Виктория Холт - The Captive

“I was glad she died before she could know that. But then if she’d been alive he would never have gone to that place. Alice would never have let him go. She loved him so much.”

“You have helped us a great deal,” I said.

“I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”

“If you can clear his name …”

“I’m going to try. I’m going to do everything in my power …”

She insisted on making us a cup of tea. She talked to us while we drank it, going over everything she had already told us; but we did get an impression of the affection she had had for Alice, which was none the less genuine because it was faintly contemptuous. Alice had been soft . too trusting . loving unwisely . believing all that was told

her. But Alice had been her dear sister, closer to her than anyone had been before or after.

I was glad we had convinced her of our sincerity. And so we left Rowan Cottage with the knowledge that Sir Edward Perrivale had married Alice Ferrers and the date on the certificate showed clearly that the marriage had taken place before the ceremony he had undergone with the present Dowager Lady Perrivale.

That night Felicity and I talked continuously of our discovery. It was beyond our wildest hopes.

“I still can’t believe it!” I said.

“How could Sir Edward, with his strong moral stance, enter into a bigamous marriage, have two sons whom he accepted as his own, while his legitimate son, though brought up in the house, was treated as an outsider?”

“We have to remember that he wanted the boy to be given every chance.”

“Poor Simon!”

“Well, he had your Nanny Crockett.”

“It would have been sad for him if he hadn’t.”

“Oh, there are always compensations. But why did Sir Edward not only break the law but go against his strong religious principles?”

“I think I can guess. You see, there is a great tradition in the Perrivale family. The old house is at the root of it. The place was falling down and Sir Edward was in financial difficulties. He had never brought Alice to Perrivale. Much as he loved her, he did not think she would be a suitable chat elaine You see how strong the family tradition was. I daresay he had been brought up to believe that the great family of Perrivale was all-important. It had been kept going all through the centuries by its members doing their duty. It was his, therefore, to save Perrivale. Along comes the ironmaster or coal owner, whatever he was, from Yorkshire. He will supply the money required to save the house. Sir Edward’s financial problems can be solved … but at a cost, of course. The price is marriage to the rich man’s daughter.”

“But Sir Edward couldn’t accept those terms. He had already married little Alice.”

“But who knew? Only those people in the country. Alice was quiet and docile. She would accept everything he told her. She would not make trouble, even if she knew what was happening … but she didn’t. He thought he could pull it off, and he did. I dare say it troubled him a great deal. There was no other way of saving Perrivale. He had always been brought up to believe that his first duty was to tradition … to the family name. You can see how he was torn. He had to save his house; the family must go on living in the style to which it was accustomed. Alice could not rise to what would be demanded of her. He had loved Alice … he had been led into the temptation of marrying her. But she was not suitable to be a Perrivale wife. I can see how it happened.”

“You certainly make it sound plausible.”

“I think Sir Edward could not die with this secret on his conscience.

I think he may have confessed when he was near the end. And to whom would he confess but to the one whom it concerned most . the woman who thought she was his wife? Imagine it: “I cannot go like this. I must tell the truth now. My heir is Simon, the boy I brought into this house. I married his mother and that means I am not truly married to you.” That was how it must have happened. Maria said that she heard them quarrelling violently and that Lady Perrivale went very strange at the time of his death. It must have been because of this. “

“Are you suggesting that she was involved in the murder? You can’t think she killed her own son just to get Simon accused.”

“Of course not. What she did was tell her son. She would, wouldn’t she? Or perhaps Sir Edward told them. Yes, of

course, it would concern them most . next to Lady Perrivale, of course. “

“But it was Cosmo who was murdered.”

“I always had a notion that Tristan was the murderer. I used to think he killed Cosmo because he wanted the title and estates … and Mirabel. Just imagine what he would feel to be in second place and miss all the prizes.”

“Lucas is in a similar position.”

“Well, before his accident he didn’t want to stay at home.”

“And he had his army career for a while.”

“Yes, and he gave that up and travelled a great deal and was rather restless. I begin to see it more clearly. I always thought Tristan was involved somehow. He had everything to gain. And there was Mirabel.

She married him very soon after Cosmo was killed. “

“And what of the child she seems to have got rid of?”

“I don’t understand that. It’s too complicated, but at least if Tristan was aware that Simon was really his father’s heir … he would want to get him out of the way. So he kills Cosmo and arranges that Simon is blamed for it. So both encumbrances are removed. Sir Edward dies … there is nothing to say that Tristan is not the rightful heir.”

“It’s taking shape,” said Felicity.

“But how are you going to prove all this?”

“I don’t know … yet. But we’ve taken a great step forward … thanks to you. Felicity. I think I shall know what to do when the time is right.”

“And in the meantime … ?”

“I shall tell Lucas, when I see him, what we have discovered. He is very astute. He will suggest what action we take next. Something has occurred to me. Lady Perrivale the Dowager Lady Perrivale is searching for something in Sir Edward’s room. She lights candles at night or she did before Maria hid them for fear she burned the house down-and went prowling round looking. What was she looking for, do you think?”

“Simple logic would point to a will.”

“Exactly. The last will of Sir Edward Perrivale in which he states that Simon is his legitimate son and heir. He cannot go to his grave with that secret on his conscience.”

“So to purge his own soul he plunges those who for years have believed themselves to be his only family into turmoil.”

I nodded.

“He knows that if someone gets his or her hands on the will while he is too ill to know what is happening, it will be destroyed. So he hides it, meaning to produce it to the solicitor or someone whom he can trust when he gets the opportunity to do so. Now Lady Perrivale knows that this will exists. She must find it and destroy it for the sake of her sons, if for nothing else. She is not very clear in her mind … but she hangs on to the fact that it exists. That is why she wanders about at night looking for it.”

“H’m. Sounds likely.”

“I often visit Lady Perrivale. There might be an opportunity …”

“You’d better be careful.”

“That’s what Lucas says.”

“If this is true and Tristan killed once, he might not hesitate to do so again, and people who know too much might be in danger.”

“I’ll be watchful.”

“I’m really serious, Rosetta. I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be. I’ll be careful. They don’t suspect anything. I’m just the governess.”

“But no ordinary governess.”