by Rose Donovan
He nodded. “What about a re-enactment?”
“Re-enactment?” said Ruby, her hands flying up in excitement. “That’s a brilliant idea, Charles.” She went over to him and gave him an emphatic kiss on the cheek, disregarding the bright lipstick print left on his cheek. She continued, “Yes, that’s exactly what we’ll have to do. How will we convince everyone to go along with it, though?”
“If we can convince the Countess to agree to make the suggestion, I’m sure the other guests wouldn’t dare to decline,” said Fina with a smile.
“Perfect. Charles, do you think she’ll agree if you say it was our suggestion?” asked Ruby.
“I don’t see why not. We get on well. And she seems to have respect for the two of you. Strangely enough, she has a soft spot for women who work. I think she finds it rather romantic,” said Charles. He got up slowly to go on his errand.
Ruby drew out a handkerchief from her dress pocket and gently wiped Charles’ now-red-with-embarrassment cheek.
“Wait a minute, Charles,” said Fina. “We’ll need you to search the rooms for the poison and identification papers that will tell us if anyone has a name beginning with C. You’re the only one who can do it. If Ruby or I were to be caught… well, you’ve already seen what happened to me,” she said, rubbing the back of her head. “Whereas you can find some legitimate excuse.”
“I agree, but the only fly in the ointment is that we need Charles to be there for the re-enactment,” said Ruby.
“That’s not a problem,” said Charles. “You see, Grimston and I were together – for the exception of a minute or two, here and there – for the entire evening. We would have seen the same people coming and going. I will be sure to speak to him before the re-enactment to tell him my memories. He’s a sharp old bird.”
“Spiffing,” said Fina. “We’ll send you on your way, Charles. We’ll get dressed for cocktails, assuming your tête-à-tête with the Countess is successful.”
26
An hour later, everyone had assembled in the drawing room. It was remarkably similar to the first evening – with some notable absences, of course, thought Fina. With Ruby’s assistance, Fina had dressed in her favourite tea gown. Fina felt her mother would be proud of her dressing her best even when she felt at her worst.
The Countess, in the most officious tone she could summon, called everyone to attention. She had girded herself for the part in the uncharacteristic armour of an onyx lace dress, complete with a rather Edwardian high collar. In return, the guests gifted her their rapt attention.
“Dearest guests. I know the past few days have been most unorthodox. I have lost a dear nephew and we just learned about Mr Dashwood’s expiration. This cannot go on,” she said, as if they were a group of small children who had been behaving badly.
“Therefore,” she continued, her voice gaining strength and volume. “I have asked us all here in the drawing room so that we might recreate our exact movements on the night of my dear nephew’s death.”
Gasp.
“Dearest Auntie, do you think that wise?” asked Charlotte, as if she were handling a delicate piece of china.
Cyril, looking more pleased with himself than usual – which was quite a feat, thought Fina – also stepped forward. “Hear, hear, Lady Charlotte. I agree.”
“I jolly well disagree with you,” said Edgar in a strong, steady voice. He looked remarkably less sozzled, despite his lunchtime performance. “We need to get to the bottom of this mess. We could pass off my brother’s death as an accident, but two deaths? Not bloody well likely.”
“Edgar!” exclaimed the Countess.
Edgar sat calmly, ignoring his aunt. Fina noticed he had temporarily relinquished his usual habit of scraping skin from his thumbs.
“I am willing to try a re-enactment, but what makes the movements of the earlier evening so special? Wasn’t Granville poisoned later in the evening?” Ian rejoined.
Ruby proceeded to explain the nature of the poisoning and why they had to account for their movements early on. Ian seemed mollified. Or at least he didn’t want to contradict Ruby, thought Fina.
“Right. Let us push on, shall we?” said the Earl, rubbing his hands. “Grimston, you keep the time,” nodding in his direction.
“Very good, sir,” Grimston replied.
Ever the ham, the Earl warmed to his role as director. “Now then, what came first?”
Gayatri responded, “We had a spill of candle wax on my dress. Then Miss Dove made her offer of the stain remover.”
“Right – and everyone heard that, correct?” said the Earl, swivelling his head around the room to make sure he received affirmations from everyone. “Does anyone remember what time this occurred?”
Gayatri said, “It was at 6:45 – or very near that time. I know because I was standing near Sajida and the fireplace. When the candle spilled on my dress, she put the candle back and I noted the time because of the clock on the mantelpiece.”
“Splendid. Yes. Now, Miss Badarur and Miss Dove, will you retrace your footsteps and actions precisely?” the Earl requested, motioning to Gayatri and Ruby. Giving affirmation by their departure, the Earl rumbled on. “Now, Grimston, you ring the gong for dinner at the precise time you did on that evening.”
“It will be my pleasure, milord,” said Grimston, bowing and leaving the room.
“Shall we all mingle while we wait?” asked the Countess in a jovial manner. Though the joviality was forced, Fina appreciated her effort.
Everyone had paired off again, as they had that first night. Cyril and Edgar, Julia and Ian, the Earl and Countess, Sajida and Gayatri – though Sajida was alone as Gayatri and Ruby had played their part in the re-enactment by exiting the room. Granville and Leslie. Only Charlotte remained. Fina felt it was significant, somehow, but she couldn’t put her finger on why, exactly. Did it mean something that Charlotte was alone? She and Sajida had found one another to talk to, so Fina stepped over to join them at the fireplace. Perhaps talking to Charlotte would help shake loose whatever was lodged in the back of her mind.
Charlotte was all smiles, but they were painted-on smiles. Small wonder given that her brother had just been murdered. Fina wondered how she really felt about that. They had seemed so distant as brother and sister. She wanted to ask about it, but knew it wasn’t the time. She looked at Sajida. Though she was an expert at make-up, she could still see traces of circles under her eyes. Charlotte and Sajida were nattering away about their trips abroad, though their excessive nodding seemed to indicate their minds were elsewhere. Fina also nodded appreciatively, but was distracted by her musings.
She glanced again around the room, sizing up everyone’s body language. Cyril and Edgar had moved into a recess in the corner. Their shoulders were rigid. Definitely an air of conspiracy about their conversation.
The Earl and Countess sat in two chairs near the fire, not facing one another directly. Their conversation was sporadic and staccato, like that of the long-married couple they had been.
Ian and Julia were ensconced by the cabinet with curios, leaning against it casually. Their shoulders slumped, though it was not through resignation. They looked genuinely relaxed.
The gong sounded from the hallway.
27
As they all entered the dining room, Ruby and Gayatri came in from the hall, just as they had that first evening. While they all filed in – almost in a military formation – Edgar stopped. He said, “I say, Ian, I–I–I don’t remember you walking in with us. I believe you joined us later in the dining room, what?”
“Yes, that’s right, Edgar,” replied Cyril. “Dashed odd that you’re not re-enacting your part, Mr Clavering.”
Ian’s body stiffened, but his face remained impassive. “Forgive me, I did not recall that, but you’re absolutely correct. I did need to attend to – a call of nature.” He marched off in the direction of the lavatory.
The Earl motioned to Grimston, “Grimston, make sure you note the time Mr Clavering retu
rns.”
“I will endeavour to do so, sir,” he replied, pulling out a tiny notebook from this pocket.
Fina was making note of the time herself. By the time Ian had returned to the dining room, precisely sixteen minutes had elapsed. Everyone agreed that it seemed like the correct time as the soup was just being served. Just barely enough time to carry out the murder – though he would need to move like lightning. Fina did consider him a weak candidate, however. He had been hoping to winkle some funds out of Granville, so he was hardly likely to kill the goose that laid the golden eggs. And the chances of a guest – rather than a member of the family – knowing the precise location of Ruby and Granville’s rooms seemed unlikely.
“Excuse me, Ian,” said Fina over her soup. “Is this your first time to Pauncefort Hall?”
He eyed her suspiciously. “Why do you want to know?”
She decided honesty was the best way to get an answer. In fact, it was the only avenue open to her because she couldn’t think up anything other than a flimsy retort. “If you were the murderer—”
“But I’m not,” he said firmly, nearly dropping his spoon in the soup.
“Of course, I’m not saying that you are the murderer. I just want to clear something up that I thought of while you were… away. It seems to me that if you had not visited Pauncefort before, it would be unlikely that you would know the location of Granville’s bedroom, much less Ruby’s bedroom. Therefore, it would be difficult for you to complete the necessary steps in just sixteen minutes if you didn’t know the lay of the land.”
He leaned back in his chair and dabbed his mouth with a napkin, delicately. “You’re right, of course. The answer to your question is no, I haven’t visited Pauncefort Hall before.”
“Well that settles it,” said Fina.
“Unfortunately, honesty compels me to say, however, that I did know the location of both rooms. Grimston pointed out Granville’s when I first arrived. As for Ruby, I saw her leaving her room, by chance, on the way down to drinks that night,” he said. “So that means I am still in the so-called running. Though I can assure you, I did not do it.”
Ian signalled that the interrogation was over by turning to talk to the Countess on his right.
Feeling restless, Fina turned to Charlotte on her left. They had exhausted the topics of clothes, fashion and Oxford. She thought she’d try her hand at learning more about the family history. “Do you live at Pauncefort most of the year, Charlotte – with your aunt and uncle?”
“Yes, I have lived here all my life. My aunt and uncle came to live with us after my mother died. I was only five years old then, so they’re practically my second parents. We get on together quite well,” she said, with a fond smile in their direction.
“They seem like a lovely couple,” said Fina, hoping to soften the blow of her next question. “I know this is a difficult time to ask, but did your mother die in some sort of accident or was she ill for quite some time?”
Charlotte eyed her warily. “Well, as I was an infant at the time, I only know the story second-hand. The family tale is that she died of a broken heart. At least that’s what the family told me when I was a child. That year was a difficult year. My uncle – the Earl – fell ill. Granville was headed to boarding school and apparently he was quite upset about it. There was some sort of business trouble that my father had to attend to in St Kitts. My mother gave birth to her fourth child, but it was stillborn. From what Granville told me, she was physically strong at first, but then, quite suddenly, died. Everyone assumed that it was because she had lost the will to live.”
“You sound like you don’t quite believe that yourself – do you have another theory about her death?” asked Fina. Her mind raced. This wasn’t the story they had heard from the cook! Did the family just want to protect the children from the truth?
Charlotte shifted in her seat, smoothing her skirt. “Oh, does it sound that way? No – though I don’t think she literally died of a broken heart, it is plausible that she was weak and had lost the will to live.”
Fina was distracted by Grimston materializing out of thin air, and whispering something into the Earl’s ear. The Earl cleared his throat and said, “Ahem. My friends, Grimston informs me that it is time for the ladies to move to the library for coffee. We will reconvene in the saloon at nine.”
Trickling out of the dining room – just as they had that first night, the Countess lifted her skirts and made a dramatic exit. In case it hadn’t been made abundantly clear already, she made a waving motion at Grimston to signal her departure.
Fina was the last to leave. A light tap on her shoulder made her spin round. Charles whispered, “I’ve found out quite a bit about all of our friends – including you two,” he said with a face that was somewhere between angry and disappointed.
“You searched our rooms?” hissed Fina. “How dare you!” she said, trying to control the volume of her voice. Only Julia looked back and seemed to notice their intense conversation. “We mustn’t talk now or we’ll miss the rest of the re-enactment. You’d better go find Grimston,” she said in a commanding tone.
“I’m following you – there’s no one else to keep track of the ladies in the library. And after what I found out, I definitely want to keep an eye on all of you,” he said in a low growl.
Stomping off into the library, Fina flounced down on the couch like a small child.
Charlotte rose to leave almost as soon as her aunt entered the room. Charles made note of her departure in a small notebook. He stood sentry near the door.
Conversation was desultory and disjointed among the women. Everyone looked simultaneously bored and nervous, thought Fina. After what seemed to be an interminable time discussing the decline of modern standards of all sorts, Charles signalled that it was time to make an excursion to the saloon.
Ruby whispered to Fina, “You should pretend you have a headache and need to go to bed. Tell Charles to meet you so he can tell you what he found. Make sure you lock your door so the person who was tempted to cosh you on the head won’t be able to succeed again. I’ll keep watch on what happens down here.”
Fina opened her mouth to say that Charles had most certainly found something – something about them – but it was too late. She had been carried along with the wave of the crowd into the saloon.
28
Despite the warmth of the fire, Fina shivered in front of the fireplace in her room. Mustn’t be so hard on myself. After all, she thought as she lightly touched the back of her head, she had just been nearly murdered! Where was that box of chocolates? She could really accommodate an entire box of chocolates in her stomach right now. She tiptoed into Ruby’s room and spied the white box with red trim sitting on the bed. Scooping it up, she half ran, half tiptoed back to her room.
“Hello,” said Charles. Fina nearly tripped over the chair nearest the door.
Holding a hand over her chest, she said, “How did you get in here? You gave me the most terrible fright.”
“You forget, I work here. That means I have the keys to all of the rooms,” he said with a devious grin.
For a moment, Fina’s heart leapt into her mouth. Was his smile a conspiratorial grin or a threatening one? Had she been too trusting? Her mother always told her she was too trusting of human nature. Yes, but this was Charles…
His languid, casual movement to the chair by the fire told her that it was all in her mind.
“Now,” she said. “Let’s get down to business. What’s all this tripe about finding out something about us?” If she started with an accusation, she might get the upper hand.
No such luck. Charles’ smile remained, but his tone was cool. “I found the papers – about Granville and some place called ‘Bluegate’ – wedged between the mattress and the bed frame in Ruby’s room. I don’t know what it means, exactly, but I believe it gives her – and possibly you – a motive for the murders. I’m not going to tell you anything else until you come clean.”
“Come clean
?” mocked Fina. “What is this, an American film?” She was playing for time. What had the papers been doing under Ruby’s mattress? Surely she had handed them over to Gayatri and Sajida earlier that morning. Or at least, that’s what she had said. Hadn’t she?
Rising and pacing around the room for a moment, she came back to sit on the bed, shoulders bent in a conspiratorial manner toward Charles’ chair. “Promise not to tell anyone. And I mean anyone. Including the police,” she said.
“You know I can’t do that. Especially since this is a murder enquiry. I’m fair at keeping a low profile and at keeping secrets, but I’ve never been interrogated. I might crack.”
Fina winced at the imagery. “No one is going to give you the third degree, Charles.”
“Now who’s quoting American films? How do you know? Besides, I’m a member of the staff. They go easy on toffs like you.”
“Toffs like – forget it. You’re right. I have to tell you, but you do need to know that the consequences of you ‘cracking’ as you call it could mean that either Ruby or I could go to the gallows.”
“Cripes.”
“Exactly.” Taking his expletive as a sign of agreement, Fina proceeded to tell Charles – in as vague terms as possible – why they were at Pauncefort Hall that weekend. Charles’ eyes grew larger and larger.
“Well that’s a pretty pickle, Fina. But in some sort of half-cocked way it makes sense. I wondered why the two of you would want to come to a place like this,” he said, leaning back in a more relaxed position. “You may be dressmakers, but you both seemed interested in more than just frills and furbelows.”
Fina muttered, “Ruby is going to kill me.” Charles stared at her, willing her to realize the import of her words. “I–I mean, you know what I mean.” She held her head in her hands. “What are we to do?”
Charles reached across and gently touched her hand. “I think what I’ve found in those rooms should help us solve this case, so let’s save the worrying until later.”