Edward Marston - Timetable of Death

‘The praise was well deserved.’

‘Both of you are worthy of a commendation,’ said Tallis. ‘I will be pointing that out to the commissioner at our meeting later today.’

‘Thank you, Superintendent.’

‘Whoever first gave you the name of Burns set you off on a false trail.’

‘That had to be Maurice Cope,’ guessed Colbeck. ‘He actually had the reward posters printed and sent me one before the others had even been put up.’

‘I didn’t take to the fellow,’ said Tallis. ‘He looked too sly and devious. I’m grateful that we’ll have no more dealings with him.’ His smile was almost paternal. ‘Mr Haygarth must be overjoyed with what my detectives have done. In solving the murder, the pair of you removed an ugly stain from the Midland Railway.’

‘Some people think that Mr Haygarth is the ugly stain,’ observed Leeming.

‘What makes you say that?’

‘We heard rumours in Derby, sir.’

‘They’re more than rumours,’ said Colbeck. ‘According to Superintendent Wigg, there’s been something of a revolt. Mr Haygarth thought that his election simply needed to be confirmed but he now faces a challenger and many board members are turning to the new man. To quote an old adage,’ he went on, ‘there’s many a slip between cup and lip. I fancy that Donald Haygarth has contrived to drop the chalice altogether.’

As he was driven towards the church, Haygarth was still seething. The latest information from Maurice Cope was that some of those who’d agreed to support the acting chairman were now wavering. It was now likely that victory could be snatched away from him. Every board member would be attending the funeral of Vivian Quayle. Though he would not be wanted by the dead man’s family, Haygarth had decided to go in order to defy them and to be seen by the colleagues who’d anoint him as the successor. Dozens of vehicles were converging on the church. The local aristocracy and gentry were coming to pay their respects to a man who’d built a towering reputation in the county. Representatives from each of his coal mines had been given the day off to be there, miners whose whole lives depended on the Quayle family. A veritable multitude was coming to honour Haygarth’s hated rival.

When the carriage got within fifty yards, he lost his nerve completely.

‘Turn around,’ he shouted. ‘I’m not going to the funeral, after all.’

It was mid-evening before Colbeck finally got back home. Madeleine was waiting for him in the drawing room. After a welcoming kiss, she sat beside him on the sofa.

‘What did the superintendent say about your report?’ she asked.

‘He was very impressed.’

‘It’s just as well he doesn’t know the full story.’

‘Your role had perforce to be suppressed, my love,’ he said. ‘Superintendent Tallis is in enough pain with his ankle. If I told him that you’d helped to further the investigation by befriending Miss Quayle, he’d be in complete agony.’

‘I’m glad that you mentioned Lydia. I had a letter from her today.’

‘Really? What did it say?’

‘Well, it was written in the wake of her mother’s death,’ said Madeleine, ‘so it’s very emotional. I was touched that she chose to turn to me. Recent events have made her think twice about what she’s going to do. She’s staying in Nottingham until the funerals of both her parents are over then she’s coming back here. I thought that she and Miss Myler had parted company for ever,’ she explained, ‘but it appears that she’s been invited back by her friend. How long she’ll stay there is debatable. I fancy that Lydia will strike out on her own one day. The death of her parents has made a difference to her. It’s given her total independence. For the time being,’ she went on, ‘she’ll be living in London again.’

‘Until her father’s murder, she was perfectly contented here.’

‘She was such a pleasant woman. I’d like to see her again.’

‘Then you must invite her here at some point, Madeleine.’

‘I will,’ she replied. ‘I’m going to need female company if I’m to spend more time alone here. I can talk to Lydia. We got on so well together.’

Colbeck was startled by what he suspected might be a wonderful revelation. He remembered the fatigue she’d shown in Derby and how pale she’d seemed. He smiled tentatively and looked at her with nervous hope. When Madeleine nodded, he laughed with joy and grabbed her hands.

‘When is the …?’

‘Early in the New Year,’ she told him.

‘How long have you …?’

‘Does it matter, Robert? It’s certain now. Are you happy?’

‘I’m delirious,’ he said, taking her gently in his arms. ‘I feel as if that turntable is on the move again. There’ll be three of us from now on. We’ll have to look at life from a wholly different angle.’