by Sue Lawrence
But the photograph was taken out of Effie’s reach. ‘When you have told me where it is. Where have you hidden the diamond?’
There was silence and Jessie could see Effie bend her head low and stare at the great stone slabs at her feet.
‘All I have had to wear at my neck for years is our mother’s pearl choker. As eldest, I ought to have been wearing her diamond, her beautiful sparkling diamond. But I cannot, since you removed it from my jewellery box. At first I thought it had been misplaced, but now I know for certain that you hid it. And now, I’ve had enough. That diamond is my one way out of this house of hell. Where is it, Euphemia?’
Jessie saw Effie scratch the back of her head as she continued to look down.
‘Very well. I have no choice.’ Matron stood up and opened a drawer in the dresser. She removed a pair of long, shiny scissors and held them in one hand, the photograph in the other. ‘If you refuse to say where you hid it, then this photograph will be snipped into tiny bits and thrown into the fire. Do you hear me?’ Matron’s voice was raised. Jessie noticed that her cheeks were flushed.
‘Why did you not save her, Bella? Could you not have saved my baby?’ Effie began to wail.
‘You were but eighteen, a child yourself. You had betrayed us both by entering into a liaison with that wastrel, that man who insinuated himself into our family with the feeble excuse that he was an artist. He could no more paint than—’
‘He could, Bella. My portrait’s fine and lovely and—’
‘It is amateur and naïve. I could do better myself. So could you for that matter – he was a rogue. And that baby did not deserve to live.’
Effie thrust her hands over her ears and rocked from side to side.
‘She was only little, she was beautiful. Why did she have to die, Bella? Why?’
Matron pulled Effie’s hands away and leant in close.
‘She died because she was a bastard. For God’s sake, Euphemia.’ Matron was breathing heavily now. ‘You brought our name into disrepute and then there was the business with Andrew and that woman and – oh, we used to have such a fine life until you ruined it. You and our brother.’
Effie tilted her head from side to side, her pigtail swaying down her back. ‘I used to have dreams in those days when I went to bed and could sleep. I dreamt that she was born and then I saw her and she was lovely and her little eyes opened and I was happy and then you took her from me and all I could hear was her crying and crying. And then nothing. Everything was still. Not a whimper.’ Effie began to scratch at the wooden table with her long fingernails. The noise grated. ‘And then I stopped going to sleep. I thought, if I do not sleep, I cannot dream and I shall forget the agony of her crying – and just remember the lovely baby.’
Jessie wanted to go and give Effie a hug to comfort her, she was so distraught. Her sister simply stood over her, taunting and gloating as she held the photograph high.
‘Why did she die, Bella? Why?’ Effie was now wailing. ‘We had everything ready down in the cellar. There was the pram and I had knitted those tiny bootees, bonnets and matinee jackets – and then she died. Something happened, I’m sure of it.’
Matron flung the scissors on the table and slapped her sister across her cheek. ‘She died because she was a bastard. She died because she had to. She did not deserve to live. She died because she was a disgrace.’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘It did not take long.’
Effie’s head swivelled upwards. ‘What d’you mean? I thought you said she had a sudden fit. That she died just after he’d taken the photograph, while I lay next door.’
‘We should never have agreed to the photograph. But Andrew had the camera all set up on its stand. He insisted it would placate you after we told you the child was to be sent away. Why, for God’s sake, did I agree to be kind to you and give you this?’ She thrust the photograph at Effie’s face then clenched it in her fist as if trying to destroy it with her fingers. ‘Unless you tell me where the diamond is, this is going too – the last vestige of a memory of that hideous time. And that pram will be burned tomorrow.’ Matron bent over Effie and shouted in her face. ‘Tell me where you have hidden it.’
Jessie watched Effie as her eyes grew large and her mouth opened wide. She lunged towards her sister and scratched at her face with her long nails. ‘You killed her, didn’t you? She was so perfect, so healthy – and then I remember hearing her cry as if she was in pain, and then silence. You killed her and—’
Matron grabbed Effie’s scrawny arms with one hand and rubbed the palm of her other hand down the side of her face. She inspected it. Jessie could see red; Matron’s cheek was bleeding.
Matron held Effie’s hands before her, her eyes blazing. ‘Yes. I killed your bastard child. I killed her. Do you want to know why? Because she kept crying and crying and I could stand it no longer so I smothered her. It was easy. I just held her down with the blanket over her mouth and nose. That was how easy it was. Andrew even laughed as my hand held the squirming creature down. And I am about to do the same to you unless you—’
Jessie flung open the door and ran into the kitchen. ‘Don’t touch her! Leave her alone.’ She reached into her pocket and pulled out the gutter’s knife.
Chapter 35
1982
Rona dialled Martha’s number, drumming her fingers on the desk as it rang out. She replaced the receiver. Where on earth was she? Had she disappeared after the fire because everyone now knew about the old woman who lived with her?
Ian had just taken the newly oiled wheelchair along to the old woman’s room where the doctor was examining her. Hopefully, if the doctor said she was physically well, they could get her out into the garden.
The office door opened and Craig walked in, chin up as he eased his tie.
‘I know I shouldn’t say this since it’s your funeral suit, but you look good in a suit.’
Craig grinned.
‘How did it go?’
‘There were very few people there, not many more than the handful of family members who were in her room clearing her things. Did you know Miss Grant had been a teacher at the Gaelic school? Her full name was Angusina Malcomina Grant. She was from somewhere way up north in the Highlands. Anyway, the minister said she dedicated herself to teaching children how to read and write Gaelic. Why did we not know that? Sad, really, so few people there.’
‘Bless her.’
‘What have I missed here, then?’
Rona told Craig about Martha’s house being locked and coming back to find Mr Burnside in the annexe.
‘How the hell did he get in? We always lock it. Hope he doesn’t think he can just pop in any old time.’
‘I’m a bit worried actually. You know how he’s always walking that big pram around the place and I’d hoped we could get rid of it before our baby comes along? Well, I don’t think we can now.’ She explained about the photograph.
‘Ghoulish. Let’s make sure we lock our door every time we pop out, even for a few minutes.’
‘Okay. No one else has this key, do they?’
Craig shook his head. ‘Nope, unless you gave it to anyone?’
‘No. Anyway, what about Martha? Where on earth can she have gone? Surely she’ll come back to get her stuff?’
‘She might have done that last night. There was very little in the house. I mean, Ian and I only ran in then straight out once we got the woman out, but I do remember thinking there was very little furniture or anything. Perhaps she’s done a runner.’
‘Why would she do that?’
There was a tap on the door.
‘Come in.’
It was a young woman with a doctor’s bag in her hand. ‘Hi, I’m Doctor Henderson. Just been to see Miss McCallister in Room 10.’
‘Hello, I’m Rona. Sorry I missed you earlier. This is Craig, my husband. We’re the managers. How is she?’
‘She’s actually not too bad, considering. Your carer was telling me about the house fire. It’s remarkable she’s come out pretty uns
cathed. He told me she was sitting with her scarf wrapped round her head so no signs of smoke inhalation or anything.’
‘Did she speak at all?’
The doctor shook her head. ‘But I was having a look at her previous notes and saw that Doctor Bruce mentioned this too. She either doesn’t speak or only speaks in a hoarse whisper. She didn’t speak at all for me just now. There’s nothing wrong, from what I can see, with her throat, so it could just be shock. She’s been through a lot for someone her age.’
‘How old is she?’
‘Ninety-seven. Now, can I speak to Martha Sinclair please? I presume she’s here too?’
‘Well, no. That’s the problem, we’ve no idea where she is. Ever since the fire no one’s seen her.’
‘She got out of the house all right?’
‘Oh yes, she was at the gate with us but we were so busy helping the old woman, we didn’t see where she went afterwards.’ Rona stood up. ‘So is the woman’s name definitely Janet McCallister?’
‘Yes, why?’
‘Well,’ said Rona frowning, ‘when I asked her, she shook her head.’
‘She’s registered with the practice under that name. She responded when I called her that name even though she didn’t talk to me. Maybe she has a nickname that she prefers or something. Because she won’t or can’t speak, I can’t tell at this stage whether she’s got some form of dementia. She’s definitely still suffering from mild shock.’
‘What happens now?’
‘I’m sorry to say I’m not at liberty to discuss anything unless it’s with her legal guardian. And if Martha Sinclair is missing, then that’s a problem. Are you all right to keep her here for a day or two till we know what’s happening?’
‘Of course. There’s someone else on the waiting list for that room but we just heard he’s delayed another week as there are problems with his house sale. Do you know how long Miss McCallister has been in the lodge house?’
The doctor shook her head. ‘Sorry, I can’t say anything more until I’ve spoken to Mrs Sinclair.’ She looked at her watch. ‘I must be off. I’ll be late for afternoon surgery.’
Craig loaded the plate into the dishwasher and turned to Rona. ‘Why don’t you have a nap, love? You look worn out. I can do whatever you need doing after lunch.’ He went over to the table and kissed the top of her head. She touched his cheek. ‘Thanks, darling, but I really want to go and see Miss McCallister now – to see if she’s okay. And Mrs Bell, I wanted to ask her if she knows anything more about Martha.’
‘Okay, but then come back and lie down for an hour or so if you can?’
‘If you say so, doc.’ Rona smiled and watched Craig head back into the main house. He’d been far less secretive about what he was up to these days and was seldom out at night. He must have stopped drinking, surely, but she didn’t want to ask him. It was only a couple of weeks now till the baby arrived; perhaps that had made him realise he had to be more responsible.
She looked at the clock. She was also keen to continue reading Mrs Bell’s husband’s notes about the Victorian family who lived in the house, but if she didn’t get up now, she’d fall asleep. Craig was right, perhaps she did need a rest, but only once she’d done these couple of things.
Rona headed first for Janet McCallister’s room and knocked on the door. She peeked her head round the corner and saw the woman sitting in the wheelchair at the window. She had a scarf up at her neck as far as her nose. Perhaps she had always done that to try to cover her distinctive birthmark. Rona crept in; the old woman blinked. She opened her eyes wide, pulled down the scarf and her face relaxed into a smile when she saw it was Rona.
Rona spoke gently. ‘Sorry, did I wake you up? I just wanted to see how you’re settling in. Hope we can get some of your bits and pieces from the lodge house soon, make you feel more at home.’
The old woman nodded and loosened the paisley scarf round her neck. She was still smiling.
‘The doctor says you’re doing really well, so hopefully you can stay with us for a short while till, well, until we know what’s happening. Is that all right?’
She nodded again.
The lack of speech was hopefully not dementia-related and was just prolonged shock. She certainly seemed to understand everything, so Rona hoped she’d start speaking soon.
‘The doctor also said your name is Miss McCallister. Janet McCallister. But is there another name you prefer to be called?’
She nodded.
‘Is it Jan? Or Jeannie? Sorry, I don’t know any other names for Janet.’ The woman continued to look at her. ‘Oh, do you want to write it down? Ian said he left you a pencil and paper last night.’ She rushed to the bedside and brought the notepad over.
Rona watched as the woman took the pencil and wrote, in a spidery hand, the word ‘Jessie’.
‘That’s good. Jessie. Nice name. I always thought it was short for Jessica. Anything else?’ Rona indicated the notepad.
Jessie took up the pencil in her gnarled fingers and slowly wrote down some letters. She handed the pad to Rona. The words read, ‘Where is Martha?’
Chapter 36
1899
Jessie held up the knife, the blade glinting in the candlelight. Matron released her grip and Effie sprang towards Jessie. ‘Give it to me, Winzie.’
Jessie handed the knife to Effie; Matron began to tiptoe backwards.
‘Stay there, Bella, don’t move.’
Effie strode in front of her sister and pushed the door shut. She scratched her fingernails down the wooden panel and Jessie saw Matron flinch as her sister turned the knife over and over in her hand.
‘Now don’t be foolish, Euphemia. Give me the knife and we shall have a little talk.’ She passed the figure wielding the knife. ‘Jessie Mack, come here and help me get the knife off her. She is mad, deranged. She will kill us both.’
‘I am only mad when I choose to be, because I do not sleep.’ Effie’s voice was bolder than Jessie had ever heard. ‘But now I have just learned you killed my baby, the madness, as you call it, is lifting. Everything falls into place. Those nightmares were not bad dreams, they were the truth. The baby opened her eyes, then you took her from me and killed her. Dead.’
‘I was not being truthful, Euphemia. Of course I did not kill her. How could I have? I had this lovely photograph commissioned before she died, tragically of a seizure. Here, let me put it on the table. You can have it now. Look, I shall place it just here.’ Matron walked towards the table and placed the crumpled photograph on the wood then spread it out with the palm of her hand. ‘There, now you have the photograph, all is well. We can discuss the other matter, that of the diamond, another day. Now put the knife down.’
Effie glanced at the photograph and smiled. She went towards it, lowering the knife, and as she reached the table Matron grasped her from behind and locked both arms around her. Effie jabbed her bony elbow into her sister’s stomach and held on tight to the knife in her other hand. ‘Here, Jessie, take it.’
Jessie rushed to take the knife from Effie and ran to the other side of the room. Matron let one of Effie’s arms go and swivelled her round with the other one. She leant in close and hissed, ‘You will never get away with this. I am going to have you sent away to the madhouse where you should have gone all those years ago. It was Andrew’s decision. He felt sorry for you and insisted on keeping you here.’ She lifted up Effie’s chin so that Effie had to look directly at her sister. ‘And now you refuse to tell us where you hid the diamond. The one thing that would restore our wealth. Tell me, I beg you, dear Euphemia. Tell me at once and we will forget all this, this nonsense. We will forgive you for making our lives so vile in this place. But,’ she continued, ‘should you decide not to tell me, you will be sent away. It was your pig-headedness hiding it that caused our downfall. Having to convert our beautiful home into this foul poorhouse because we were destitute.’
‘It was Andrew’s fault too,’ Effie protested. ‘He and that woman and—’
‘It was your fault. Yours alone.’ She was bellowing now. ‘Where is my diamond? The diamond you stole from me!’
There was silence in the room. No one moved. Then a low booming noise reverberated all around. It was the foghorn sounding down on the Forth. Effie was the first to react. She yanked her arm away and sped over to Jessie, grabbing the knife again. ‘I will never tell you, Bella. You killed my baby. How could you? I will never forgive you. Never.’
Effie lunged at Matron, stabbing her in the stomach and then the neck.
Jessie put her hands up to her face as she watched Effie plunge the knife one more time into Matron’s stomach then fling the knife down and collapse onto the floor, sobbing, beside the bloody body of her sister.
Chapter 37
1982
Rona joined Mrs Bell at her bedroom window. ‘Can you tell me anything about the lodge house? When you lived in the house opposite, who lived there?’
‘Sit down, young lady. It’s a strain on my neck having to look up at you. Besides, you shouldn’t be on your feet as much as you are. In my day, an expectant mother would be confined to the house, not displaying her vast belly for all and sundry to see.’
Rona smiled and pulled a chair over to the window.
‘There was an old lady, a Miss Ramsay she was called, when we bought our house in 1934. She appeared to live alone, though we never saw much of her. But as she became old and frail, she had a companion live with her and it was this woman who presumably inherited the house once Miss Ramsay died. When we left five years ago, this companion was still living there, alone, though she must have been into her nineties. We never saw her.’ Mrs Bell paused and looked over her spectacles at Rona. ‘She was apparently a perfectly nice woman, but kept herself to herself. We never met her, not once. We never bumped into her. How very strange that seems. I’d no idea she had died, but then why would we have heard?’ She shrugged. ‘You see, that is a fault of city life. In our little suburbs we have the semblance of village life, but in fact everyone is a stranger. No one knows anything about what truly goes on behind closed doors.’