The doctor left us shortly afterwards. Bertram was muttering under his breath.
‘That’s nae guid,’ said Rory. ‘If he comes round I will have a devil of a time convincing him not to come down for dinner.’
‘I will leave. He is more likely to argue with me than you.’
Rory sniffed meaningfully. ‘If you say so.’
I made my escape. I made my way down the corridor to my room. I knew I would be very hungry later when my excitement and confusion from the day wore away, but at this moment I wanted nothing more than to wash the smells of the dock from hair and skin, and to rest upon a comfortable bed.
When I reached my door I found that my key would not turn in the lock. I stood there, stupefied. Could it be that I had been wrong about Bertram’s finances, and that White Orchards had consumed all of his wealth? Were we about to be thrown out upon the street?
Panic flared within my chest, but then just as quickly faded. The key in my hand bore a very different number to the one upon the door. I had come to the wrong room. I had gone in the direction of my room at the previous hotel. Clearly, I was more shaken by the day’s events than I realised. I turned, and with some effort managed to retrace my steps to my room. As I did so I realised that something was different. When I opened my door, the key having worked this time, I saw quite clearly that the carpet in the hallway was a great deal brighter in colour than the one in my room. I had paid it no attention this morning, but clearly last night a new carpet had been laid. The new pattern was exactly the same as the one in the previous hotel. [18]
I spent no more time thinking about the hotel, but summoned water for washing. Having completed by ablutions, I undid my stays and laid down upon the bed. I had the forethought to ask the maid to knock me up in good time for dinner.
Much later, rested and revived, I made my way down to the dining room. I trusted Rory would summon me should anything be amiss with Bertram. My disturbing them would only add to the time Bertram needed to recover. I thought it likely he remained some way from forgiving me my ruse and that my presence would only agitate him.
The thought of a solitary supper did not depress me. After all the excitements of the last few days some quiet solitude would be most welcome. But it was not to be. Barely had I placed my hand upon the dining room doorknob when a waiter appeared at my side and redirected me to a smaller room.
‘Your companions are awaiting you here, Miss,’ he said opening the door. Seated at the table I saw Rory, thankfully not in his servant’s livery, and a whey-faced Bertram. ‘I will give you a moment to consult the menu,’ said the waiter and shut the door behind me.
‘Dinnae be blaming me,’ said Rory. ‘If they had not put down that new carpet he would never have thought of it.’
‘Have you also suffered a blow to the head?’ I asked Rory coldly.
‘I would be careful how you answer that,’ said Bertram, ‘or she will be about giving you a head injury yourself.’
‘As if I would be so uncouth,’ I said, sitting down opposite them and frowning in annoyance.
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ said Bertram, ‘I heard Euphemia flashed her ankles for the whole docks to see. That seems mightily uncouth to me.’
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I was not used to Bertram making this kind of comment.
‘Are you sure you are well enough to be at dinner?’ I asked. ‘The doctor did suggest …’
‘Pah!’ interrupted Bertram. ‘I’ve been made a fool of twice today. I will not lie back and … and … take it.’
‘I can quite see how eating soup will prove you more manly,’ I said.
Bertram scowled ferociously and scratched at his beard with vigour.
‘Don’t do that! Not at the dinner table!’ I exclaimed in horror. ‘It is far from hygienic.’
‘Euphemia,’ rumbled Bertram as ire built up inside him like steam in a kettle, ‘What the devil were you thinking …’
‘I was thinking only of how we could find you quickly before the ship set sail. A circumstance I suspect your assailants were counting upon.’
‘What gets me,’ said Rory, ‘is why they did not just drop you off the end of the quay. It would have been far less risky and most likely it would have been thought an accident.’
I nodded. ‘It is odd.’
‘I am sorry to disappoint you both,’ said Bertram, but neither Rory or I paid any attention to him.
‘It is the same with the clerk not simply saying that Fitzroy had got on the boat. That would have completely ended our investigation.’
‘I suspect the clerk may have panicked,’ I said. ‘Presumably he has been paid off to turn a blind eye to certain things. But that is a long way short from arranging fatal accidents or even lying to investigation officers. Do you think they thought you were from the police, Bertram?’
‘Good God, Euphemia. I am a gentleman!’
‘What you say would lead to the conclusion that there is more than one level of criminal involved. There are men who have been bribed at the docks and there are those who actually took Fitzroy away. I can only imagine that removing him from a place against his will would not have been an easy task, and may have involved considerable violence.’ Rory’s voice had crept back to his correct butler English and away from the Scotch. Obviously sitting in a private dining room was having an effect on him. I rather enjoyed his Scottish burr.
‘Euphemia, are you listening to me?’
‘What? Yes. More than one group of criminals involved. Though I also think it is worth considering that murdering someone inevitably leads to the death penalty. One must be quite desperate to risk that, don’t you think?’
‘Or a fanatic,’ said Bertram darkly. ‘Who knows what kind of people would be after Fitzroy.’
‘Both Rory and I have seen him kill and display no remorse. He is a most ruthless man.’
‘I thought you rather liked him,’ said Bertram, scratching his beard again.
‘No,’ I said shortly. Though the truth was far more complicated.
At this point the waiter reappeared and took our orders for dinner. To my horror Bertram ordered soup. After he had left I could not contain myself. ‘Bertram, men who have beards should not order soup. It sticks most unattractively in their whiskers.’
Bertram looked pained. ‘I do know how to use a napkin, Euphemia.’
‘Yes, but it is fish soup. You will stink all evening.’
Bertram pulled his shoulders back and adopted his most formal expression. ‘Then I suggest you do not sniff me.’
‘Oh, for heaven’s sake,’ burst out Rory. ‘Forget the soup. What are we going to do? For the life of me I cannae see we have any avenues to follow.’
‘Of course, we do,’ said Bertram. ‘We need to kidnap that clerk –’
The door opened.
‘Soup,’ announced the waiter.
[18]It never fails to surprise me how subtle changes in one’s environment can lead one unconsciously to the strangest conclusions.
Chapter Twenty
In which a carpet is much to blame
The courses came quick and fast, so that neither Rory nor I had the chance to question Bertram’s ridiculous declaration until the cheeseboard was borne in.
‘If the lady would like to retire to the ladies’ lounge,’ said the waiter, ‘I will serve tea and bring port for the gentlemen.’
‘This lady will drink port,’ announced Bertram.
A barely detectable shiver ran through the waiter. ‘As you wish, sir,’ he said in lowered tone.
‘A woman who drinks port and a man who dines with his chauffeur. Ach, the stories you two have started,’ said Rory, helping himself to the port that the waiter had silently and disapprovingly deposited on the table.
‘A lady, if you do not mind,’ I said.
‘Ach, Euphemia, dinnae go getting ideas above yer station,’ said Rory.
I started. ‘Of course,’ I said as contritely as I could. Rory had no idea of my real conne
ctions, but the more I socialised above stairs the more I lapsed back into the manner my mother had cultivated in me. I needed to be more careful.
‘I think you are a lady,’ said Bertram.
‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘but you want to embark on a criminal career, so I am not entirely sure your opinion can be counted.’
‘Yes,’ said Rory, ‘what are ye on about?’
‘Remember how I said the new carpet gave me an idea?’ Bertram said.
‘Yes,’ said Rory, ‘it made you want to come down to dinner. And while the pattern is not to my taste either …’
‘No, no, no,’ said Bertram. ‘It gave me an idea about how to steal a body. We could wrap it in the carpet.’
Rory and I regarded him wordlessly.
‘We give the clerk the same treatment he gave me. We knock him on the head, but we remove him from the dock and make him tell us who bribed him. It is the only way we can move forward with this. If we honestly think Fitzroy may still be alive and in danger, then we must make haste to locate him.’
‘Do you know anything about knocking people out?’ I asked.
Bertram rubbed his head. ‘I have first-hand experience. You just need something hard and thwack to the back of the head and they’re out.’
‘Do you not think you might as easily kill them?’ I said.
‘That’s nae the problem,’ said Rory. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. ‘I was a wee bittie wild as a lad. Brawls are common enough among young Highland folk.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Nae, the real problem is how we get to the clerk in the first place.’
‘The docks are open all night,’ said Bertram. ‘We will have to watch and see when he comes on night duty. A man desperate enough to take a bribe is not likely to stay away from his work. He obviously needs the money.’
‘I’ll grant you the docks are quieter at night,’ said Rory, ‘but you really think could get him away in a carpet?’
‘An old carpet,’ said Bertram. ‘One that could have been recently replaced on a ship. We would have to wear overalls, or some sort of dockers’ clothing.’
Rory pondered this. ‘Early morning would probably be best if we were pretending to be from one of the suppliers. They start early, but the docks would be fairly quiet then. It would be risky, aye, but if we acted with enough confidence, it might just work.’
‘Good man!’ exclaimed Bertram.
‘I absolutely forbid it,’ I cried.
‘That’s a bit rich, coming from you, Euphemia,’ said Bertram. ‘You’re the reason we are here in the first place.’
‘I really do appreciate all the support you have both given me,’ I said, ‘but I cannot let you endanger yourselves in this way.’
‘So you are not fundamentally opposed to us breaking the law?’ said Rory.
I blushed.
‘Of course I am,’ I said, though it had been the furthest thing from my mind.
Rory eyed me closely. ‘Aye, right.’
He turned to Bertram. ‘She’s just upset because she thinks we willnae let her come on the kidnapping.’
‘Of course, we won’t’ said Bertram outraged. ‘That would be no place for a lady.’
I put my head in my hands. I trembled to think of what this pair would get up to unsupervised. I raised my head. ‘Bertram,’ I said pleadingly, ‘you would not even be considering this if you had not been knocked out. You are not yourself. Your brains are bruised.’
‘There is nothing wrong with my brain,’ snapped Bertram, ‘I feel in excellent health. You may have noted that despite the rigours of the day I have not had any difficulty with my heart. I do believe that the Fens have done me the world of good, and I am stronger and fitter than I have ever been before.’
‘Do you agree?’ I asked Rory. He would not meet my eyes.
‘Aye, well, if my master’s going.’
‘Oh, you are as bad as one another,’ I said. ‘I am going up to bed. I am sure a good night’s sleep will help us all, and what we can do will be clearer in the morning.’ I rose.
Rory opened his mouth to speak.
‘Good idea,’ interrupted Bertram. ‘I shall treat Rory to a cigar for all his help.’ Rory frowned and I left them before another argument could break out.
Chapter Twenty-one
In which Rory and Bertram indulge themselves in a little quid pro quo
I awoke refreshed. The light shining through my window was bright and promised a lovely warm summer’s day. I opened the window a little and the delightful smell of sea air wafted in. I dressed quickly. I still had little idea of how we could move forward. Though I was entertaining some idea of trying to bribe the truth from the clerk. Surely if he had been willing to turn his back on his dockland employers, he might also be persuaded to do so against his criminal masters for a further monetary remuneration?
Of one thing I was certain: if the three of us put our heads together we could come up with a solution. We had achieved so much when we worked together that I was not prepared to admit defeat now. I would need to show both men how much I appreciated them. A little flattery would surely bring them round to my side.
I tripped down to breakfast feeling more optimistic than I had for days. Fitzroy might yet be alive, and the three of us were back working together.
I saw Bertram seated at a table in the dining room. He was pouring himself coffee. There were a number of discarded plates before him. He had obviously eaten well. As I approached the table he rose and held out my chair for me.
‘Good morning, Euphemia,’ he said with a most happy smile.
‘You look as if you are feeling much recovered,’ I said, pleased.
‘Never felt better in my life,’ said Bertram and indeed he did appear to be brimming with vigour.
‘Has something excited you?’ I asked confused.
‘Have your breakfast, Euphemia,’ said Bertram. ‘I recommend the eggs Benedict. Excellent this morning.’
I ordered as he suggested and Bertram asked for another pot of coffee.
‘It is a glorious day,’ I said in the friendliest manner I could.
‘Indeed,’ said Bertram, ‘Rory is going to take us for a drive after breakfast.’
‘I wondered where he was,’ I said.
‘When you are ready we shall go round to meet the automobile.’
I thought this a little curious. Usually one summoned the vehicle to the front steps, but perhaps Bertram was trying to make Rory feel less like a servant while we worked together. It was only later, after an excellent breakfast, and a lovely short walk in the sun, that I saw the roll of carpet protruding from the baggage compartment.
‘Oh, good God in heaven,’ I exclaimed, ‘you didn’t!’ I had, of course, been an complete idiot. While I was tucked up in bed, my two companions had been off attempting to prove their manliness down at the docks.
Bertram gave me a wide grin, ‘Oh, yes, we did. Now, climb in. We need to find somewhere to inspect our new carpet.’ For the first time in my life I was truly speechless.
Rory drove us inland towards the countryside. It was not long before we left the town behind. Afterwards we passed through several small hamlets and gradually the land around us became more and more deserted. Bertram rapped on the glass and directed Rory to leave the official road and drive down some narrow tree-lined country lanes. Eventually, he turned into a field and parked beside a small copse of trees. The view stretched out for ever, flat and wide. We could clearly see that no one else was around for miles.
‘You know this place?’ I asked Bertram. It was so perfect for his intent.
‘Found it when we driving around this morning. As you could not come on the first part of the exercise I thought it was only fair you be included in the second half. Besides, you may well have a better idea of what to ask than us. You are the one who has been reading Fitzroy’s correspondence and the one who knew him best.’ The last phrase was said with a slight frown. However, I did not think Bertram was jealous, so much as disapprovin
g. Something, which considering his most recent actions, struck me as distinctly laughable. ‘I will just go and help Rory get him out.’
‘Has he been in that roll all night?’ I said horrified. ‘Are you sure he is still alive?’
‘Oh, he will be fine,’ said Bertram blithely. ‘Our man here did not hit him that hard, and he has only been wrapped up a couple of hours.’
He went over to the rear of the vehicle and he and Rory heaved and hefted the carpet onto the grass. It landed with a loud thud. Before I could protest, the two of them pulled at the edge and the carpet unrolled depositing a bound, gagged man, onto the grass. He was not wearing a blindfold. When I saw this I could happily have knocked Rory and Bertram on their heads myself.
‘He can see us,’ I hissed.
Bertram looked at me blankly. ‘It was dark in the carpet. I did not see any need to blindfold him.’
‘It is not dark now,’ I said coldly.
‘No,’ said Bertram. ‘It is a lovely day.’
‘She means,’ said Rory, ‘that the man has seen our faces. Sorry. I should have thought of that.’
‘Oh well,’ said Bertram blithely. ‘We will have to kill him.’
I blanched.
‘Unless he tells us what we want to know,’ he said. He pulled a pocket knife from his trousers and knelt down beside the man.
The clerk was not a tall man. A rug might have sufficed as easily as the carpet. He had a slight build, short brown hair not recently washed, acne vulgaris on his cheeks, and a weaselly look about him. I judged him to be in his early twenties and of a most unsound character. He had weak, watery blue eyes that were currently staring fixedly at the knife in Bertram’s hand. Bertram brought the knife closer to his face and the little man squeaked.
Rory had come up beside me. In a low voice, ‘I think that blow to the head has affected Bertram more than I thought. He was very courageous last night.’
‘You mean foolhardy,’ I said in an urgent whisper. ‘What on earth are we to do with this man once we have the information we need? Presuming he has it to give in the first place.’
A Death for King and Country - A Euphemia Martins Murder Mystery (Euphemia Martins Mysteries Book 7) Page 11