The Balmoral Incident
Page 22
‘What about your own attack in the wood?’
She smiled. ‘I engineered that very well, I thought. I realised the boy’s death would look more plausible if whoever had made the horse bolt had also attacked me.’
That was true. It certainly wasn’t an accident that he had been thrown, as Gray had maintained, as she said: ‘It was quite simple. He was waiting to meet me, to get more money, and I simply drove the pony cart at him.’
Her face darkened. ‘But you didn’t believe it, did you? You were smarter than the rest.’ And I realised I had made another enemy. ‘Just being true to your role as a lady investigator, poking your nose into things that didn’t concern you.’
Maybe the brandy was having an effect, she was getting bolder, a glint of the old Mabel again. ‘What is going to happen now? Are you going to tell them? They won’t believe you.’
I didn’t believe in those tales of accidental murders but knew there was only circumstantial evidence if this confession was not signed and sealed and made legal.
Aware of what a dire effect this revelation would have on Vince’s career − the end of his life as a trusted royal servant − rather than having any feelings of sparing Mabel the consequences of her plan to kill the King, I said: ‘I think you should leave now, while you can, before the inspector gets wind of what happened at the Games and suspects the truth about those two “accidental” deaths you engineered so carefully.’
‘It is the truth. I shall always insist that I never intended to kill either of them.’
I left her then. She wouldn’t run away. She was a prisoner. PC Craig was downstairs, on guard. He had been given a hand at cards with the two girls and, with an eloquent shrug, indicated that he was losing. ‘Feel at home, I’ve got a couple just like them. Good job it’s only sweeties and not money.’
I decided to go on with our packing and leave them to it. Meg said wistfully: ‘Can Rowena come and see us in Edinburgh – just for a holiday?’
I said, of course, if her mother approved.
Rowena said, ‘I would love to come, Mrs Macmerry. I’ve been before, my Ma has friends who are servants at Holyrood.’
And that was one problem less among many that had been solved.
CHAPTER FORTY
The Games over, the royal family safely back in the castle, PC Craig remained at the cottage with Mabel in custody, although that seemed unnecessary since she was not a danger to us or anyone else.
I told Vince about my long talk with her, going over it all, her version of the two ‘accidental’ deaths, for his benefit. If I expected him to be shocked and demand that she be put on trial when she reached London I was in for a surprise.
‘She won’t be going back with us. Craig will take her into Ballater and I’ve made independent arrangements for her to go straight to London under guard, on account of her health.’
‘You approve of her getting away with intending to kill the King?’
‘No, Rose, I would gladly see her stand trial, although from what you have just told me, the woman is quite mad and if the truth came out she would spend the rest of her days in a lunatic asylum rather than be hanged.’
He sighed. ‘However, I have another stronger and more personal reason for keeping silent.’
‘I know, Vince. If this reached the King’s ears or became public news.’ As he had once warned me off getting involved in two deaths that I believed were murders, I could now fully understand the consequences if word got around that he had entertained an assassin as a guest in one of the estate cottages.
He nodded, his expression grave. ‘HM is the most genial and understanding of men to a point, but he would certainly be persuaded by those who have his interests, rather than mine, at heart, that I was no longer a suitable person, since I had such criminal friends, to occupy a position of trust in the royal household. Just think what would happen if Inspector Gray got hold of this. Fortunately he never saw the incident at all. He and one of the ghillies were busy disarming that mad German, who regrettably is the King’s distant relative.’
‘The ghillie, was that Mr Brown?’
‘Yes.’
‘Do you know anything about him?’
Vince seemed surprised at the question. He shrugged. ‘Only that the King had met him in London, took a liking to him. He’s like that, quite unaccountable in taking a shine to people. Why are you so interested?’
He smiled slyly then sighed. ‘Poor Olivia. She’ll be absolutely shocked when I tell her about Mabel.’
I was wondering about Alice and how the scandal regarding her husband would affect her future and that of her estranged children. I hoped it would all work out and that she would be happy with her Scottish gentleman.
And so we returned to Edinburgh. Jack returned a couple of days later.
‘Had a good holiday?’
I waited for him to mention the incident, but all he said was: ‘You look well.’
I wasn’t sure about that, my nerves still felt shattered, but he was more concerned about Meg’s ankle which was healing nicely thanks to Uncle Vince’s attention. She was still limping and would do so for a while yet.
‘Anything exciting to report?’
Was that an invitation to confess all, I wondered? I said, ‘Not really.’
‘I gather Mabel had a bad turn and was sent back by special train.’
Very special, I thought, probably under lock and key. As for that bad turn, it could have been worse.
‘Has Inspector Gray reported anything about his presence at the castle?’
‘Nothing, just the usual precautions that accompany the shooting party each year, illustrious guests and that sort of thing, grumbles about getting loads of extra policemen, calling it a waste of time and money.’
In other words, a great cover-up. I was fairly sure that Jack knew, but only Vince and I were aware of Mabel’s abortive flourish with that empty gun. As for von Mueller’s insane attempt to get the justice he imagined was his cousin the Kaiser’s due, it would be safely shelved away from public scrutiny.
Under the label of ‘personal – most secret’ information it would take its place and gather dust alongside numerous other assassination attempts, going down in unwritten history, filed as ‘The Balmoral Incident 1905’.
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About the Author
ALANNA KNIGHT has written more than sixty novels, three non-fiction titles on R.L. Stevenson, two true crime books, numerous short stories and several plays since the publication of her first book in 1969. Born and educated in Tyneside, she now lives in Edinburgh. She is a member of the Scottish chapter of the Crime Writers’ Association, and a founder member and Honorary President of the Scottish Association of Writers and of the Edinburgh Writers’ Club.
www.alannaknight.com
By Alanna Knight
THE ROSE MCQUINN SERIES
The Inspector’s Daughter
Dangerous Pursuits
An Orkney Murder
Ghost Walk
Destroying Angel
Quest for a Killer
Deadly Legacy
The Balmoral Incident
THE INSPECTOR FARO SERIES
Murder in Paradise
The Seal King Murders
Murders Most Foul
THE TAM EILDOR SERIES
The Gowrie Conspiracy
The Stuart Sapphire
Copyright
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First published in 2014.
This ebook edition first published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby in 2014.
Copyright © 2014 by ALANNA KNIGHT
The moral right of the author is hereby asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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ISBN 978–0–7490–1726–2