Chapter 24 #2
‘I am so very sorry I was not with you, Lara. It was unforgivable of me to leave you for so long.’
‘I was pushed,’ Lara declared.
‘Of course you were,’ Abby retorted angrily. ‘Which in some ways is very encouraging,’ her irrepressible Kindred Spirit added.
‘Have any of the people you’ve haunted ever died?’ Lara asked conversationally.
Abby paused for a bit too long, but said clearly, ‘Of course not. You are quite safe with me as your Kindred Spirit.’ It didn’t seem worth mentioning Jimmy the footman’s lengthy stay in hospital, after all, he had made a full recovery. ‘Now, tell me why you were in here in the first place.’
Lara had been dreading this. As succinctly as she could she described to Abby what she’d seen.
‘Julian and Pinky?’ Abby sounded interested, although not surprised.
But then she had known what a fast worker Major Norton had been when it came to women.
She turned from Julian and Pinky to discussing what had happened as Lara ‘fell’ from the box.
For this Lara was grateful. She did not want to linger over what was going on between Julian and his latest blond.
‘Who did you see, either just before you came in here or afterwards?’ Abby asked.
Lara described her conversation with Dr Patil and how she had seen Richard Porter and Jason Honeybourne at the door as she was hauled to her feet.
‘So both of them were very close by,’ Lara concluded.
‘And Julian and Pen… Pinky…’ she now thought she deserved her ridiculous nickname, ‘… had left the auditorium, so I don’t know where they were. ’
‘Plus the helpful Dr Patil was on the scene,’ Abby added, looking even more thoughtful.
‘Do you really think it could be one of them?’ Lara asked doubtfully. ‘And anyway, Dr Patil is the one who rescued me.’
‘Maybe he had second thoughts?’ Abby reflected. She did not say any more but stood up and stared into the body of the theatre.
Lara studied the pensive figure for some moments. ‘What are you thinking?’
‘I am thinking that curiosity killed the cat and that we should be more careful in future.’ Abby turned an unusually solemn face towards Lara.
Despite these ominous words, Lara felt herself growing calmer.
Her body had stopped shaking and while she still felt like she’d been hit by a bus, she began to think about getting back to work.
She was just searching for one of her black pumps that had fallen off and was under one of the chairs when she remembered Richard Porter and asked Abby what progress she’d made.
Abby perked up. ‘Do you know, when he left the bar with his wife he made Pinky sit down in the corridor as he lectured her. I don’t think he liked looking up at her as he ranted.’ Abby sounded disapproving.
‘What was he going on about?’ Lara asked.
‘Well, it is clear they are both worried about the fraudulent power of attorney coming to light and the prospect of the second will being discovered. Richard suspects that Pinky has been sneaking off and may have been confiding in someone.’ Abby gave Lara a significant look.
‘Pinky was very evasive on this last point.’
‘They also appear to be in conflict over Gillmore House,’ she stated, smoothing her apron.
‘It transpires that they have visited Lady Porter’s chamber in the attic and they have opposing views regarding its future.
Pinky is charmed by the colours and the atmosphere and would like to preserve the décor in some way. ’
‘And Richard?’ Lara asked.
‘He can see no merit in the room whatsoever and wants its contents consigned to a skip. Especially the bed.’ Abby did not expand on all that Richard had said about his mother’s supposed activities, as she knew it would distress Lara, but Richard had issued very clear orders to Pinky for the destruction of the room.
He appeared to take great exception to the very size of the beautiful bed.
‘Did they say anything else?’ Lara pressed Abby, feeling perhaps that she wasn’t being told the whole truth.
‘No, at this point Pinky appeared to have had enough of her husband and she rushed off… presumably to Mr Armstrong,’ Abby speculated.
‘What were Richard and Jason talking about?’ Lara asked, remembering the furtive conversation she had looked down upon.
‘Now that was interesting, and it involves the good doctor,’ Abby said, getting up from her chair and walking up and down at the back of the box, her hands clasped in front of her.
‘It seems that the Honourable Richard is unhappy about Dr Patil’s legacy, especially the picture that your friend Fiona’s colleagues are so interested in.
It appears that he has been encouraging Jason Honeybourne to “acquire” it for him. ’
‘You mean steal it?’
Abby nodded.
‘Why doesn’t he just take it himself?’ Lara wondered.
Abby smiled. ‘It seems that the astute Mrs M keeps a very careful eye on Master Richard when he visits and will barely let him out of her sight. I also assume that were the painting to go missing after one of his visits to Gillmore House, the implication would be clear. In fact Mrs M, ahead of probate being granted, helpfully delivered the paintings to Dr Patil’s house.
’ Abby smiled happily. ‘Apparently, the Honourable Richard told Mrs M that she had gone well beyond her remit in doing this and that he would not be requiring her services after they moved in.’
‘What did Mrs M say to that?’ Lara demanded in awe, remembering the look Mrs M had given her when she had enquired if she were staying on to look after the Porters.
‘He did not elaborate,’ Abby said with obvious regret, ‘but I gather it was extremely rude.’
Lara grinned back at Abby. ‘So that would explain Jason sneaking around the house. It might also explain Dr Patil talking to him, maybe getting some advice. Do you think he has taken anything else or if Richard knows that the tea service might be valuable?’
‘Oh no, Jason was keeping his cards very close to his chest. But I cannot help feeling that Richard Porter is now regretting inviting Mr Honeybourne to rifle through the artefacts in Gillmore House. It seems Master Richard initially lent Mr Honeybourne a key so he could pop in and assess the paintings while he kept Mrs M talking, but that Mr Honeybourne has now “lost” the key,’ Abby said with obvious disbelief.
‘But Richard is inheriting so much,’ Lara queried.
‘A greedy man is always a greedy man, however small the prize. We must remember his response to you inheriting something as simple as some flower vases.’
Lara nodded. ‘Do you think Jason has been going back in and that this might explain the gaps we spotted?’
‘Possibly,’ was Abby’s unsatisfactory reply.
Lara remembered something else that had been annoying her. ‘Why is everyone so interested in this painting?’
‘Ah, three musicians around a harpsichord? My goodness, Lara,’ Abby replied, somewhat patronisingly, ‘please don’t tell me you have never heard of The Lost Vermeer!’