Edward Marston - The Repentant Rake

Lancelot Serle now joined the group in the hall, standing beside his wife with his usual expression of bafflement. Sir Julius was exuding hostility. Brilliana had turned to ice. Susan was clutching her hands together. Christopher was left with no alternative to blurting out his news.

'Your son is dead Sir Julius.'

The effect on his hearers varied. Sir Julius turned away in disgust, Brilliana stared accusingly at the visitor, Serle dithered helplessly and Susan was so shocked that she had to support herself on the door frame. Wanting to rush across to her, Christopher had to restrain himself and wait for the opportunity to deliver an even more crushing blow. It was Brilliana who first found a voice.

'I can hardly say that I am surprised' she said without sympathy.

'Brilliana!' cried her sister.

'Those who follow such a despicable life must suffer its consequences.'

Susan was trembling. 'That's a horrible thing to say.'

'It has a degree of truth in it,' ventured Serle, eager to support his wife.

'I would dispute that, sir,' said Christopher defensively. 'Gabriel Cheever did not die in the way that is implied. He was murdered in cold blood.'

The announcement set off another series of reactions. Sir Julius turned back with incredulity on his face, Serle began to gibber wildly and his wife had the grace to look saddened by the news. Christopher was not interested in them. His attention was fixed on Susan Cheever, who took a few uncertain steps towards him then collapsed in a dead faint. He ran across to kneel beside her, slipping a hand under her head. The emergency seemed to bring out the best in the other members of the family. Sir Julius suggested that she be carried into the parlour, Serle helped Christopher to lift the limp body and Brilliana summoned a servant and gave crisp orders. By the time she began to recover, Susan was lying on a couch while her sister held a cup of brandy to her lips. Christopher had been relegated to a position at the rear of the group clustered around her but it was his eyes she sought. Aided by her father, she sat up and waved the brandy away.

'I do not want that,' she said.

'Let me send for a doctor,' said Brilliana.

'There's no need.'

'I am sorry that I gave you such a shock, Miss Cheever,' said Christopher.

'It was not your fault, Mr Redmayne.'

'Would you rather I withdrew?'

'That might be a sensible notion,' decided Brilliana.

'No,' said Susan, raising a hand. 'I am recovered now. Do not leave us, Mr Redmayne. I want to hear what happened.'

'And I wish to know how you came by this gruesome intelligence,' said Sir Julius, clearly shaken.

Lancelot Serle made his first useful contribution by inviting them all to take a seat. Christopher found himself in a chair at the centre of the room. He looked around the expectant faces. Susan was tearful, Brilliana watchful and her husband solemn. Sir Julius was trying to appear detached but his eyes betrayed him. Christopher was tactful. Eliminating the most distressing details and making no reference to his brother's predicament, he explained how Gabriel Cheever's body had been found and why he had been drawn into the investigation. After admitting that no suspects had yet been arrested, he made an attempt to end on a positive note.

'In a sense, it was a blessing that the constable turned to me for help.'

'Blessing?' echoed Sir Julius in a hollow voice.

'Had the body not been identified' Christopher argued, 'it would have been buried in an unmarked grave with nobody to mourn over it. That would have been very sad.'

'Where is it being held?'

'At the city morgue, Sir Julius. Awaiting the decision of the family.'

That decision, he saw, would not be easy to make. Sir Julius was caught up in a welter of emotions, Brilliana was wrestling with her own feelings and her husband was awaiting her cue so that he could agree with her. Only Susan Cheever knew what she wanted and she feared that her wishes might be overruled.

Christopher rose to his feet. 'I'll trespass no longer on your grief,' he said. 'All that I can do is offer you my profound condolences. If there is anything further that I may do – anything at all – please do not hesitate to call on me.'

'Thank you, Mr Redmayne,' whispered Susan.

'Yes, thank you,' said Sir Julius awkwardly. 'I am sorry to give you so uncivil a welcome. It was good of you to ride all this way with such dreadful tidings. I do appreciate that. Needless to say, this may alter my plans somewhat.'

'Of course, Sir Julius,' said Christopher. 'Our business can wait. Do excuse me.'

He gave a farewell nod and headed for the door. Serle followed him into the hall to add his personal thanks and to wave him off. Christopher departed reluctantly. He wanted to offer some consolation to Susan Cheever but that was impossible while she was surrounded by the others. All that he could do was slip quietly away. When the front door was closed behind him, he looked up at the house and regretted that he had brought such unhappiness to it. He walked slowly to the stables to find his horse, and was about to mount up when a figure suddenly appeared in front of him. Susan Cheever was breathless from her dash to find him.

'Thank goodness I caught you!' she said between gasps.

'Get your breath back before you speak further,' he advised. 'I cannot tell you how grieved I am to be the bearer of such tragic news, but I felt that you should hear it as soon as was conceivably possible.'

'That was very considerate of you, Mr Redmayne.'

'I wish that you could have been spared the shock.'

Susan took a moment to regain her composure then gave a little smile. 'You deserve my thanks,' she said.

'For what?'

'Omitting something from your account of Gabriel's death.'

'I thought it a kindness to do so.'

'I'm not talking about details that might have upset us, Mr Redmayne. You were discreet in another way. I'm grateful to you.'

'It's not for me to pry into your family affairs.'

'You knew,' she said quietly, 'yet you did not expose me.'

'All I know is that you loved your brother as a sister should, Miss Cheever.'

Susan heaved a sigh. 'Father would disagree.'

'Sir Julius may one day come to admit that he did have a son.'

'Gabriel's name will always fester in his memory.'

'And in that of your sister, I fancy,' he observed sadly.

'Brilliana and Gabriel were never close,' recalled Susan. 'When he left home, she spurned him as readily as Father. I could never do that.'

'So I've learned.' Alarm came into her eyes. 'Have no fear,' he soothed. 'I'll not betray you, Miss Cheever. I applaud your courage. You've done what any true sister would have done.'

Susan looked at him with mingled doubt and affection. She searched his face to see if she could trust him. Christopher was calm beneath her scrutiny. Even at such a difficult time, it was a joy to be close to her again. When she made up her mind, Susan checked to see that nobody could overhear them then stepped closer to him.

'There's something I must tell you, Mr Redmayne,' she began. 'Something which has to be kept from the rest of the family.'

'With good reason, I suspect.'

'It may help with your enquiries.'

'Anything that does that is welcome, Miss Cheever.'

She lowered her head. 'Though it will mean more pain and distress.'

'For whom?'

'Someone I have never even met.'

'You are being very mysterious.'

'How much have you found out about Gabriel?' she asked, looking up.

'Precious little,' he confessed. 'I know that he spent most of his time in the gaming houses and enjoyed an astonishing run of luck at cards. But I also know that he was no mere pleasure-seeker. Your brother had serious literary ambitions.'