Murder at Greystone Manor

Chapter 1

Julia Bird watched the young couple tripping down the path towards her, each carrying three ice cream cones. Already, the ices were starting to soften in the heat.

‘Aaargh, Mum, help,’ her daughter Jess laughed, trying to manoeuvre her head so she could lick the deep pink raspberry cream that was threatening to drip from its cone. Too late. A little cerise stream trickled down her hand. ‘Quick, come and get them before they disappear!’ she called.

Julia got up from her camp chair to help her. She took her blackcurrant and clotted cream ice cream, and Sean’s cone, which went by the promising name of ‘chocolate heaven’, leaving Jess to clean up her raspberry-streaked arm.

Dylan handed over the two cones he was carrying: ‘Here’s the lemon gelato for you, Jono, and the mint for you, Laine, and the same for me.’

‘Thanks mate,’ said Jono, licking the melty edge of the icy scoop.

‘Mmm, this is delicious,’ said Julia, eating her own rapidly melting ice cream. ‘So fresh and fruity. You can tell it’s made from real blackcurrants.’

‘Farm cream and eggs, and fresh fruit,’ said Jess. ‘No additives or preservatives. The ice cream man told me all about it.’

The ice cream man was selling his wares from a purpose-built tricycle with a big cooler on the front, from which he scooped his home-made farm ice cream.

A wire rack held the cones. On the back was a small basket with a sign: Free duck food.

Two little girls scooped a handful each, calling, ‘Thank you,’ as they headed for the water.

‘He sells dog ice cream, too. I got the chaps a treat,’ said Jess.

From the pocket of the oversized white cotton shirt she wore over her yellow bikini, Jess produced two chunks of ice, each shaped like a dog.

Dylan held her cone while she unwrapped the dogs’ ices.

Jake, true to his Labrador nature, was always quick off the mark where treats were concerned and snapped it from her fingers.

Sean’s sweet brown cross-breed, Leo, took his snack more cautiously between his teeth.

Both looked surprised – confused by the cold, but tempted by the taste.

Their expressions made everyone laugh. The dogs got over the shock, and began to lick and chomp enthusiastically.

‘It’s frozen free-range chicken stock, apparently,’ Jess explained. ‘The ice cream man said, “You could eat it yourself!” I told him it was tempting, but I think I’ll stick with the raspberry.’

‘Well, no wonder they love it!’ said Laine. They all watched the dogs, smiling at their enjoyment and their funny expressions.

‘Gosh it’s hot, isn’t it?’ said Dylan. It wasn’t a very original observation, but everyone was happy to join in with a weather discussion.

Sean held up the Sunday paper and tapped the front-page story: ‘Heatwave blasts the Cotswolds!’ he read. ‘Rather dramatic. But apparently, it’s going up to 30 degrees here in Berrywick today.’

‘This is not how I remember the summers of my childhood, when my birthday party got rained out every single year,’ Jess laughed. ‘Remember, Mum?’

‘I do. Every year, we would plan a lovely party in the garden and get it all set up, and without fail, we would have twenty overexcited children bouncing around indoors dropping jelly on the carpet, all while the outdoor games went unplayed.’

‘When I was in hot and humid Hong Kong, I dreamed of coming back to cool, and a bit of drizzle,’ said Jess longingly.

‘I dare say you won’t have to wait too long,’ said Sean, in his characteristically dry way. ‘We are seldom burdened with good weather for more than a day or two.’

‘Lucky we’ve got a shady spot by the water,’ said Julia. ‘We’d be burning up by now.’

‘You were right, Mum,’ said Jess. ‘It was good to get here early.’

Julia smiled. She had received some resistance to her early start, but it was quite a drive to the lake and, with this lovely weather, she’d known it was likely to be popular.

She’d wanted to make sure they got a good spot with some protection from the sun.

They had set up a camping table and chairs in the shade of a willow tree close to the sandy shoreline.

Its soft branches made a cooling curtain against the sun and heat, moving gently in a light breeze from the water.

From their encampment, they could see the broad, calm lake.

The blue sky and its few small puffy clouds reflected in its surface, broken up by the smooth passage of ducks and coots.

Smaller birds chattered and flitted in the reeds that edged the water.

Just beyond the lake, one could make out the roofs of Berrywick, basking in the summer light.

Jono and Laine lay on two striped towels under a striped beach umbrella on the sand between the water and the willow tree.

‘I love the heat,’ said Laine, stretching out her bare brown legs and wiggling her toes with pleasure. Her toenails were painted a dazzling shade of turquoise. Her long dark plait hung over her shoulder. ‘The hotter the better, as far as I’m concerned.’

Jess got up. ‘I think I’ll have a swim. Wash off all that sticky raspberry ice cream.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ said Dylan. Jess reached a hand down and helped him up. He smiled as he stood. He pulled his T-shirt over his head to reveal his pale chest. Julia stifled the urge to tell him to make sure he reapplied sunblock regularly. They were adults, after all.

Julia watched the two of them go down to the water. Her daughter, long and lean-bodied like her father, was as tall as the young man. Dylan reached out his hand for Jess’s. She took it, and pulled him towards her, throwing him off balance.

‘Hey!’ he laughed, leaning in to her. They pushed and pulled, wrestling and shrieking as they staggered into deeper water. With the water at waist height, they fell in together, spluttering and splashing.

‘Let’s join them,’ said Jono. He got up and took Laine’s hand.

They ran the short distance to the lake and threw themselves in.

Jake and Leo took off after them. Jake hurled himself at the water with a great splash.

Leo paddled along the edge. He was more cautious by nature and didn’t have the Labrador obsession with water.

Julia took Sean’s free hand. Her heart was full, looking at the four young people – her daughter Jess, and Sean’s son Jono and their… well, whatever they were. Partners. Boyfriends. Girlfriends. Significant others? No matter the title, they were lovely, loving people.

Jess had only been in England for two days, having moved back after two years studying in Hong Kong.

Julia still couldn’t quite believe Jess was there, in the flesh.

It was the first time she’d met Jono and Laine, the first time they had all been together, and it was good to see them so easy with each other.

Julia could hear them talking and laughing, but couldn’t make out the words.

‘They are getting on very well,’ said Sean, reading her mind.

‘Oh yes, very well,’ said Julia. ‘It does make me happy. Not that I was worried…’

Sean smiled at her in his teasing way.

It was sort of true. She wasn’t worried, exactly, but she was very eager for them to like each other. More happy, excited noises came from the lake.

Sean squeezed her hand and said, ‘It makes me happy, too. Has Jess spoken to you about what she plans to do now she’s back?’

‘She’s going to take a few weeks off to enjoy the summer in the Cotswolds, and then see about her next steps.

She’ll go to see her dad in London for a bit.

And she will start applying for jobs, at some stage, and that will probably mean moving to London or one of the bigger cities.

I’m just going to enjoy having her here and not worry about what’s next.

And I’ll try very hard not to make her anxious with endless questions about the future. ’

‘You are a wise woman, Julia Bird.’

‘Well, thank you, Dr O’Connor,’ Julia smiled.

She gave his hand a squeeze and let go, then continued, ‘Tomorrow she’s coming with me to Greystone Manor to pack up the contents of an entire apartment.

The person living there died and the whole lot has been donated to Second Chances.

The deceased’s daughter lives in France.

She came back when her mum died and wants to sort out all the stuff before she returns to Paris.

Wilma is away for a few days with Douglas, and she’s left me in charge of packing up the donations to the shop.

So I’m glad I’ve got Jess – I could use the help. It’s a big job.’

‘Well, it sounds like a good haul for the charity shop, at least.’

‘I should think so, but you never know what you’re getting until you get there. Wilma told me that she was once invited to come and take everything, and the “everything” turned out to include an extensive collection of taxidermied rodents.’

Sean laughed. ‘Good heavens, why would anyone have a collection of taxidermied rodents?’

‘It was the deceased’s hobby. Apparently the rodents were posed in real-life situations. There were two mice having a sword fight. And a mummy guinea pig pushing a baby guinea pig in a tiny pram. All sorts of weird things. I can’t remember them all now, but you can ask Wilma when you next see her.’

‘I suppose you just tossed them out?’

‘That’s where you’d be wrong, Doctor. The funny thing is, a collector snapped them up. They are quite sought-after in certain circles, and these were apparently fine examples. Worth quite a bit of money. Which just goes to show, you never can tell what you’ll find…’