T Kinsey - A Quiet Life in the Country (A Lady Hardcastle Mystery Book 1)

‘Put him on the rack, you mean?’ said Lady Hardcastle.

‘That sort of thing, yes.’

‘I’m sure Flo’s offer still stands if you want him roughed up a bit.’

He chuckled and turned to me. ‘Meaning you no offence, miss, but I doubt a little thing like you could do any real harm.’

‘I wouldn’t be so cocksure, Inspector,’ said Lady Hardcastle. ‘We spent quite a while in China in the nineties and she picked up a few little tricks. I’ve seen her take down men twice his size.’

I smiled sweetly.

‘Hmm,’ he said. ‘Still, we have at least confirmed that Richman and Haddock are up to no good. Or at least that they intended to be. I can’t yet see how it’s connected to the murder of Wallace Holloway, but I’ll work it out.’

‘Of course you shall. What’s your next move?’

‘I think we ought to get Fishface back in and see if we can get anything more substantial out of him,’ he said. ‘Miss Armstrong, would you do the honours, please?’

‘Certainly, Inspector. One grilled haddock, coming up.’

I found Mr Haddock on the terrace, playing backgammon with Captain Summers. There were drinks on the table and they seemed to be enjoying themselves.

‘Aha,’ said Captain Summers, catching sight of me. ‘The detective’s lady’s maid. Don’t know what the world’s coming to.’

Haddock leered at me. ‘What can we do for you, my dear?’

‘Inspector Sunderland would like to talk to you, Mr Haddock,’ I said.

‘What a shame,’ he said. ‘I was rather hoping you’d come to join us.’

I said nothing and waited for him to rise and follow me.

‘Well, Summers, my lad,’ he said at length. ‘Time and inspectors of police wait for no man. We shall finish our game presently, but for now I have to accompany this delightful girl to the dining room.’

He rose unsteadily to his feet and followed me in through a back door which led through to the ballroom. As we neared the door he caught up with me and put his hand on my behind.

‘I’m sure we have time to get a little better acquainted before I see the inspector,’ he said. ‘What a pretty little thing you arrgggghhh .’

There were only two punches and a kick, and quite gentle ones at that. Perhaps it was the throw that did the damage. As I helped him to his feet I said, ‘I’m so sorry, Mr Haddock, it’s this ballroom floor. Very slippery. I must have lost my balance a little. Are you quite all right?’

He glared at me.

Still grasping his hand I leaned in close and spoke very softly in his ear. ‘Please don’t touch me again, sir. The floors are quite slippery throughout the house now I come to think about it. Who knows how disastrously I might lose my balance the next time.’

He said nothing for the rest of the short walk to the dining room.

‘Ah, Mr Haddock,’ said the inspector as we entered. ‘Sorry to have to drag you in here once again, but there are still one or two matters to clear up. Oh, I say, you look a bit bedraggled, sir, are you quite all right?’

‘Slipped in the ballroom,’ he said, glaring at me.

Lady Hardcastle caught the glare and gave me a questioning look of her own. I grinned and she smiled.

‘Treacherous things, ballroom floors,’ said the inspector, though I think he caught the silent exchange between me and Lady Hardcastle and had his own idea of what might have happened. ‘But to business. Would you mind telling us again why you came to The Grange?’

‘I came at Sir Hector’s invitation to appraise some of his objets d’art .’

‘And nothing else?’

‘I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Inspector.’

‘If I were to mention the names Roland Richman and Praveer Sengupta and the illegal movement of goods, would you have a clearer idea of what I might mean?’

‘No, Inspector,’ he said belligerently. ‘Not a clue.’

I took a half-step towards him and he flinched.

‘Keep that vicious little harpy away from me.’

‘I’d love to,’ said the inspector, ‘but she doesn’t work for me. I’ve tried to keep her under control, but you know what it’s like with women these days. Law unto themselves, they are.’

‘Just keep her away from me and I’ll tell you what you want to know.’

‘Good lad. She’s quite reasonable. I’m sure she’ll not harm you. At least not while there’s anyone watching. So tell us again about your visit to The Grange.’

‘It’s true that I was invited down here by Sir Hector,’ he said. ‘But on the day of the party I got a telegram from Richman saying that he was going to be playing and that we should complete our business down here.’

‘Your business being . . .?’ said the inspector.

‘I thought you said you knew,’ said Haddock, slyly.

‘Indulge me,’ said the inspector. ‘Let’s make sure our stories are congruous, shall we?’

‘Of course, Inspector. Why don’t you tell me what you already know and I’ll fill in anything you’re missing.’

The inspector sighed. ‘Let’s go over your statement concerning events on the evening of the party, then, shall we? You arranged to meet Richman in the interval.’

‘I didn’t say that.’

‘You arranged to meet in the interval, but you didn’t show up. Had you already killed Holloway by then? Were you hiding out in case Richman saw Holloway’s body and worked out it was you?’

‘I . . . what . . .? No! I got delayed, that was all. I went to the . . . er . . . you know. I told you before. When I got back to the library Richman wasn’t there.’

‘So you just left it at that?’

‘No . . . I . . . er . . .’

‘You, er, what, sir?’

He sighed. ‘I went into the library.’

‘And what did you see?’

‘Chaos, Inspector. Chaos. The band’s things had been torn apart.’

‘Did you see Mr Holloway?’

‘No. No, I stayed long enough to see what had happened and got out. I wasn’t going to hang around and have people think it was me.’

‘I see,’ said the inspector. ‘Did you see anything else?’

He paused. ‘I think I heard the far door clicking shut as I came in, but I can’t be certain.’

‘And it never occurred to you to mention this when we questioned you before?’

‘Oh, come on, Inspector. It wouldn’t have taken you long to find out my reputation. And then how would it look? I reckoned it would all blow over and I’d be long gone before you figured out who I am and then there’d be no awkward questions and no unpleasantness.’

‘I see. Well, if what you say is true, then aside from being a lying little toe-rag, I’ve got nothing to hold you on. But don’t leave The Grange until I say you can. On your way, Haddock.’

‘Charming,’ said Haddock.

‘Don’t push your luck, sir ,’ said the inspector.

I shifted my weight slightly and he was out of the door like a startled rat.

Inspector Sunderland sat in one of the dining room chairs, chewing contemplatively on his pipe.

‘We’re missing something vital,’ he said. ‘We have a dead body in the library and some smuggling musicians, but I’m jiggered if I can tie the two together. Or even if I need to try. I don’t mind telling you, ladies, I’m stumped.’

There was a knock at the door and once again the respectful face of Jenkins peered round. Lady Hardcastle waved him in.

‘Come on in, Jenkins,’ she said. ‘What can we do for you?’

‘It’s more a matter of what I may do for you, my lady,’ he said, proffering his silver tray. ‘Another telegram has arrived.’

‘Good show!’ she said and took the telegram from him.

‘Will there be a reply, my lady?’

She read the message, which seemed rather a long one, and a minute passed before she said, ‘No, Jenkins, there’s no reply. This is everything I needed.’