Chapter 46 #3
They were all weary, Alistair not least among them, but a short while later, he roused himself to say, ‘Since this is the hour of the night for confidences, I should tell you all that my nocturnal ramblings are not entirely taken for exercise.’ He knew that Cecilia had stiffened, and could guess why, so he went on quickly, wishing he had thought to tell her before, unsure why he hadn’t, ‘I daresay you have heard the tale of the so-called Dutch invasion. What can happen once can happen twice, so there is a system of watchers along this eastern coast, just in case, and beacons set ready in case of such an emergency. There is not so much danger here, the authorities have judged, since we have no deep-water port, and the French undoubtedly have other matters to worry about just now. But still… we watch. I do, here, and others too. And the militia are not so very far away, to the south and to the north, holding themselves in readiness for a signal.’
Miss Macintyre said quietly, ‘We should have realised as much, I suppose, Major. The world seems very far away here, and our petty concerns loom large, but much greater events are moving, are they not? In some manner, the future of the world, or our part of it, is being decided, just across the sea, if not today, then tomorrow, or soon.’
It was a sobering thought, and effectively killed all further conversation.
The night passed slowly, with little further commotion for a long while, except when the youngest Miss Constantine was roused with an astonishing amount of difficulty and had to be told the tale all over again.
Another small diversion was caused when Mrs Pritty ushered in the village constable, who looked at the body, shook his head wordlessly at the horrid sight, and went away to stand guard outside; Alistair took him and Jem Kersey down to the stable to show them the entrance to the secret stair, and left them there, peering down into the void and exclaiming at it in wonder.
It seemed a long while before Marjoram arrived in his gig, and longer still before he’d taken everyone’s statements and said that the Major was free to go.
The magistrate kindly offered to take him home, saying that it was more or less on his way and he must be weary, and Alistair accepted, little though he wanted to spend any more time in the garrulous old man’s company.
It would seem unnatural to refuse, he thought, and it might after all be useful for them to have a little private speech together just now.
Dawn was breaking in quiet splendour as they drove through the empty lanes; rabbits scurried away from under the gig’s wheels, and birds sang lustily in every hedge and bush.
It was another lovely late-spring morning, and it seemed impossible that violent death or wicked intentions could exist in such a pristine world as this.
Marjoram said, with a sidelong glance, ‘Did you really not know that the body was His Lordship? You didn’t seem terribly shocked when his poor face was revealed, Major, if you don’t mind me saying so.’
Alistair was glad to be able to tell the truth, or at least mostly the truth.
‘Well, I have witnessed such sights often enough before, you know, and far worse. I’ve seen friends die, or hideously wounded…
But no, I did not know whom I was following.
I’d have challenged him outside the house, discovered his identity and kept the Constantines out of it, if I were not handicapped by this bloody useless leg of mine.
I thought his purpose must be sinister, whoever he was, as anyone would have done, and after the events in your barn two nights ago, Pallant was bound to spring to mind in that connection.
After he fell and things were calmer, I saw that flashy gold ring of his, so I had little doubt of who it was.
But I did not tell the ladies. No need to distress them further.
’ No need to overdo it, either, he thought, and prudently shut up.
‘I thought they bore up with remarkable resilience,’ Marjoram said, almost as though even he occasionally suspected that women were not always the feeble creatures that conventional masculine wisdom said they must be.
‘Especially the old lady. A few tears, but no vapours. I’ll wager she’s still in shock, and will collapse a little later, but then, she has people to look after her.
So no need to worry too much about her. It was a lucky shot, of course, as you and I can agree.
Bless the old dear, she might as easily have but a bullet in you, or the damn painting, or herself.
I don’t suppose it has sunk in with any of them yet that His Lordship might have had another purpose in mind as well as theft.
Shocking, quite shocking. Not a gent who liked to be told nay, he wasn’t.
Nor was he accustomed to it, least of all in public.
It’s a bad business, for sure, but it could have been a deal worse.
Yes, a good deal worse, Major, and no mistake. ’
‘I expect women said no to him often enough, and he didn’t listen,’ Alistair replied grimly, leaving Marjoram’s useful but wrong-headed assumptions unchallenged. ‘But he won’t be doing that any more. He’s done all the damage he can in this life.’
‘He has.’ The auctioneer ruminated for a moment, and then said, ‘If you’d shot him, I might have had some more questions.
And on reflection, I’d still probably have let it go, since I expect we’ll all be a sight happier round here without the likes of him, except for them he owed money to.
I’m glad to say I’m not one of those unfortunate souls; I am no greenhorn, Major, as you well know.
But in any case, since it was the old lady put a period to his existence, there can be no suspicion of it being deliberate, so it all ties up remarkable neat.
They’ll take away the body later this morning – a very quiet funeral, I daresay, with very few to mourn his passing.
And all that’s left for me to do today is to go and tell his brother and sister the shocking news.
I don’t anticipate any tears and tearing of hair there either, unless they come from that impudent baggage Fanny Smith.
She’s the only one that might just miss him, because I think she had a foolish fancy to be Lady Pallant.
And here we are at Four Winds, and I shall set you down.
A good morning to you, Major, my compliments to your lady mother, and I expect I shall be seeing you at the inquest, if not before. ’
Alistair stepped carefully down from the gig and raised a hand in farewell. It had been a long, long night and it wasn’t quite over yet. Now he’d have to go inside and tell his parent all that had happened. He sighed and squared his shoulders.