just uncovering grandfather’s war-time indiscretions. It is clear that the missing journal has fallen into the hands of someone who intends to use its contents to threaten us and ruin grandfather’s reputation, and that of our family. Someone who will stop at nothing to sate their hatred of the Roxburgh family.”
“What do you mean Robbie?” Victoria pulled away from her brother.
Roxburgh pulled out the sheet of paper and spread it out on his knees before her, adding, “Obviously, this is a photocopy of the original I handed over to Detective Inspector Pigeon.”
Looking down, she read aloud, “THE OLDEST SIN CASTS THE LONGEST SHADOW. I see. Do you think this has anything to do with Alex’s murder?”
Roxburgh looked his younger sister straight in the eye and gave her the truth, “Yes, the cyanide was clearly intended for me and it was the second attempt on my life.” Before Victoria could speak, he stalled his sister with a raised hand and continued, “Do I think Cheung was behind it? I don’t know. I really don’t. At first I thought he may have been because he knew of Alexander’s opposition to our deal with the Gwai Lo, but the poison was in my whisky bottle and, as I said, clearly intended for me. Then, when he came out to the Hall today and told us about his elaborate plans for the creation of the Ludovic Roxburgh House in Beijing, then I thought it nonsense.”
Victoria agreed, “Yes, you are right, Robbie. To have gone to these lengths and to take the time and trouble to
seek Mama’s blessing, and also to be using grandfather as the focal point of the launch – why would he do all of that if he was trying to have you killed?”
“I don’t know, sis’. Other than complete control of the deal, but that would be too obvious, and the fact the police have already spoken to him would back that up. Yet, could it be that his visit earlier was nothing more than a sham, and that the whole deal has been a sham with it. Cheung is a devious man, but while I can see what he would gain by my death, why would he then strive to ruin grandfather’s reputation and therefore the history of the Roxburghs, everything that we stand for in the whisky industry, and so undermine the deal?”
Victoria was determined to explore all possibilities, “So, if it is not Cheung and his Ghost Men who are behind it, then who is?”
Roxburgh’s face creased into a frown and steepling his hands, he stared in front of him, “I don’t have a bloody clue, Vicky, and that is a hell of a problem. But what I intend to do is to head back to the office and read the last of the diaries – see if there are any clues as to what happens in the missing one. I need to get to the bottom of this and I need to do so before the launch.”
Victoria looked puzzled, “So you haven’t handed the diaries over to the police yet?”
Robert smiled weakly, “Not yet, but I promise you they’ll have them the minute I know what is in them.”
30
IT WAS early evening before Roxburgh was alone with the diaries. The distillery office was now a crime scene and he had chosen the peace and quiet of the estate boathouse, situated on the shingled beach adjacent to Loch Lomond, which had been one of his favourite hideouts as a boy. Now it was where he hoped to solve the mystery that was threatening to ruin his family at the point of their redemption.
Having completed a run-through of the launch checklist with Victoria, when they had finished their conversation in the library he had walked down the track to the boathouse feeling increasingly proud of his younger sister. The truth was that he had been sceptical of Victoria’s ability to coordinate what had appeared to be fanciful plans but now, with the launch almost upon them, he was impressed and surprised by her attention to detail.
The Longest Shadow Page 13